SKIPTRACE is a film that comes as a surprise to me. First off, whilst not being a great movie, it's the first Jackie Chan film I've seen in yonks that feels like one of his older classics. It's a light and breezy production, full of silly comedy and action, and a story that keeps on moving so that it never feels dull despite the predictability of the thing. It was made by Renny Harlin, whose career has been less than illustrious as of late, but it's one of his better showings.
The plot sees Chan and sidekick Johnny Knoxville (riffing on his LAST STAND persona, and not irritating at all) teaming up to tackle a criminal mastermind. Most of the film feels like a travelogue as they head through Mongolia and China on their way to Hong Kong. There's plenty of action, including a stand-out fight early on in a Russian doll factory (!) which is just like a classic scene from one of Jackie's '80s movies. Hong Kong cinema lovers will enjoy the turns from Eric Tsang, Michael Wong, and a cameoing Richard Ng, and in the end this is a harmless enough slice of entertainment that's a bit better than most of Jackie's recent stuff.
The plot sees Chan and sidekick Johnny Knoxville (riffing on his LAST STAND persona, and not irritating at all) teaming up to tackle a criminal mastermind. Most of the film feels like a travelogue as they head through Mongolia and China on their way to Hong Kong. There's plenty of action, including a stand-out fight early on in a Russian doll factory (!) which is just like a classic scene from one of Jackie's '80s movies. Hong Kong cinema lovers will enjoy the turns from Eric Tsang, Michael Wong, and a cameoing Richard Ng, and in the end this is a harmless enough slice of entertainment that's a bit better than most of Jackie's recent stuff.