Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		2.5

Chinese Zodiac Blu-ray Movie Review

"You lost today, kid. But that doesn't mean you have to like it."

Chinese Zodiac doesn't star the Jackie Chan I know and love. This Jackie Chan is older, slower, less inclined to risk and more inclined to starring in derivative imitations of past successes. Not that the film itself is any more agile or able. Convoluted, poorly paced and, worst of all, dull, it offers little in the way of showcase action sequences and even less in the way of memorable moments. Even the most exciting fight scene -- a semi-drag-out battle with umbrellas -- merely rehashes elements from Chan's own canon, and does so on the juice of a dead battery. It doesn't get much better. The performances are shaky. The English dub is awful (not to mention the only audio option available). The adventure and intrigue are dead on arrival. And the plot... as silly as it is stretched to the point of tearing. Chan certainly isn't too old to deliver, but Chinese Zodiac doesn't bolster much confidence in the twilight years of the fan-favorite martial artist's career. Skip this one at all costs. There are far more entertaining, competently conceived and thrilling Jackie Chan actioners on the market than this.

Chinese Zodiac Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Chinese Zodiac's lone saving grace is its 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation. It isn't the greatest looking action film, mind you -- contrast is quite hot, colors and skintones are often skewed, and black levels rather oppressive -- but it's all in keeping with Chan and his cinematographers' intentions. Detail is strong and sharp on the whole, with clean edge definition, nicely resolved textures and no ringing or aliasing to report. Softness pervades, as does an artificial crispness that occasionally gives the image a somewhat harsh appearance. Again, though, none of it seems out of sorts and most every instance traces back to the source, not a lesser encode. Moreover, artifacting, banding and other issues are nowhere to be found, meaning those who actually enjoy Chinese Zodiac will be more than pleased with the quality of its presentation.

Chinese Zodiac Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

First things first. The North American Blu-ray release of Chinese Zodiac offers just one audio option: an English-dubbed DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Judged on its own merits, the mix is above average. Dialogue is a touch floaty, but prioritization is spot on (for a dub anyway), LFE output is fierce, the rear speakers are bustling with light activity, and the overall experience is decidedly decent. (Even though the quality of the English dub is anything but.) Unfortunately, Universal has elected to leave the film's original Chinese audio in limbo; a bizarre decision that will do nothing but alienate Zodiac's target audience.

Chinese Zodiac Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The only special feature included is fortunately a fairly significant one: an extensive 57-minute, English-subtitled production documentary (in HD no less!) that provides a comprehensive overview of the making of the film with actor/director/producer/co-writer Jackie Chan and key members of his cast and crew. Chan has tremendous respect for his team and co-stars, and very rarely, if ever, indulges in his own praise. In fact, the documentary is far more engaging than the feature film, making the disc's supplemental package more valuable than the main event. It only helps that a great deal of candid behind-the-scenes footage is offered, most of the interviews take place on-set rather than as a string of talking head sit-downs, and every aspect of the production is given an opportunity to shine. Best of all, the film's stunts, their development and their execution take center stage, granting Chan and his team the ability to demonstrate just how much effort goes into even the briefest of action beats.

If Chinese Zodiac disappoints you as much as it did me, don't hit "eject" in anger. Pull up the main menu, shake off any irritation and dive into the high point of the disc and, as far as I'm concerned, the real feature presentation.

Chinese Zodiac Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Chinese Zodiac is a disappointment from start to finish and its North American Blu-ray release isn't much better. Its video presentation delivers the goods, but the English-dubbed lossless track is all kinds of awful (subjectively that is), no Chinese-language mix is included, and the disc's extras are limited to one documentary. One excellent documentary that trumps the feature film it accompanies, sure. But it's the stuff of a slim supplemental package all the same. Ultimately, though, this could be Universal's finest release to date and it wouldn't help Chinese Zodiac go down any easier. Even with a director's cut (courtesy of Chan himself) that removes some twenty minutes of the film, it's a mess, and a boring mess at that. Those hoping for the superstar's patented wit, charm and flying feet will be shocked by how much the movie resembles anything other than a Jackie Chan production.