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News / Columns / Critics Consensus
Critics Consensus: Forbidden Kingdom is Mixed Martial Arts; Forgetting Sarah Marshall is Memorable
Also: 88 Minutes times out.
by Tim Ryan | April 17, 2008
Discuss Article

This week at the movies, we've got a martial arts extravaganza (The Forbidden Kingdom, starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li), a painful breakup (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, starring Jason Segel and Kristen Bell), and a race against time (88 Minutes, starring Al Pacino and Alicia Witt). What do the critics have to say?

Martial arts fans have long dreamed of the day Jackie Chan and Jet Li would team up. Well, the wait is over, and critics say The Forbidden Kingdom, while not perfect, is solid matinee fare, with top-notch performances from the stars. Kingdom tells the story of Jason (Michael Angarano), the target of bullies who is magically transported to ancient China, where he joins Chan and Li on a mission to save the Monkey King (Li again) and defeat and evil warlord. The pundits say Kingdom isn't perfect; the plot sags a bit between action scenes. But they also note that the action scenes are exhilarating, filled with staggering athleticism and more than a little humor, with Chan and Li in fine form as usual. At 53 percent on the Tomatometer, this Kingdom may not be heavenly, but it's certainly not forbidding. (Check out our interview with Jackie Chan here, and take a look at this week's Total Recall, in which we count down the 20 greatest fight scenes of all time.)


Trapped in a Jodorowsky movie.

After the disappointing Drillbit Taylor, the Judd Apatow comedy machine is back on track with Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Jason Segel stars as a musician who goes off the rails after his TV star girlfriend (Kristen Bell) dumps him; to clear his mind, he flees with friends to Oahu -- and runs into his ex. The critics say Sarah Marshall is a cut below Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, but it contains Apatow's patented mix of gross-out gags and sweetness, and features strong performances throughout. At 82 percent on the Tomatometer, Forgetting Sarah Marshall isn't just Certified Fresh, it's one of the best-reviewed wide releases of the year so far. (And check out our Sarah Marshall field guide, complete with photo gallery and quotes direct from the stars.)


"I said a hip, hop, a hippity hop..."

There can be little doubt that Al Pacino is one of American cinema's greatest performers. However, even legends can have off-days. And, boy oh boy, do the critics think 88 Minutes is off. Pacino plays a college professor/ forensics expert who receives a death threat informing him he has -- you guessed it! -- 88 minutes to live. As a result, he must use his wits to narrow down the possible suspects who might want to take his life. The pundits say Pacino is fine, but with preposterous plotting and poorly-staged action sequences, 88 Minutes is loaded with unintentional comedy. At 15 percent on the Tomatometer, this one's out of time. And it's Pacino's second-worst-reviewed topliner ever, behind only the notorious Revolution (eight percent).


"Step away from the taxi! They don't take American Express."

Also opening this week in limited release:
First Saturday in May, a documentary about the Kentucky Derby, is at 80 percent.
The German import Four Minutes, a drama about a bond between a female prisoner and older piano teacher, is at 73 percent.
Beyond the Call, a doc about three men who deliver humanitarian aid to some of the world's most dangerous places, is at 50 percent.
Zombie Strippers, a story of a deadly virus infiltrating a strip club starring Jenna Jameson and Robert Englund, is at 45 percent.
Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?, gonzo documentarian Morgan Spurlock's examination of Middle Eastern politics, is at 40 percent.
The Life Before Her Eyes, starring Uma Thurman as the survivor of a school shooting, is at 39 percent.
Anamorph, starring Willem Dafoe as a detective who's investigating an art-obsessed serial killer, is at 20 percent.
And the doc Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, Ben Stein's attack on opponents of Intelligent Design, is at nine percent.


"Now I'll re-enact my favorite part from Brown Bunny."

Finally, we've saved the last dance for Bloody Matthias and agtatoo, who came the closest to guessing Prom Night's 10 percent Tomatometer. Mad props, peeps.

Recent Jackie Chan Movies:
-----------------------------------
20% -- Rush Hour 3 (2007)
31% -- Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
67% -- New Police Story (2004)
18% -- The Medallion (2003)
65% -- Shanghai Knights (2003)

Recent Al Pacino Movies:
--------------------------------
70% -- Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
20% -- Two For the Money (2005)
71% -- The Merchant of Venice (2004)
43% -- People I Know (2003)
43% -- The Recruit (2003)



Related Items
Movie: 88 Minutes
The Forbidden Kingdom
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Comments (1-14 of 14 posts) | Reply
~*Admiral Snowstorm*~
~*Admiral Snowstorm*~ writes:
on Apr 17 2008 05:22 PM

I like how Four Minutes and Eighty-Eight Minutes came out almost in unison...and Four Minutes is far better, as it seems.

