Even if Chan no longer wants to put his life at risk as a martial arts Buster Keaton, he still has the ability to turn a joke and get a gasp out of an action sequence.

Mr. Chan has done these unlikely-buddy yarns before, of course - "Shanghai Noon," the "Rush Hour" movies - and sometimes has made the conceit work, but this incarnation lacks originality and spark.

All the principals are plenty capable, but this is hardly any of these folks' peak.

For all the comforts nostalgia might bring to Skiptrace, the film's also a pretty good reminder that the Rush Hour era brought with it its fair share of cringeworthy shit.