One of the lines in the movie has Jack (Jackie Chan) talking about the passion and dedication to a craft when the archeologists observes a golden structure of intricate work and detail. “They don’t make it like this anymore,” he says, and the same could be applied to how movies are made these days… even this one. For one, there are at least three major animal scenes, and despite Chan’s reputation for attention to detail, there was no way in this day and age he would be able to pull off those scenes with real animals even if said animals are trained for such roles. Social media and self-righteous animal lovers would be all over him. So CGI it is, and of some questionable quality, so much so the opening sequence looks like it came off some PS3/PS4 game. But then, we still have some beautiful locations and well-built sets to wonder at, and to keep some things feeling real enough. A follow up to the 2005 adventure, The Myth (also from director Stanley Tong), Kung-Fu Yoga lays the groundwork of a myth/legend that leads Jack on a treasure hunt. As with his other adventure series of late (see CZ12 a.k.a Chinese Zodiac), the main idea is that such historical treasures are of cultural value and should be returned to their country of origin, preserved for all time. So the bad guys are the ones who want the treasure to sell and make money. Also, the Indiana Jones references fly very fast and loose with even Jack admitting he loves Indiana Jones. Even with that, it takes almost a half hour before the main villain makes his move and the movie kicks into the typical action adventure you’d expect, and the fun kicks in. The action set-pieces are generally what the movie fans will be looking for, and even with the questionable CGI effects, the fight scenes hold up well enough while a car-chase set-piece may have you wondering if you’re watching another Fast and Furious movie just for some of the stunts pulled off here. Of course, Chan himself makes way for the youngsters sharing the screen with him while showcasing the versatility of his stunt team and their work. Also, this being Chan’s Chinese New Year film, the ending leaves a little to be desired because, while it is a fun thing to pull off given the season (and almost typical of shows of the season), there’s practically no resolution to the adventure especially given the serious nature of the first part of the story. Still, there’s fun to be had and it is enjoyable enough for a holiday distraction. Alternatively, and equally fun and enjoyable, you might want to check out xXx: The Return of Xander Cage. My review is here. Stars Jackie Chan, Disha Patani, Amyra Dastur, Aarif Rahman, Sonu Sood, Zhang Yixing, Miya Muqi, and Eric Tsang Directed by Stanley Tong Rating: ***/5 Find the best online deals here. | Barnes and Noble | Google Play Store | Book Depository Discover more about the books here.
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