Exit the dragon
In the film credits for Chinese Zodiac (aka Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac or CZ12), one name appears again and again. Jackie Chan, we are informed, is the director, producer, screenwriter and lead actor besides roughly eight other roles in the film's production.
The 58-year-old kungfu superstar has hinted that CZ12 - the 101st action feature of his long career - would be his last major action movie, a decision prompted by his advancing years.
But despite Chan's best efforts to talk up the movie on the promotion trail, it doesn't live up to even the most modest of expectations.
Sure, it's vaguely entertaining, but from such an influential household name as Chan, movie fans have come to expect a lot more.
Looted treasures
Chan plays CJ, a treasure hunter and thief who agrees to steal a set of bronze sculptures depicting the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and which were looted by British and French forces from The Summer Palace in Beijing in 1860.
With his three partners in crime - Simon (Kwone Sang-woo from South Korea), David (Liao Fan), Bonnie (Zhang Lanxin) - Chan jets off to Paris to set about recovering these cultural relics which are about to be sold off at auction. An encounter with an antiques expert called Coco (Yao Xingtong) begins to sow doubts in Chan's mind about the wisdom, and ethics, of his mission.
Chan amuses audiences with a high-technology "skate suit" which is studded with mini-wheels meaning he can zip around the city while lying on his front.
And this being a Jackie Chan film, there are the requisite high speed car chases which are sufficiently thrilling.
However, although everything starts promisingly enough, the plot really never gets going. There are beautiful and exciting locations such as French chateaux, garden labyrinths and deep jungles, but the story doesn't hold together.
And Chan certainly goes out on a high note, jumping from a moving plane above an erupting volcano in order to retrieve the dragon head bronze sculpture (a nod to the departing Year of the Dragon). How his character actually survives this fall is anyone's guess, but you do have to remind yourself that you are not watching a science fiction movie at times.
The casting of CZ12 is also nothing to write home about. Chan employs the gimmick of using high-profile Hong Kong names in blink-and-you'll-miss-them cameos and these include Daniel Wu, Shu Qi and Joan Lin, Chan's wife.
Of the supporting cast, Bonnie's (Zhang Lanxin) kungfu moves are worth a second look, and her performance certainly confirms her reputation as a former taekwondo athlete. Coco meanwhile delivers a patronizing homily about how CJ should recover the relics for the sake of the nation, and not for mercenary gain.
Everyone's critic: Is Jackie still the lad?
Chen Libing
30, Shanghainese
"The film is another big production by Jackie Chan and it adheres to his signature film style of action/comedy and which is suitable for all family members. And although he is in his late 50s, Chan is still good at using everything at hand as weapons during fights. I wasn't expecting much in terms of a great story but was satisfied with the happy ending. At least it created a joyful holiday mood to mark the end of the Year of the Dragon."
Theresa Jiang
28, from Canada
"Well, I suppose we should show some tolerance for an elderly kungfu star who is at least doing his own dangerous stunts himself. But this is no excuse for such a poorly made film. It's a relaxing, throwaway film, although Chan's attempts at patriotic education are woefully misguided. Plus, the 3-D effects are an absolute joke."
Deng Wei
37, Shanghainese
"Jackie Chan's action films accompanied me throughout my teenage years but this 101st movie of his did nothing but disappoint. It has messy storylines, weak characters, laughable patriotic moralism and dire special effects. The only impressive part was the special skating suit Chan wears at the beginning of the film to escape from the car that is following him."