Even though the movie is rated PG-13, it's a very childish and simple movie that is aimed toward the young viewers. It's comedy and story is totally predictable and thus offers very little fun and originality.
I'm actually quite fond of movies that try to mix some very unlikely genres together. I however guess that mixing western with material arts wasn't a very good idea. It really doesn't look and feel right. As a movie that is set for most part in the wild west, it also is a far too clean looking movie. It has bright colors and actors with perfect shining teeth.
I like Jackie Chan but not really as much in his Hollywood work. He's acting and accent are far too lacking for that and even his comical and fighting skills don't really shine within this movie, even though there are still a couple of nice fighting sequences within the movie. Most of the comedy from this movie needs to come from Owen Wilson, who however isn't given the best material to work with. No, as a comedy this movie is simply too lacking, fore it's far too childish, totally predictable and just plain weak at parts. The only thing this movie is really funny in is with its characters names, that of course reference to some classic western actors and real life persons.
This movie was actually Owen Wilson's 'big' comedy breakthrough. Before this he also played some slightly comical roles but more in some 'serious' movies, such as "Armageddon", "The Haunting" and "Anaconda". Lucy Liu is also in this somewhere but she gets far too little to do. Same goes for Xander Berkeley, who seemed like a potentially interesting villain.
Here lies another problem of the movie. Characters just come and just as easily go within this movie. It really isn't very consistent and its confusing who is going to be for instance the main villain, the love interest, etcetera. The movie feels messy because of this and it made it actually quite annoying to watch at times, also since the story is being so formulaic and therefore totally predictable.
Just a weak, annoying and childish comedy. Not sure why it's currently being rated so high. I hate these Hollywood type of immature comedies/buddy flicks.
4/10
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