'Skiptrace' - Movie Review

Jackie Chan plays Bennie Chan (which is still better than some movies, in which he is simply "Jackie" - at least they changed part of his name), a Hong Kong police officer obsessed with arresting the crime boss "Matador" ... who he's never seen, but has been pursuing for nine years. Bennie's quest leads him to Connor Watts (Johnny Knoxville), a con man and gambler who witnessed a crime connected to the Matador. Bennie rescues Connor from the Russian mob (he's in trouble with everybody). The bulk of the film consists of Bennie and Connor making their way across Russia, Mongolia, and China on "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" and the "Midnight Run."

Knoxville opens the movie telling a long tall tale to a bunch of airline stewardesses, who are all apparently enthralled by his charm despite the fact that they know he's lying. But it takes a far better actor than Knoxville (and better script writers!) to sell something like that. After that they mostly stuck with him getting punched or eating goat testicles - territory he's more familiar with. He was much better at that. Chan is long past his prime, but manages better stunts and fights than he has in several of his recent films. The end result is a mildly entertaining contrivance that I'd only recommend to hard-core Chan or Knoxville fans.