Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
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A wealthy inventor attempts to circumnavigate the globe in just eighty days while being pursued by a thief and a general.
The story
Chinese thief Lau Xing steals a Jade Buddha from the Bank of England and seeks refuge with inventor Phileas Fogg, posing as Fogg's valet, Passepartout. When Fogg calculates that he can circumnavigate the world in eighty days, the head of the Royal Academy of Science, Lord Kelvin, challenges him to a wager: if Fogg succeeds, Kelvin must vacate his position; if he fails, Fogg must cease his scientific pursuits. Joined by Passepartout, Fogg sets off on a global journey. However, they are soon pursued by General Fang, who is tasked by Kelvin to retrieve the stolen Buddha.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Chinese thief Lau Xing steals a Jade Buddha from the Bank of England and seeks refuge with inventor Phileas Fogg, posing as Fogg's valet, Passepartout. Fogg agrees to a wager with Lord Kelvin to circumnavigate the world in eighty days. During their journey, they encounter painter Monique La Roche, who joins them after learning Passepartout's secret: he is trying to return the Buddha to his village. The trio faces various obstacles, including a banquet with Prince Hapi in Istanbul and pursuit by the Black Scorpions. After a confrontation in China where Lau Xing defeats the Black Scorpions' leader, Fogg continues alone to San Francisco, where he is robbed. Reunited with Lau Xing and Monique, they travel across America, encountering the Wright Brothers. After missing a boat to London due to helping Lau Xing fight General Fang, Fogg builds a flying machine based on the Wright Brothers' plans. They crash-land outside the Royal Academy. Although Kelvin initially claims victory, his interference is exposed, and he is arrested by Queen Victoria. Fogg realizes he won the wager because he didn't account for the International Date Line, arriving with a day to spare. The Queen appoints him Minister of Science.
- First release year
- 2004
- Runtime (minutes)
- 120
- Production countries
- United States; United Kingdom; Germany; Ireland
- Original languages
- English; Cantonese; French; German; Hindi; Turkish
- Directors
- Frank Coraci
- Writers
- David Titcher · screenplay; David Benullo · screenplay; David Goldstein · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Jackie Chan · Passepartout; Steve Coogan · Fogg; Cécile de France · Monique La Roche; Jim Broadbent · Kelvin; Ewen Bremner · null; Ian McNeice · null; Karen Joy Morris · null; Roger Hammond · null; David Ryall · null
- Genres
- action; adventure; comedy
- Themes
- Ambition; Innovation; Tradition vs. Progress; Loyalty
- Tone and mood
- Action-adventure; Comedy; Goofy
- Premise and plot tags
- Travel; Steampunk; Time Limit; Wager
- Source material / true-story basis
- Jules Verne's 1873 novel 'Around the World in 80 Days'
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics and was noted as one of the most expensive box office flops of all time. It received a 32% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a weighted score of 49 on Metacritic.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 32% · review count: 128; Metacritic · score: 49 · scale: 100 · review count: 33; CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Razzie Award · Worst Remake or Sequel · Nominated; Razzie Award · Worst Supporting Actor (Arnold Schwarzenegger) · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film intentionally deviates wildly from the novel and includes anachronistic elements.; Frank Coraci's first choice for Phileas Fogg was Johnny Depp.; Jackie Chan was paid about $18 million for the role of Passepartout.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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