SKIPTRACE (Theatrical Release USA 2016)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 2.8|5.0 Starsìì

Skiptrace—a real ‘wannabe’ action flick—is not your typical Jackie Chan action movie where Jackie uses his environment to provide the amazing stunts of his younger years. This film seems to rely on help from the crew to get some of the stunts done to keep Jackie from injury. The initial cinematography is poor and runs between okay and poor throughout the movie. Johnny Knoxville seems a poor casting choice from the outset as his ‘over the top’ acting does not balance well with Jackie’s more subtle acting. There is a tremendous difference between this film and other films that balanced Owen Wilson and Chris Tucker to compliment Jackie’s character.  This film didn’t 'cut' it.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Bennie Chan’s (Jackie Chan) partner, Yung (Eric Tsang), asks Jackie Chan to take care of his daughter, Samantha Yung (Fan Bingbing), before jumping off a railing with a bomb Chan had been unable to deactivate attached to his waist. Chan believes crime lord Victor Wong (Winston Chao) to be at fault, wants revenge for his partner’s life, and spends years hunting Victor Wong while taking care of his partner’s daughter. However, Samantha Yung becomes involved with the crime lord and Jackie needs help. He asks conman Conner Watts (Johnny Knoxville) for that help.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Renny Harlin for his efforts in directing this film. Thank you to Executive Producers Frank Botman, Xiaolin Liu, Christopher Lytton, and Zhenhua Yang for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Bennie Chan (Jackie Chan),Connor Watts (Johnny Knoxville), Samantha Bai (Bingbing Fan), Yung (Eric Tsang), Dasha (Eve Torres), Victor Wong (Winston Chao), Willie (Jeong-hun Yeon), Leslie (Shi Shi), Tang (Michael Wong), Esmond (Dylan Kuo), Ting Ting (Lanxin Zhang), and Officer Wu (Wei Na).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. This is not your usual Jackie Chan comedy/action flick. It is a disappointment.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers