Today’s quick review: The Medallion. Inspector Eddie Yang (Jackie Chan) of the Hong Kong police gives his life to save Jai (Alexander Bao), the young keeper of a sacred medallion, from a criminal (Julian Sands) trying to kidnap him. In gratitude, the boy uses the power of the medallion to revive Eddie and give him extraordinary powers. Now Eddie must use his newfound strength to keep the power of the medallion from falling into the wrong hands.
The Medallion is a martial arts action comedy with fantasy elements. The Medallion takes Jackie Chan’s usual recipe of light adventure and martial arts slapstick and blends it with a dash of mysticism, thanks to the titular medallion and the powers it gives Eddie. The Medallion uses these powers as an excuse for even more over-the-top stunts, but a combination of weak humor and over-reliance on special effects make it less satisfying than Chan’s best.
The Medallion has two major weaknesses that will make it a dicey pick for most viewers. One is that its comedy is more juvenile that Jackie Chan’s other work, mainly relying on Eddie’s partner Watson (Lee Evans), a bumbling Interpol agent, for its laughs. The other chief weakness is the fantasy elements. Eddie’s physics-defying powers look artificial, hurt the film’s credibility, and take it away from the kind of honest action Jackie Chan does best.
Still, The Medallion does have a few things going for it. The film moves quickly, and though it takes a while for Eddie to get his powers, the extended opening doesn’t feel wasted. Eddie’s love interest, an Interpol agent named Nicole (Claire Forlani), gets along well with him and fits the tone of the movie. The Medallion also delivers some decent action: the super-powered fights are at least playful, and the more conventional stunts are quite solid.
Those who are willing to put up with The Medallion’s foibles will enjoy the film as a light, fast-paced bit of entertainment. Those looking for sharp humor, a grounded story, or pathos should look elsewhere. For a safer pick with better comedy, try Rush Hour. For a Jackie Chan movie with a similar premise and a spy twist, try The Tuxedo. For a fantasy action adventure with a similar vibe, try Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
5.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for some fun action coupled with mediocre humor and a shaky premise.