Around the World In 80 Days is based on the famed Jules Verne tale, and it is yet another perfect example of a remake that is far inferior to an earlier, much more accomplished version (Michael Anderson's splendid take on the story came out in 1956).
Steve Coogan is British inventor Phileas Fogg, a man who is shunned by the scientific community for his odd creations. In an attempt to prove his worth, Fogg makes the bold proclamation and a few wagers that he can travel around the entire globe within 80 days. If he fails, he will be forced to tear down his massive creation factory and will never be permitted to invent again. If he wins, the smarmy Jim Broadbent will be forced to resign his position as Minister of the Royal Academy of Science. Luckily, Fogg is not alone in his travels as he is be aided by Asian Lau Xing (Jackie Chan), a man on a mission of his own.
Around the World in 80 Days is incredibly clumsy. It's just choppy beyond description and the transitions from one continent to the next are hardly seamless. The changes in contrast are fine, almost welcome in many cases, but the way the film gets from one location to the other, are almost unbelievably amateurish for a Disney film. The movie is terribly disjointed and there appears to be chunks of the film missing.
Steve Coogan is terrific. He's naturally funny and offers up an outstanding sense of comic timing, but he is a far better actor than this picture deserves. Jackie Chan remains an amazing talent. He too possesses expert timing, and as is usually the case, his choreographed action sequences are breathtaking. It's too bad there aren't enough of them. And I don't mean this in a disrespectful manner, but sometimes it is difficult to understand what the hell Mr. Chan is saying. Even though this isn't Shakespeare, this factor doesn't help matters.
Around the World in 80 Days is large in scope but director Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy ) never really seems up to the challenge. It appears that he bit off a little more than he could chew - it's not such a Small World After All. What little does work in the picture, works as a result of Chan and Coogan busting their asses off.
There are a few amusing moments to speak of. The cameos are terrific. I thought I was going to crap myself when Arnold Schwarzenegger showed up. As expected, I found myself reciting his instantly quotable dialogue the minute I exited the theater. And that kick ass hair style of his has to be seen to be believed. There's also a fun little scene in which Luke and Owen Wilson play the Wright Brothers. There are plenty of other bit parts, but these are the most notable.
Around the World in 80 Days is only slightly better than what I was expecting following that dreadful trailer I saw for the film earlier this year. It's messy, convoluted, and surprisingly joyless - despite valiant efforts by stars Jackie Chan and Steve Coogan. Yet another classic that should have remained un-remade.
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