Around the World in 80 Days *** (2004, Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, Cécile De France, Jim Broadbent) – Classic Movie Review 2453

Director Frank Coraci’s 2004 remake of producer Mike Todd’s 1956 five-Oscar-winning original stars a reasonably well-cast Steve Coogan. He makes a fair stab at his big star role as Jules Verne’s 1899-set Victorian inventor and adventurer Phileas Fogg in this lavish and entertaining but sometimes sluggish family film version of Jules Verne’s adventure yarn spruced up for the new millennium. Irritating some, it deviates wildly from the novel and includes anachronistic elements for daft comedy reasons.

Fogg bets pompous Lord Kelvin (Jim Broadbent) of the Royal Science Society that he can travel the globe in 80 days, and picks up two jolly pals: Jackie Chan as his gentleman’s gentleman valet Passepartout (who is on a secret mission to recover a stolen Buddha) and Cécile De France as his French love interest, Monique.

An ideal Chan is a ball of energy, while Coogan plays it commendably straight and they form a good double act. A sometimes-plodding movie livens up with sparky martial arts action and nifty cameos, including a daft turn from Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Turkish Prince Hapi. It was Schwarzenegger’s last film before his gap from acting as Governor of California.

Overacting wildly, Ewen Bremner is horrible as the dogged cockney Detective Fix, a role nailed nicely by Robert Newton in the original. If it were tennis, you’d call his performance ‘out!’

It also helps enormously that it’s an extraordinarily handsome and plush production. By far the most distinguished aspects of the movie are Perry Andelin Blake’s handsome sets designs and the visual effects and model work. The effects are seamless, thanks to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, Rhythm & Hues and the Computer Film Company.

A miscast Kathy Bates plays Queen Victoria: where was Prunella Scales when we needed her? Also in the cast are John Cleese (as grizzled sergeant), Owen Wilson as Wilbur Wright, Luke Wilson as Orville Wright, Rob Schneider as a San Francisco hobo, Macy Gray as sleeping French woman, Mark Addy as the steamer captain, Richard Branson as Balloon Man, Roger Hammond as Lord Rhodes, David Ryall as Lord Salisbury and Will Forte as young French policeman Bobby.

Director Frank Coraci can be seen a cameo as angry dapper pedestrian. Ian McNeice, who plays Colonel Kitchener is also in the 1989 mini-series version.

There are 13 credited producers!

After production costs of about $110million and marketing costs of $30million, it earned $24million at the US box office and $72million worldwide, making it a considerable cinema box office failure, but it finally turned a profit on DVD sales.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2453

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