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“Jackie Chan Adventures” is a spectacularly fun, high-energy love letter that masterfully captures the chaotic spirit of the beloved animated series while confidently carving out its own live-action identity. Simu Liu is the perfect anchor, embodying the Jackie Chan persona with a delightful mix of good-natured reluctance, impeccable comic timing, and jaw-dropping physical prowess. His Jackie is a man perpetually caught between protecting priceless artifacts and surviving the slapstick-turned-deadly chaos that follows them. The film’s action is a glorious throwback to Chan’s classic Hong Kong era—creative, environment-heavy, and hilariously stressful, as Jackie battles goons while desperately trying to avoid shattering every antique in sight.

The supporting cast elevates the film to pure magic. Jackie Chan’s return as Uncle is a masterstroke of meta-casting and heartfelt respect. He brings gravitas, warmth, and the iconic, chant-along magic (“Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!”) that will ignite theaters with nostalgic glee. Awkwafina’s Jade is the film’s anarchic sparkplug, her modern, street-smart energy providing the perfect foil to the mystical, scholarly world. The plot is a brisk, globe-trotting (or rather, San Francisco-hopping) chase for the 12 Talismans, leading to a climactic confrontation of staggering scale. The final battle on the crumbling Golden Gate Bridge against the fully unleashed, CGI-rendered demon dragon Shendu is a visual effects extravaganza that satisfyingly pays off the entire magical premise.

Earning a fantastic 9.2/10, this isn’t just nostalgia done right; it’s a blockbuster that stands on its own two feet. It’s a hilarious, heart-pounding, and visually dazzling adventure that proves some cartoons are meant to be brought to life—especially when the original legend is there to bless it with a spell and a smile. Score: 9.2/10

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