Around the World in 80 Days (2004)

Around the World in 80 Days (2004) is the kind of big, buoyant studio adventure that remembers movies can be a vacation: bright colors, brisk momentum, and a globe-trotting sense of play that keeps the screen in constant motion. Jackie Chan’s effortless physical comedy and fight choreography give it a joyful engine, while Steve Coogan leans into Phileas Fogg’s fussy charm in a way that makes the whole thing pleasantly “amiably dorky” rather than self-important. The tone is goofy-fun and high-spirited, more Saturday-matinee romp than faithful Jules Verne, and it’s happiest when it’s piling on inventions, escapes, and postcard visuals. If you’re craving a serious, prestige-minded epic you may find it too silly, but if you want an agreeable, energetic ride that never seems to run out of gas, this one delivers.

Around the World in 80 Days (2004) is clearly trying to be a breezy, family-friendly globe-trotting romp that mixes Jackie Chan stunts with Steve Coogan’s fish-out-of-water comedy and a classic “race against time” hook. The problem is it often feels like a string of noisy set pieces without much real momentum or wonder, and the writing leans on broad gags and convenient plotting instead of making the journey feel exciting or clever. If you’re coming for Jules Verne faithfulness or a genuinely adventurous travel vibe, this one will likely irritate you because it plays more like a lightweight action-comedy with a famous title slapped on. Still, Chan’s physicality and a few energetic moments do provide some harmless, kid-friendly entertainment if your expectations are firmly set to “silly Saturday matinee.”