Starring Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, Cécile de France, Jim Broadbent, Kathy Bates, Ian McNeice, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Rob Schneider, Ewen Bremner, Mark Addy, Will Forte

(6-Good Film)

Goofy. Fun. Spectacle.

Phileas Fogg: One day, I will build a machine that will allow a man to fly!

Hollywood’s first big-budget adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic novel came in 1956 and boasted over 40 cameos from major stars including: Frank Sinatra, Buster Keaton, Red Skelton, and Marlene Dietrich, to name a few.  Hollywood’s second adaptation came in 2004 and may not come anywhere near its predecessor in terms of cameos, or success for that matter, but I think it’s better. Instead, it weaves in a goofy plot involving Chinese mercenaries so Jackie Chan can be the star and I say, “yes.” I love Jackie Chan and all of his adventures including his lesser, sillier exploits although I do think Around the World has some merit apart from any Chan devotion on my end. It’s a big-budget adventure with lots of colorful settings for one thing and it might not have made me laugh but I smiled throughout.

-Walter Tyrone Howard-

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