Titreenp
SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?
Dynamixor
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
PiraBit
if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.
Neive Bellamy
Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.
dglink
A welcome and amiable screen presence, Jackie Chan can be depended upon for clever stunts, fast action, and solid entertainment. But even the best performers have off days, and "The Accidental Spy" is not Jackie's finest hour, despite some dexterous maneuvers and funny moments. Jackie is a gym-equipment salesman, who may be the son of a dying Korean man; when he passes, the Korean leaves Jackie a legacy that sends him to Istanbul, where he becomes involved with drug dealers in pursuit of a highly-addictive super drug.The meandering script by Rod Dean and Ivy Ho is short on logic and long on mindless action. Rod Dean is credited with the English version, and his dialog lags the lip movements of the Chinese cast by several seconds, which is initially amusing, but eventually annoying. However, the script is of secondary importance, because director Teddy Chan's focus is on action action action. Evidently film editor Chi-Leung Kwong had a good work out assembling the fast-moving footage into a frenetic semblance of continuity. Fortunately, Kwong had some good footage to work with, because Wing Hang Wong's cinematography is particularly good and showcases the beauty of Istanbul.However, the film belongs to Jackie Chan, and avid fans of the star likely enjoy whatever he does. Jackie is always fun to watch, even in the most preposterous situations, and an extended chase sequence through the Istanbul Bazaar that features the bad guys pursuing a naked Jackie is arguably the film's highlight. Chan's deft play with plates, tambourines, and baskets to cover himself is priceless. Once outside the Bazaar, his slickly nimble maneuver with a hanging bed sheet is worth repeated looks; he somehow pulls on the sheet, tears a hole for his head, wraps himself head to foot, and quickly transforms himself into a veiled woman. If the entire film were as inspired as these moments, which rank with the finest silent-film slapstick, "The Accidental Spy" would be a classic.Unfortunately, most of the film is non-stop action, with extended chases, impossible stunts, and fiery explosions, but little reason or logic behind any of them. Watchable for its amiable star and his riotous antics in the Istanbul Bazaar, the rest of "The Accidental Spy" is not worthy of its talented lead.
Charles Herold (cherold)
As a vehicle for Jackie Chan action sequences, this movie is decent. There are some clever scenes, and while some, particularly one in which a naked Jackie tries to cover himself while his enemies seem determined to keep them off, make no sense, they are amusing.Unfortunately, the story is an absolute mess. None of it makes any real sense and it's often unclear what on earth is going on. The movie just jumps from scene to scene with little thought for the sense of it all.The movie also ends, not with a typical Chan action scene, but with a highway scene that uses none of Chan's talents, is confused and lacks any sort of excitement or suspense. It is a huge misstep in a film full of small missteps.
gridoon2018
Apparently there are two versions of "The Accidental Spy" in circulation, the most commonly found cut one (which runs about 90 minutes) and the harder to find long one (which runs about 110 minutes). This certainly offers a reasonable explanation as to why the plot of this movie in its cut form seems so disjointed. But it does not fully explain why it is so dull. The tone swings wildly from light spy comedy to serious spy drama - the movie never seems sure of itself. The fighting is unremarkable if you've seen any of Jackie's previous outings, and some of the action scenes have a "been there, done that" feel to them. The climactic "Speed"-like sequence of a tanker that must not slow down or it will explode is spectacular, but has nothing to do with the main plot. On the bright side, there is at least one amazing stunt (Jackie jumping from the roof of a building to the road below using three umbrellas as parachutes!), there is a nice international flavor (the locations include Hong Kong, Seoul and Istanbul), there are two pretty Chinese women, and of course there is always Jackie. (**)
Amy Adler
A worker in an athletic equipment store (Jackie Chan) saves the day when a robbery is going down. With a bit of fame, he attracts the attention of a dying Korean man who believes the hero is his long lost son. But, after traveling to Korea to meet with his supposed father, Jackie learns he may have a large bank account in Istanbul and his dad may have been involved in drug trafficking, too. Even as Jackie jets off to Turkey and fills a suitcase with his new bank-vault fortune, various groups of bad guys are out to get him. One of them dangles a beautiful young lady as bait for a trap. Will Jackie fall for it? Also, is the CIA involved in some respect? This is a fairly exciting movie which sports Jackie's patented and imaginative martial arts talent. Watching him get away from his pursuers by squirting shampoo in their eyes, among other things, is fun, no doubt about that. There is also a great scene in an open market where a disrobed Chan covers his vitals with tambourines and other handy items. Chuckle, chuckle. This dubbed film from the Hong Kong filmmakers also offers an excellent visual tour of Istanbul and its surroundings, something very rare and attractive. Jackie's castmates are well chosen, also, with two beautiful women gracing the screen for the viewers' vast enjoyment. If you love Chan movies, don't miss this one. Although it may not be his best work, it still has plenty of humor and action to keep the audience watching until the credits start to roll.