Around The World In 80 Days Review

Sharing the title, basic plot and very little else with Jules Verne's original novel, this 2004 cinematic take on Around The World In 80 Days is closer (at least in structure) to Michael Anderson's Oscar-winning 1956 film version, with episodic adventures punctuated by a variety of star cameos.

Sadly, while Anderson's film featured iconic faces like Buster Keaton and Frank Sinatra, the best examples this tired action-comedy can muster are Owen and Luke Wilson, Richard Branson, and an embarrassing turn from Arnold Schwarzenegger, sporting a shocking wig, as a randy Turkish prince.

Unimpressive cameos aren't quite enough to sink a movie, but the decision to turn a ripping Victorian adventure into a slapstick-heavy Jackie Chan vehicle pushes the film closer to outright disaster. Chan plays Lau Xing, a Chinese thief who retrieves a sacred jade Buddha from the Bank of England, and hides out as the valet of eccentric inventor Phileas Fogg (Coogan).

Lau Xing has to get the Buddha back to his Chinese village as soon as possible - and to do this, he manipulates Fogg into betting his reputation on travelling around the world in only 80 days. What he doesn't know is that Lord Kelvin (Broadbent), the man betting against Fogg, is also involved with the theft of the jade Buddha. Soon a motley crew of criminals and assassins are trying to retrieve it by bringing Fogg's journey to a premature halt.