---
title: "Around the World in 80 Days: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/around-the-world-in-80-days-2004/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/around-the-world-in-80-days-2004"
critics_score: 51
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Around the World in 80 Days (2004): what the critics said

Critics' score 51 from 8 reviews: 2 positive, 3 mixed, 3 negative.

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.

## The AV Club — Nathan Rabin

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 June 2004. 

Rabin finds the film an agreeable, entertaining blockbuster despite a bumpy opening. He praises the likable pairing of Jackie Chan’s action with Steve Coogan’s dry wit.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/around-the-world-in-80-days-1798199680)

## Screen Daily — Mike Goodridge

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 18 June 2004. 

Screen lists this as a review of the 2004 film. The accessible page provides no verdict or specific praise or complaint.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/around-the-world-in-80-days/4019122.article)

## Time Out — TJ

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The page identifies this as a film review, but the accessible text does not reveal the critic’s verdict. No specific praise or complaint is visible in the available material.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/around-the-world-in-80-days)

## The Guardian — Rob Mackie

Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 19 November 2004. 

Mackie finds the film pleasantly inoffensive, though it feels like another Jackie Chan buddy movie and takes liberties with the story. He praises Steve Coogan for holding his own and singles out Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cameo as especially memorable.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/nov/19/dvdreviews.shopping)

## Radio Times — Gareth Moses

Rating 2/5. 

The review finds the film slowed by an unnecessary subplot. It praises Jackie Chan’s trademark martial-arts action, but says the stolen jade Buddha storyline drags things down.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-be0b0j/around-the-world-in-80-days/)

## Empire — Caroline Westbrook

Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

The critic finds the film a slapdash, disappointing adaptation that loses the story’s sense of adventure. They praise its period detail and locations, but say the kung-fu action and gags overwhelm the central story.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/around-world-eighty-days-review/)

## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez

Rating 1/4. 19 April 2004. 

Gonzalez dismisses the film as lifeless and culturally shallow, despite some entertaining effects and action. He singles out Jackie Chan’s stereotyped portrayal and the film’s unnecessary fight sequences for criticism.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/around-the-world-in-80-days/)

## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2004. 

The critic finds it a thoroughly entertaining adventure, light in style and never witless. Jackie Chan’s comic timing and fighting skills stand out, while Ewen Bremner’s performance is the lone exception.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/around-the-world-in-80-days-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/around-the-world-in-80-days-2004.md