Skiptrace (2015) - Jackie Chan & Johnny Knoxville

[sym8]

if he keeps making these type of movies I think he should call it a day,it's seems to me that he's just doing these films for the sake of it,there seems to be no heart or real effort into what he is doing and the fighting is just dull.I know he's getting on in years but if you need a wire to do a basic kick then you should call it a day.I would love to see him direct a traditional Kung fu movie where he is just the old master teaching some new kid on the block some kick ass technique to defeat the super kicking white haired villain and gain there revenge now that would be a sight for sore eyes ok not original but god I miss those days?

[reason108]

9 hours ago, sym8 said:

if he keeps making these type of movies I think he should call it a day,it's seems to me that he's just doing these films for the sake of it,there seems to be no heart or real effort into what he is doing and the fighting is just dull.I know he's getting on in years but if you need a wire to do a basic kick then you should call it a day.I would love to see him direct a traditional Kung fu movie where he is just the old master teaching some new kid on the block some kick ass technique to defeat the super kicking white haired villain and gain there revenge now that would be a sight for sore eyes ok not original but god I miss those days?

 

 

Exactly! 

[ShaOW!linDude]

Okay, I sat through this last night and...well, words can't describe the utter lameness of this movie. But I'll try.

With a running time of 107 minutes, it's about 20-30 minutes too long, maybe more. I like Jackie Chan, and I like Johnny Knoxville, and this pairing surely sounded good on paper, but the chemistry is not there. And it should've been. Chan plays a curmudgeon cop (which is really against his type) determined to get the killer of his partner (Eric Tsang), and Knoxville plays a con man, a role that should be right up his alley, but all the mishaps and comedy high jinx feel forced. I'm not going into detail plot-wise, but Chan has to travel to Russia to bring Knoxville back to Hong Kong. So this is really a "2 on the road" movie. The only strength of this film is the scenics. There are some beautiful shots and locations, but that's all you get. The comedy is just not funny. I don't even remember smirking or grinning one time.

The action...oh, why did they even bother? Well, I know why. Because it's a Jackie Chan film, and we all want to see JC in action. But the enjoyable moments are so few and rare. Both he and Knoxville are obviously doubled for many stunts, which is to be expected, but it's almost like there was no attempt to conceal it. And the fights? Chan has always been good about having a rhythmic flow and pacing to his fight scenes, and subtle undercranking helps with that. There is none of that here. Kicks and punches lack any real impact and almost no speed. If it weren't for the sound f/x, you'd think no one got hit and just fell down out of boredom. There are a couple of nice kicks in places, but the editing gaffes them up. The only moment worth seeing (and you could probably find it on Youtube) is when Chan is fighting Russian gangsters in a matryoshka doll factory. (Those are also known as nesting dolls, where you have a big one with a smaller one inside, with a smaller one inside, with a smaller one inside, etc.). He and this Russian hit woman are having at it, and he picks a doll up to defend himself, and she smashes it and each consecutive one until he throws the final one at her. That is the best fight/comedy bit of the movie, and it happens within the first 30 minutes.

I am so glad I resisted the urge to buy this when the dvd came out. I would have been livid. Chan said Chinese Zodiac was his sendoff to action films, so to speak, and as much as it pains me to say it, he needs to abide by that. I've already read @One Armed Boxer's review of Kung Fu Yoga, and thank goodness I won't be suffering through that. If Chan wants to continue in action films, he needs to direct them. Unfortunately, unlike Sammo, I don't think he can be content with that, and I can understand why. Still, and I've said this hundreds of times, years ago he should have been gathering a ensemble of new talent to showcase. With his talent for directing and choreography, I'd still be singing his praises. Now I want to go watch Miracles...because I think he needs one.

[One Armed Boxer]

Very entertaining review @ShaOW!linDude.

1 hour ago, ShaOW!linDude said:

Chan plays a curmudgeon cop (which is really against his type) determined to get the killer of his partner (Eric Tsang), and Knoxville plays a con man, a role that should be right up his alley, but all the mishaps and comedy high jinx feel forced.

Not a fan of Chan in 'Thunderbolt' then?  I've never really been a fan of Knoxville the actor, considering he also hampered Kim Ji-woon's Hollywood debut, 'The Last Stand', with his lack of on-screen chemistry with Schwarzenegger.  Still, I'm glad he appeared in this rather than Sean William Scott, who I believe was originally reported to be cast alongside Chan.

1 hour ago, ShaOW!linDude said:

There is none of that here. Kicks and punches lack any real impact and almost no speed. If it weren't for the sound f/x, you'd think no one got hit and just fell down out of boredom.

