Wolff rating: GOOD
Plot summary: Member of the Chinese Imperial Guard goes to the wild American west to rescue a princess.
Biased, pithy comments: I like costume adventures. Sure, they can be overdone---look at nearly anything done in the 60s that is set before 1900, or (gadzooks) ``Wild Wild West''---but they allow the director to show you new worlds and the cinematographer go a little nuts. The early scenes in the Forbidden City, especially, are bright, colorful, and fascinating---they are a mini-movie all unto themselves even before they go west. Combine this with an ageing but still fun Jackie Chan and the extremely dim acting abilities of Owen Wilson (chosen partially because of his chemistry with Chan and partially because he can't out-act Chan stuntman and is thus guaranteed not to steal the scene) and you get a pleasant, laugh-inducing fairytale. No, it doesn't completely hang together; there are some muddled plot moments and some jokes that don't soar, but generally you can't go wrong with this solidly-built, beautiful, fun movie.
Other Notes: DVD contains cut scenes that better explain the dodgy plot, but still don't totally excuse some of the stranger moments. I was struck by how little this movie depended on dialog; this could have been a silent film a la ``The General'' and be nearly as effective, further proving the stylistic connection between Chan and Buster Keaton.
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, Lucy Liu.
Directed by: Tom Dey