The Myth (2005)

Jack (Jackie Chan) is an archaeologist, and he’s looking for answers–answers to a series of dreams that he’s been having for some time. His dreams depict him as someone else, a great warrior named Meng Yi. Meng Yi’s duty was to protect a princess named Ok-Soo (Kim Hee-seon), and he was good at it–but that was a past life, and now Jack must uncover the truth about who he used to be and all that came of his journey. The Myth is Jack’s journey toward self-discovery–but a number of individuals will stand in his way.

In some of the wider shots, it almost appears as if they were shot using a fish-eye lens. This makes certain scenes blurry, rounded, and dizzying, and worse, it does nothing for the scene but make it more difficult to follow. While the film is sometimes dizzying in general, the decision to film in this fashion (even if it wasn’t actually with a fish-eye lens) adds to the struggle–taking away from the narrative. The Myth feels like it’s trying to be artsy, and that Writer-Director Stanley Tong is attempting to be groundbreaking and unique through its development. A more simplistic approach, and focusing on the more important aspects of the narrative would have breathed more life into The Myth, but with the convoluted approach that Tong and his crew take ultimately drags the film down, far away from greatness.

The narrative itself, on the surface, is riveting. The parallel between the past and the present creates a story that appeals to viewers, and the simplicity of Jack trying to understand who and what he was in a past life (sure, that might not seem simple–but it really is in the grand scheme of The Myth) is interesting and enough to carry the film forward. When immortality, levitation, etc. come into play, things that really have no place in Jack’s story, the film becomes watered down, a tad difficult to follow at times, and downright silly in others. Obviously the storyline isn’t realistic, but to see the narrative stray so far off the beaten path is disappointing, causing the narrative and the film as a whole to quickly fall from grace.

The Myth is a struggle to appreciate, but anyone and everyone should be able to understand that Jackie Chan is one of the greatest martial artists and stuntmen of all time. His dedication to the art is impeccable, and what he brings to the table in terms of martial arts prowess and athleticism is incredible. He’s fun to watch, even in some of the more ridiculously choreographed sequences, and is able to juxtapositionally bring both intensity and levity to The Myth. Chan is the key to the film’s success, and if there’s anything that will allow it to remain afloat, it’s him.

There is subtle comedy sprinkled throughout The Myth, and honestly it’s laughable because it’s so cheesy. The comedy is anything but effective in the way it was meant to be, but, on some level the ridiculousness of everything allows viewers to find some semblance of comedy throughout the film.

The Myth becomes an over-the-top, but pointless film about attempting to find yourself. Ultimately, through everything that happens throughout the course of the film, nothing ever really comes of it. No payoff, no message, nothing at all–and by the film’s conclusion I’d imagine that many viewers were just as frustrated as I was. There was so much potential present in The Myth, just by the mere fact that Chan was present–but all of the hopes and expectations, and everything that it could have potentially been, never came to fruition. The Myth leaves a bad taste in the mouth of viewers, and it’s ultimately a disappointment.

Directed by Stanley Tong.

Written by Stanley Tong, Hui-Ling Wang, & Hai-shu Li.

Starring Jackie Chan, Kim Hee-seon, Bing Shao, Weixing Yao, Jianzhong Zhang, Min-su Choi, Tony Ka Fai Leung, Maggie Lau, Mallika Sherawat, etc.

⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10