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The Medallion | Year: 2003 Classification: Action/Adventure Directed: - Gordon Chan Actors/Actresses: - Jackie Chan - Lee Evans - Claire Forlani Take off the Medallion and put back on the Tuxedo It's hard enough to figure out why this film was once called "High Binders" let alone why Jackie would short change his fans with this very weak action movie. I thought that the Tuxedo was Jackies weakest picture, although not as bad as everyone had claimed. After seeing the Medallion that film becomes a bit better now that we see that things could have been worse. Where to begin. In this movie we get a Jackie who seems more comfortable with adding special effects to jazz things up. From the opening titles I was pleased to see "A Jackie Chan Production" which has always meant quality in the past. Although this may seem to be another Hollywood action flick, it's actually one of Jackies international movies. He does the smart thing by adding a mostly American star cast, a few recongizable faces makes things feel more at home. Claire Forlani is an excellent choice especially after the dudd of choosing Jennifer Love Hewitt for Tuxedo. This movie can't decide if its' a traditional Chan pic or one of his new jazzy ones that have special effects. In the end we get a [bad] version of both. Shanghai Knights was excellent and proved to me that Jackie can still be fresh and new in his action scenes. In this he treads alot of old ground, doing nothing that one would call impressive. The effects, as always, seem to hinder chan rather than help him. It was kinda cool to see him play Superman in the second half of the film but the script was just awful. They actually stop the plot for a kitchen scene montage of jackie and friend cooking dinner to the hit song "twist and shout". If that doesnt say it all I dont know what will. On one positive note actor Lee Evans provides some much needed comic relief and Jackie is left playing the straight man. A pleasing twist but over all it can't save this sorry movie. The Accidental Spy was a great film and was also his last previous international movie. What went wrong between these two I will never know. Jackie seems to be giving in to what seems to sell here in American but at the same time he's doing it completely wrong. Let's hope for better next time, and forget this movie ever happened. Forgettable Jackie Chan has really cranked out a lot of movies and I have found some of them quite entertaining with action packed fight scenes, good stories, great stunts, and Chan's self deprecating sense of humor. This is not one of them. There is not much to the plot - Chan is a Hong Kong cop facing off against a super criminal "Snakehead". Snakehead is after a medallion that is possessed by a kid. The medallion gives people special powers. Snakehead kidnaps the kid and Chan is in the hunt to save the kid and keep the medallion out of Snakehead's hands. Unfortunately, the plot is awful and makes little sense. The fight scenes are not very good. The movie essentially breaks down into a not very interesting series of vignettes that I could never decide whether they were supposed to be funny, scary, thrilling - they were just plan dumb. Chan would be better served to make fewer, higher quality movies than to churn out forgettable fare like The Medallion. Not one of jackies best. Maybe it is because I love jackie's earlier movies which he surpassed himself in, but I was very disappointed with this film. Okay, so it's funny in parts but having said this that's about it. I realise that jackie is trying different things in his new films, but for me I preferred the original hong kong movies. I really never thought I would ever give a JC movie 3 stars, but I have to be honest and do so. Sorry jackie. But I am still an avid fan of yours. Buy The Medallion at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on The Medallion Search with the Priority Search Engine on The Medallion This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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