Asian Hawk (Jackie Chan) leads a mercenary team to recover several lost artifacts from the Old Summer Palace, the bronze heads of the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals which were sacked by the French and British armies from the imperial Summer Palace in Beijing in 1860. Assisted by a Chinese student & a Parisian lady, Hawk stops at nothing to accomplish the mission.
The pic reps an uneven ride that is repeatedly stalled by grandstanding anti-colonial screeds.
– Maggie Lee,
Variety,
2 May 2013
rotten:
Will likely leave most ... viewers dazed, confused and eagerly watching the clock.
– Gary Goldstein,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Oct 2013
rotten:
What a pity this workout doesn't deliver a stronger kick.
– Andy Webster,
New York Times,
17 Oct 2013
rotten:
Lackluster, slow and with only hints of the combo of kineticism, kung fu and comedy that was part of Chan's appeal in the first place, Chinese Zodiacdoesn't do justice to the actor's filmic heritage.