The Spy Next Door

3 stars

Jackie Chan is in the CIA – otherwise known as Chan In Action.

Rating: PG
Stars: Jackie Chan, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Lopez, Amber Valletta

What’s the story?
Bob Ho (Chan) is a spy working for the CIA, but he hasn’t had a chance to tell his girlfriend and next-door-neighbour Gillian (Valletta) and her three kids about his work. Since her kids think he’s boring, they haven’t quite warmed up to their mom’s new boyfriend. So when Gillian needs to leave town briefly, Bob offers to take care of her children in hopes of some good bonding time. When one of the children accidentally downloads a top-secret file, Bob has to use his spy skills to prevent an enemy group from obtaining the file all the while protecting the kids.

Why see it?
If you like action movies mixed with comedy then you will really enjoy this movie. Jackie Chan’s character is funny with a bit of cheesy on the side – so don’t expect a CIA suspense thriller, but be prepared for a lighthearted Jackie Chan playing a spy who doesn’t take himself too seriously. Jackie Chan’s performance was average compared to many of his other films, although he hasn’t gotten too old for some pretty neat stunts. The inclusion of actors like Billy Ray Cyrus and George Lopez also added a dose of extra humour to the movie. The Spy Next Door is a good movie for a family outing.

Problems?
After seeing this average movie, I felt let down as I expected more action and suspense. It was definitely created for a younger audience with the emphasis on family humour and not thrilling action and fighting scenes. However, very young children might be scared by some of the fighting, so beware whom you bring to watch this movie – it’s still no Disney flick.

All in All:
Jackie Chan shows us how the spy business can be funny as well.