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movie review - Skiptrace

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Someone decided, "Let's put Johnny Knoxville from Jackass in a movie with Jackie Chan." Everyone round the table agreed, and here we are.

I have to say, I enjoyed it but won't recommend it. Chan, as always, makes a great straight guy and Knoxville's rogue makes a great counterpart. The basic idea is that Chan's HK cop is meant to transport Knoxville's gambler (con-man) from Macau to Hong Kong. The plan doesn't go well, and along the way they take in a great deal of China and even Mongolia. It's good as far as that goes, and not entirely stupid. But the editing is a bit choppy, with plenty of jumping from scene to scene in a way that's more than a bit distracting. There are scenes that are barely connected, and at least one completely unnecessary scene (featuring Mongolian singing). The supposed charm of the pairing is deflated by puerile humor and a lack of real character development. It feels like a missed opportunity.

Not recommended.