The reviews lean towards a mixed response, with a wide gap between those who enjoy the light adventure and those who find it muddled and tiresome. Praise clusters around Jackie Chan’s action and comic timing, alongside Steve Coogan’s dry wit and ability to hold his own. The more favourable accounts find the pairing agreeable enough to carry the film through its rougher passages. Period detail, locations and occasional cameos also earn approval, though these pleasures do not settle the broader doubts about the storytelling.
The main divide concerns whether the martial arts and comedy serve the adventure or overwhelm it. Radio Times admires Chan’s fighting but finds the stolen jade Buddha subplot a drag. Slant Magazine goes further, criticising both the unnecessary fights and Chan’s stereotyped portrayal. The spread is substantial rather than a disagreement over minor faults, although two of the eight reviews have no accessible verdict to explain their scores.