 This line not only made me laugh out loud, but also reminded me of the same thing on display in 'Kung Fu Yoga', the kicks landed on the opponents as lightly as a leaf in some scenes.  I swear if you were to watch it on mute it would be like watching 'The Twilight Zone', as opponents get floored from the lightest of taps.  As you say, thank goodness for sound f/x.

1 hour ago, ShaOW!linDude said:

With his talent for directing and choreography, I'd still be singing his praises. Now I want to go watch Miracles...because I think he needs one.

Ohhh, shots fired!  You went in for the kill with this last line, and succeeded!

[massa_yoda]

Geez...I guess I'm the only one that didn't mind this movie?  Ah well, that's okay I guess.  Who knows, maybe I'll go back after a while and watch it again with different eyes and change my opinion.  On first viewing, though, I was pleasantly surprised.  

[thekfc]

I have yet to watch it.

A few days ago, my wife started watching it on Netflix. I didn't join her as I was went out to do some grocery shopping. When I came back (about 40-45 minutes later) she was watching Bizarre Foods instead.

When I asked her "why are you not watching it?."  Her reply was "I am not content". She usually says that when isn't happy with the ending of a movie but she didn't even make it thru this one.

[ShaOW!linDude]

1 hour ago, massa_yoda said:

Geez...I guess I'm the only one that didn't mind this movie?  Ah well, that's okay I guess.  Who knows, maybe I'll go back after a while and watch it again with different eyes and change my opinion.  On first viewing, though, I was pleasantly surprised.  

Different strokes and all that. If you liked it, you liked it.

1 hour ago, thekfc said:

When I asked her "why are you not watching it?."  Her reply was "I am not content".

Hah! I like that.

[reason108]

On 1/23/2017 at 7:32 AM, ShaOW!linDude said:

Okay, I sat through this last night and...well, words can't describe the utter lameness of this movie. But I'll try.

With a running time of 107 minutes, it's about 20-30 minutes too long, maybe more. I like Jackie Chan, and I like Johnny Knoxville, and this pairing surely sounded good on paper, but the chemistry is not there. And it should've been. Chan plays a curmudgeon cop (which is really against his type) determined to get the killer of his partner (Eric Tsang), and Knoxville plays a con man, a role that should be right up his alley, but all the mishaps and comedy high jinx feel forced. I'm not going into detail plot-wise, but Chan has to travel to Russia to bring Knoxville back to Hong Kong. So this is really a "2 on the road" movie. The only strength of this film is the scenics. There are some beautiful shots and locations, but that's all you get. The comedy is just not funny. I don't even remember smirking or grinning one time.

The action...oh, why did they even bother? Well, I know why. Because it's a Jackie Chan film, and we all want to see JC in action. But the enjoyable moments are so few and rare. Both he and Knoxville are obviously doubled for many stunts, which is to be expected, but it's almost like there was no attempt to conceal it. And the fights? Chan has always been good about having a rhythmic flow and pacing to his fight scenes, and subtle undercranking helps with that. There is none of that here. Kicks and punches lack any real impact and almost no speed. If it weren't for the sound f/x, you'd think no one got hit and just fell down out of boredom. There are a couple of nice kicks in places, but the editing gaffes them up. The only moment worth seeing (and you could probably find it on Youtube) is when Chan is fighting Russian gangsters in a matryoshka doll factory. (Those are also known as nesting dolls, where you have a big one with a smaller one inside, with a smaller one inside, with a smaller one inside, etc.). He and this Russian hit woman are having at it, and he picks a doll up to defend himself, and she smashes it and each consecutive one until he throws the final one at her. That is the best fight/comedy bit of the movie, and it happens within the first 30 minutes.

I am so glad I resisted the urge to buy this when the dvd came out. I would have been livid. Chan said Chinese Zodiac was his sendoff to action films, so to speak, and as much as it pains me to say it, he needs to abide by that. I've already read @One Armed Boxer's review of Kung Fu Yoga, and thank goodness I won't be suffering through that. If Chan wants to continue in action films, he needs to direct them. Unfortunately, unlike Sammo, I don't think he can be content with that, and I can understand why. Still, and I've said this hundreds of times, years ago he should have been gathering a ensemble of new talent to showcase. With his talent for directing and choreography, I'd still be singing his praises. Now I want to go watch Miracles...because I think he needs one.

 

 

Dang, and I thought that I was perhaps being to rough on old Jackie with my review. Oh well, I guess some of us are on the same page about this movie. I even went back and watched it a 2nd time, but with the audio commentary from the director. After I realized whom the director was, I became even more disappointed in how this film turned out.  

 

And, I feared the worse for Kung-Fu Yoga after seeing the trailer. Now, I need to go and check that review out. Sad days ahead.

