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While my memory of reading Jules Verne in Around the World in 80 Days admittedly somewhat vague, I am quite sure that it does not contain much in the way of Chinese martial arts. These paintings ornaments. But what else can be reasonably expected when the sidekick gets top billing because he plays one of the most accomplished and beloved action stars? Jules Verne, meet Jackie Chan.

This is the third major production to use Verne novel, as his inspiration, and of the three, it is the least faithful to its source material. In the 1956 film, which starred David Niven, and won the Best Picture Oscar (perhaps one of the three most citations ever in that category), was lazy, too long travelogue. In the 1989 adaptation, where previously-007 Pierce Brosnan in the lead role, has been made at the TV mini-series, which was spread out over two nights. For those who want loyalty that option go. Now, we are Disney-governmental said that too inconsistent to be worthwhile.

Jules Verne, as provided in this Jackie Chan Around the World in 80 Days, Phileas Fogg (Steve Coogan) is the inventor of the Missing School professor, and his faithful close, Passepartout (Jackie Chan) is a Chinaman who recently robbed the Bank of England. Together, the two embark on a trip around the world after Phileas unwise to bet his opponent, Lord Kelvin (by Jim Broadbent) that such a feat can be achieved by modern means of transport. ( “Modern” at the end of 1800.) If Phileas loses, he can never invent again. In France, joined by a pair of obvious interest to love Phileas, Monique La Roche (C and cile De France), and their music is a secret to the incompetent Inspector Fix (Ewen Bremner, making imitation of Herbert Lom of the Pink Panther movies) and hazardous General Fang (Karen Joy Morris). But there is very little to counter them as travel from Paris to Turkey to India to China in San Francisco, New York and London.

The biggest problem in the world in 80 days is inconsistent entertainment value episodes. The one in France, which has a hot air balloon, it is an exercise in slapstick action. The one in Turkey, Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lecherous Duke, is a farce. The one in China features a fair amount of ho-hum martial arts. San Francisco, gives little, and in New York more fighting. Then there was a sequence in the Atlantic. Ultimately, the total is less than the sum of its parts. Although each case can be marginally entertaining in its own right, the overall effect is that the movie is not funny enough, exciting enough or sharp enough to warrant two hours in an audience member’s time.

With Jackie Chan functioning as star and action choreographer, a person has the right to expect a fair amount of “if fu.” However, despite the presence of about half a dozen martial arts fights, no one is suggesting anything noteworthy. These routine and uninspired sequences - is not such a bold, over-on-top fare, we have to expect from Chen. (Yes, I understand that the age significantly limit its ability to do what-crunching bones maneuvers he has tried in the past.) Hard as it may be to believe, Around the World in 80 Days offers only snooze-worthy action scenes.

One of the many cameos Cameos lot. Schwarzenegger, in brief, 5-minute appearance becomes a lot of attention, primarily because the big man pokes fun at it to the Governor-image. But to see Schwarzenegger to act as a donkey, and be really bad wig is not worth the price of admission (though amusing scene in the kind of offbeat way). There are enough other famous person to make the film more exercise in the search for the next star than in accordance with thin plot. (This downturn in cameos - they distract and detract from the story.) France leads us Macy Gray. Sammo Hung assists from Jackie Chan in China. Rob Schneider is the hobo in San Francisco (it is a bit amusing cautiously). In Wilson Brothers (Owen and Luke) are unfunny as the Wright brothers. Mark Addy plays master of the vessel without nipples. And John Cleese gets in the cortex from one line. Cleese presence brings to mind the physical similarities between the leading man Steve Coogan and Monty Python member Eric Idle. Of course, a bit of wearing women’s clothing may not be a coincidence? However, while I can see how Idle Coogan, Jackie Chan is not as successful as Terry Jones.

Instead of focusing on the exciting cinematography (as in the 1956 version), the Around the World in 80 Days is set art direction as its hallmark. Various set pieces look good, and the computer animated transitions charm. Buried under all this visual glitz and star-power are the remnants of Jules Verne in a fairy tale. Control of the project is in the hands of Frank Coraci, whose previous credits include two Adam Sandler “classics:” A wedding singer and Waterboy. What in the world in 80 days, Coraci has shown some growth, as these end-’90 s movies, but not enough to make this new take on an old story work.

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