The Myth (2007)

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Dreadfully Boring

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Apart from some very inventive fight scenes, Mallika Sherawat might be the other thing you take away from this movie. The fight scenes are something you came to expect from a Jackie Chan movie. Mallika Sherawat on the other hand has not been exposed that much on film yet (not even on many Bollywood movies according to IMDb at least). Unfortunately the same can be said of her role in this movie. And her role in this is actually a filler. Maybe something to attract the Bollywood crowd to watch a Chan movie? Whatever the reasons, Jackie Chan delivers on the action and tries himself on an epic story. An epic story that juggles with the fun and the action part. Sometimes crossing lines that wouldn't be crossed in a regular (Hollywood) movie of the same spectacle. A decent effort, and of course a must see for any Chan fan.

It's a high rating because it's Jackie Chan, and the show has its merits.However,I really, really wished that the "love element" in this movie could have been expanded on. You know, when I hear the soundtrack (especially the song which Jackie and Hee-seon sang in together) and after I watched the movie (TV premiere)...I am really tempted to say,"...Damn it! They don't fit together!"I'm a sucker for love stories. And call this whining, grumbling, w/e, but take out some really needless humour (a horse kicking a person FOUR times and falling when we know a real horse kick would send a person flying, broken ribs included), and expand on the love between the general and the princess, add a few more flashbacks, increase the time they interact in both past and present; I don't know, make a happier ending instead! It'll really make the movie much better.To me, the movie feels a little too packed. It feels...rushed. Trying to jam love, action and stuff together...it really leaves one found wanting...for more.And the ending. A book, some wine, and a zoomed-out camera...damn it I say, even putting some black-and-white versions of one or more of the flashbacks at the end, would really increase "replayability value" and made me feel closer to the movie's love story.Melodrama much, but I beg of you, Mr. Chan; your shows are good. From the "Drunken Master" to "Rush Hour", all are uniquely yours, really love your shows. But I think this time round, you really kind of smudged your own rep a little.If you consider making anything remotely resembling a romance or whatever next time, please be more serious about it. This love story will still have a place in my heart, though.

this a hot movie. worth my time and money. the music in it is great. don't know much of Chinese history but wart the heck it's a fantasy/action flick so it's hot. Jackie killed a mountain of people. tell me how gangster is that. that's some real stuff n hardcore. the boy got skills. HOTT HOTTT HOTTT ass movie yup. A role which I never seen him played before. I never really seen him play a romantic person or love a girl any his movies. Maybe just a handful if I do recall. He could have shown more affection toward the princess (whoa ain't she fly)and like kiss her or something. The Mallika girl wow, she is a fly girl. Could fight nice too. One of the best Jackie Chan movies I had ever seen. It's good to see they using a lot of CGI now. It was funny the horse was kicking major asses. It possible rite? is it? They should have made an extra special DVD which chronicles the life of General Meng Yi. Interesting guy. His fights and all that good stuff.

Great cinematography and soundtrack. The acting is superb too, and I thought the out-takes at the end were a nice touch. There were parts of the movie that resembled a David Lean production. Five languages spoken in this movie - English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and (I think) Tamil! The costume design is reminiscent of Roman Army epics which make the columns of soldiers look very majestic - but their Chinese character is also retained.The movie takes part in two time periods - the Qin Dynasty and today. We are transported from one to the other through Jackie Chan's dreams. In the Qin Dynasty he plays the part of a general whose main responsibility is to protect a Korean princess who has been sent to serve as a concubine in the Imperial Chinese Court. Things get in the way of course, and the two time periods are brought together by a weaving of mythology which involves Indian temples and underground tombs at Xian. Well worth watching - but if you are not used to the genre you may find some aspects a little far fetched.