By Tanya Batson, Staff Reporter 
Jackie Chan stars as a gym equipment salesman who becomes an 'accidental spy' in the movie of the same name. - Contributed
ACCIDENTAL SPY is not made for the Western market. It's a Hong Kong movie. This should mean that it provides quite an adrenaline rush. Unfortunately, for this flick you would need to lower those expectations.
However, let's face it. Jackie Chan is no spring chicken any more. The truth is, even if life begins at 40, agility certainly does not. Jackie is still quite flexible, but 48 is 48 is 48 and that's an age that does not make one overly limber.
Nonetheless, the action is not bad. It is still based on the quirky sense of humour that marks Jackie's fighting style, but it certainly is not Legend of the Drunken Master. There are a few very funny sequences, but not much to write home about. As such, hardcore Jackie Chan fans may find that they enjoy the movie, if they are not disappointed by the fact that the choreography is not mind-blowing. However, other persons may simply want to wait for Mr. Tux to be released which, based on that trailer, seems to be almost the same movie.
Of course, if you can't stand Jennifer Love Hewitt you may want to take your chances with this one.
Along with Jackie Chan, Accidental Spy stars Eric Tsang, Vivian Hsu and Min-jeong Kim. Tsang plays hapless detective Many Liu, who is much more than what meets the eyes. Vivian Hsu and Min-jeong Kim are the two female counterparts that every spy movie needs. However, neither of these characters brings much to the film, either in action or in character. As such, all the weight rests on Chan.
In a Jackie Chan movie, especially the Hong Kong films (with the exception of his romantic comedy Gorgeous), the plots have always been something of an accidental affair. Accidental Spy is no different. The first few scenes, which are used to establish the plot, seem to have been an afterthought. So disconnected are they from the rest of the movie that it seems that the production was complete when somebody in the editing room gave out "Bugger it all, we haven't explained how this started!" As such, they tacked it on the front, but all the threads were left hanging out.
Even so, it isn't the worst Jackie Chan movie ever made. Who Am I? probably has that honour.
Accidental Spy deals with a gym equipment salesman who, while on a break from lunch, helps to thwart criminals. This act of bravery earns him some fame and draws him into a not-so-intriguing web of intrigue. He is playing a game with his dead father, to prove that he is his real son; however, as the game continues, he becomes a pawn being tossed between drug lords and the American government. The best thing about the movie is that the bursts of violence are quite frequent, even if they are not thrilling.
On what could be taken for the bright side, there appears to be some attempt to make the movie into a more serious film. However, even this aspect failed, allowing the film to fall back on the action, which was for the most part lukewarm.
Not even the out-takes were thrilling.
Accidental Spy was one of two Jackie Chan movies released last year, along with Rush Hour 2. It would appear that it was used as a cool-down, or warm-up exercise for the Rush Hour sequel. While it provides a good watch if you are at home with nothing better to do, or you simply must see every 'kickers' that hits the market, it isn't worth the 'big screen' experience.
