Around the World in 80 Days
Starring Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan and Cecile de France; directed by Frank Coraci
It’s got an attention span of about four seconds, but the new Disney-fied redux of Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days could be a lot worse. With pretty daring casting placing martial-artist klutz Jackie Chan alongside the enormously dry wit of Steve Coogan, the Passepartout and Phileas Fogg duo of navigator-and-inventor couldn’t be more dynamic. Except of course when you the throw in a light-headed Impressionist adventureress via Cecile De France’s delightfully breezy Monique La Roche. Together the three make for great company during the very bumpy, often hilarious journey around the globe. Sure the uber-colorful part-set, part-on-location panorama of cultural locales may’ve been as convincing as Disney World’s eclectic world pavilions, I was still glued to my seat for the whole childish ride. Guilty pleasure or not, Around is filled with a Hollywood feast of attractions (Schwarzenegger as a polygamous Turkish prince?! The Owen brothers as the Wright brothers?!) and a surprisingly well-tuned script will make you forgive the umm, liberties Disney took with story. Chop-socky globe-trotting races to prove you’ve got what it takes have never been so much fun. The gargantuanly funny performance of Jim Broadbent as a deliciously greedy, quill-whipping executive maniac is worth the admission ticket alone.
Rating: Three Stars and a half out of five