(Reply to this)
Some guy you dont know
Some guy you dont know writes:
on Apr 17 2008 07:12 PM

Zombie Strippers FTW.

PS that's a girl in the bra and panties in the last picture right?


(Reply to this)
jokerboy1991
jokerboy1991 writes:
on Apr 17 2008 08:14 PM

Im gonna see FGSM, that looks really funny. Ill rent forbidden kingdom, i hate the weinsteins, and LOL maybe one day when I have absolutely nothing to do I will watch ZOMBIE STRIPPERS!...there I said it.

(Reply to this)
jokerboy1991
jokerboy1991 writes:
on Apr 17 2008 08:15 PM

Oh I saw 88 minutes and that was a piece of crap, dont waste you're time on this one. Pachino is total boss, but this movie sucks...

(Reply to this)
Young Turk
Young Turk writes:
on Apr 18 2008 12:05 AM

I really want to see Sarah Marshall but I wish it had switched release dates with the Pineapple Express...

(Reply to this)
duckmanx88
duckmanx88 writes:
on Apr 18 2008 01:32 AM

just drillbit taylor? what about the box office bomb that was walk hard?

(Reply to this)
dracus
dracus writes:
on Apr 18 2008 03:51 AM

I never thought I'd see that day that I'd be looking forward to seeing a movie with a title such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall over anything with Pacino in it, but that day has arrived.

(Reply to this)
John Z. Delorean
John Z. Delorean writes:
on Apr 18 2008 04:29 AM

Forbidden Kingdom all day!

(Reply to this)
SlyDante
SlyDante writes:
on Apr 18 2008 05:12 AM

In reply to this comment (#1691962)
Walk Hard was only a disappointment in terms of box office gross. Critically, it was certified fresh, so quality-wise it was far from a disappointment.

So seeing Sarah Marshall, btw. Jason Segel does great stuff on "How I Met Your Mother" & I can't wait to see him here.


(Reply to this)
Gimy
Gimy writes:
on Apr 18 2008 05:36 AM

thats what i'm talkin' about Slydan...i LOVE How i Met Your Mother...if cbs cancels it, i'm done with tv.

jesus christ...its been FOREVER since i've been actually WANTING to go to the movies...thank god this is coming out FINALLY. i think next up is Iron Man...

and Walk Hard was limited by the lead role. it could have been way better. what, was will ferrell not available? Reilly basically ripped off every Ferrell character ever(which, to be honest, is ALWAYS the same character to begin with)


(Reply to this)
Matanuki
Matanuki writes:
on Apr 18 2008 05:48 AM

You know, the more I hear about The Forbidden Kingdom, the more it's sounding like a mythic Wushu version of Neverending Story. Is it just me?



(Reply to this)
sportzboy698
sportzboy698 writes:
on Apr 18 2008 07:47 AM

Honestly, I would still give 88 minutes a chance. Pacino is good and it would not be a total loss to check it out. However, Sarah Marshall is by far going to take it away in terms of the box-office and quality. Hell, I even liked Drillbit Taylor. Now to the Forbidden kingdom, i dono. It looks okay, but cheesey.

(Reply to this)
martinscorsese25
martinscorsese25 writes:
on Apr 18 2008 08:20 AM

i've just watched forbidden kingdom(cause i live here in the philippines, the release dates are much earlier), and it was worth to watch.... although the story is a bit cheezy(you know, going back in time), the movie respects its material.... jackie chan and jet li had only one fightscene against each other but boy o boy, their face off beats the face off of pacino and deniro in HEAT.... there are some funny moments between jackie chan and jet li, i felt they really enjoyed working together(you know, watching oceans 11,12,13.. you feel the actors enjoyed each others company)..... also you have to keep in mind that this movie is not great, but in my opinion it deserves your money.....

ps HEAT is way better than this movie, but the face off of chan-li is as memorable as any hollywood tandem...


(Reply to this)
lestatthevampire
lestatthevampire writes:
on Apr 18 2008 03:11 PM

Meh.

(Reply to this)
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