Jackie Chan traipses across India in energetic Chinese epic
AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL adventure set in Tibet, Dubai, and India, Jackie Chan- starrer Kung Fu Yoga proves that despite a decade-long hiatus, Hong Kong action director Stanley Tong ( Rumble in the Bronx) still has his cinematic chops.
But Tong’s screenplay is too heavily skewed toward mainland Chinese tastes.
During the current festive period, it competes head-to-head with the comedy Buddies in India.
Kung Fu Yoga mimics Bollywood war epics like Baahubali and Bajirao Mastani with a bit of 300 thrown in, the splashily animated prologue features Jackie in motion capture, battling an elephant cavalry in 647 A.D. He plays real historical figure Wang Xuance, Tang dynasty envoy to India, who defended the Kingdom of Magadha from renegade general Arunasva. On his way back to China to get reinforcements, he’s cut off by an avalanche, and can’t reach General Bhima, who’s been sent by Princess Gitajani to escort him.
Back in the present, Chan is archaeologist Jack, who’s approached by Professor Ashmita ( Disha Patani) and her assistant, Kyra (Amyra Dastur), to help locate the lost treasures carried by Bhima and his troops, who got swept away by the avalanche.
Jack recruits treasure hunter Jones (Aarif Lee Rahman) and oil drilling expert Jianhua ( Eric Tsang) to join their expedition to the Kunlun Mountains at the Indo-Tibetan border ( Iceland stands in for the location). Just when they find the cave where Bhima’s army took shelter, Randall ( Sonu Sood, dashing), a descendant of Arunasva arrives with his henchman to seize everything. In the ensuing scuffle, Ashmita’s “foetal breathholding technique” comes in handy for hers and Jack’s escape, but that’s the extent of the film’s lip service to yoga.
News that a rare gemstone that Bhima possessed is being auctioned in Dubai draws the protagonists and their nemesis there. The gilded city has inspired much high- concept action on- screen, but it appears this chapter is devised primarily to rope in mainland comedian Zhang Guoli, an icon of Chinese New Year TV festivities.
Zhang plays dirty-rich businessman Jonathan and struggles to provide comic relief, but neither the dramatic situation nor the lame dialogue gives him anything to work with.
In any case, Jonathan is soon outshone by his burgundy convertible, which takes centre stage when the film shifts into high gear — a warp- speed car chase around
It’s nearly an hour into the film by the time the characters regroup in Rajasthan to locate Magadha’s imperial treasure.
As the leading man, Jackie keeps the ball rolling with an assortment of neat acrobatic tricks and martial arts sparring, but his days of life-risking physical exertion is over. The three gorgeous Indian actors, none of them big names, give feisty turns in skimpily written roles; the members of the Chinese cast, other than casually charismatic Rahman, are forgettable.
Tech credits by the Hong Kong crew are pro across the board, with extra kudos to lenser Horace Wong for his vibrant and pristine cinematography of nature in all its extremes. Stunt and action choreography by Tong, Chan, and Wu Gang involve predatory animals and cobras in scenes that are sometimes thrilling, other times moronic.