[Koravec]

I second the Rock would be cool to see, actually would really enjoy seeing George Lopez too to be honest haha. Johnny Knoxville wasn't a bad choice I suppose. Didnt think the movie was all that great though.

[Takuma]

Caught this during a flight.

Skiptrace (China / Hong Kong / USA, 2016) [Flight] - 2/5

"Renny Harlin is making a Jackie Chan movie, unfortunately not in 1994". This A.V. Club pre-release headline summed it up perfectly. It's basically a Rush Hour lite meets 48 Hours, with Johnny Knoxville instead of Chris Tucker / Eddie Murphy. Mostly watchable with a fast pace and a couple of good jokes, but ultimately nothing we haven't seen done better dozens of times. The action is forgettable and the soundtrack especially bad. There is one wonderful cameo, though.

[SamSeed]

OK, so. I finally got around to watching this today. My expectations were suitably low. And then the first fight scene happened. And I smiled. Because, although it lacked the speed and impact of earlier fights, it still felt very much like a Jackie Chan action scene. Then the second fight happened, and it was even better. I especially liked the gag with the Russian dolls, so simple but still funny. Sadly, this is where the fun ends. Because from here it's just Rush Hour but without the chemistry or heart (yes there is heart in Rush Hour. Just about!) Don't get me wrong, I like Johnny Knoxville, he was perfect for Jackass and actually has turned out to be a decent enough actor. The trouble is, this script doesn't give him or Jackie anything interesting to do together. Yes they get into fights and shenanigans and globetrotting (with a very odd ad break for an Adele album in the middle of the film which made me cringe). The relationship between them felt forced, as did the obligatory teaming up at the end, nothing felt earned and it was so by the numbers. And what annoys me the most is that there's a really fun buddy comedy in here somewhere, if the script had been given a few more polishes. That said, the film whizzed by and it isn't the worst film Jackie's made, it's not the worst film Knoxville's made either (to which anyone who managed to sit through The Ringer or the Dukes of Hazzard can attest). It's just totally, utterly average, and there's nothing wrong with that, maybe I just hold a too romanticised version of a Jackie Chan film, the Jackie who NEVER settled for average. But he hasn't existed since Shanghai Knights.

Edited February 11, 2018 by SamSeed

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Skiptrace (2016: Renny Harlin: China/US): just from the cover you know this is going to be an antagonist buddy film in the vein of him with Owen Wilson and Christ Tucker and you get the feeling it will not be as good as either series.  Of course, you will be right.   

Good news: this is much better than Bleeding Steel which is probably my least favorite film with Jackie Chan (after this movie I hit 97 watched; as of this writing I am at 99).  Bad news is that there are still many better films of his to watch (and/or rewatch). 

This has a good beginning and overall, throughout the film the fights are fine enough as well as a good number of stunts that are above average.  The matryoshka factory fight is quite good.  The soundtrack is bad – it would not be good for a 1970s Disney TV film. 

But at some point, you know Johnny Knoxville has to come in. He is the very definition of unctuous.  You could squeeze him and baby oil would come out.  Where his character works (much like his real life) is with stunts and putting himself into harm's way to be entertaining though it sometimes feels like Jackass meets Jackie Chan. There will be lots of testicular terror (Football to the groin! Or Ow, My Balls and what am I eating).  Though it is fun seeing Knoxville in pain. 

The plot is warmed over Midnight Run (with shades of Identity Thief or any buddy film with an annoying character) with Jackie as the stolid cop having to turn over a possible murderer ultimately to save his goddaughter.  But the two do work well together.  Then again wouldn’t Johnny Knoxville even annoy Jill from Jack & Jill? How about adding Paul the alien and having the most annoying group of characters ever to hit the screen at the same time? 

We have a road trip film which has some nice scenery (and reminded me of Jackie in Around the World in 80 Days – which is a better film than this one, unfortunately, the cinematographer (Chan Kwok-hung) died during the making of this.) as they are globetrotting (showing some nice areas of China).  The film almost works, you do get to hear Jackie Chan sing Adele, but has such a stupid “trick” ending that is aggravating, plus this is nothing you have not seen before. 

For Hong Kong fans it is great to see Eric Tsang, Richard Ng and of course Michael Wong. 

Nick Allen at Roger Ebert wrote a good positive review here: https://bit.ly/3Z4l6z5. But I think the easy test to swatch this: if you are a fan of Jackie Chan and you do not hate Knoxville with the passion of an angry Ricardo Montalban.    

[PandaPawPaw]

I made it to about 16mins on NETFLIX and I gave up. Just so bleh! Also Knoxville being in it doesn't make me want to continue either.