The Curse of the Jade Scorpion
User Score
6.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 17
  3. Negative: 2 out of 17

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  1. AndyS.
    Aug 25, 2001
    5
    For many years, every time Bob Dylan released a new album, fans and critics would repeat a familiar lament: "It's no Blood on the Tracks." And it was true; Dylan went more than two decades between great albums, and it seemed like his talent was mostly tapped out. But in recent years, he's had something a renaissance, writing and recording music which, if not quite up to his old standards of depth and consistency, will stand the test of time. Since "Hannah and Her Sisters" in 1986, Woody Allen has not made a great comedy. He's made a few good ones, (e.g., "Bullets Over Broadway," his critical "Blood on the Tracks," the recent "Sweet and Low Down," etc.), some not good ones, and many very slight, very medicre ones, such as "Jade Scorpion." The problem as I see it is three-fold: (1) he hasn't been able to write consistently for voices other than his own; (2) he's too old to play that character anymore; (3) he doesn't want to play/write that character anymore; the jokes are getting stale and the performance becoming pure shtick. The tiredness of Jade Scorpion is epitomized by the only specific criticism I'll bother to make: Dan Akyroyd's character gets zero funny lines. Nada. When was the last time Woody Allen wrote a main character in a farce with no funny lines? Never. So the burning question is: Will Woody Allen ever enjoy a Bob Dylanesque renaissance? I hope so, but I doubt it. Relatively speaking, music is easy; comedy is hard.… Expand
  2. JamesH.
    Aug 28, 2001
    9
    Very funny.
  3. BrawnyLad
    Sep 3, 2004
    8
    A fun spin on Bob Hope films of the 40s. Interesting to see how widely the professional critics ranged on this! Often directly contradicting each other on the particulars. Such as whether or not there was on-screen chemistry between Allen and Hunt. I think that she wasn't, by nature, zany enough for the part.
  4. BuffyN.
    Aug 24, 2001
    7
    Compared to other first-run shlock out there, this one's a frequently amusing comedy that hangs together, for the most part, and is fun to watch for the art direction alone.
  5. SeamusO.
    Aug 27, 2001
    9
    A fun and entertaining film. Not his greatest but still heads and shoulders above the rest of the drivel coming out of Hollywood these days.
  6. BobS.
    Apr 4, 2002
    7
    I laughed (woody always makes me laugh). My wife stayed awake. Can't ask for much more.
  7. GmanTheCulturalBarbarian
    Jul 8, 2002
    0
    Awful. just plain awful.
  8. YoonC.
    Sep 15, 2003
    7
    Woody Allen sleepwalks both as character and director in this movie. It's Allen directing by the numbers; more an exercise than art. But, the formula works, the actors seem to having fun, and if you like Allen's persona, it's just endearing enough to recommend.
  9. J-Shap
    Sep 1, 2011
    4
    It looks nice, and that's about it. The dialogue and one-liners are rather dry and limp compared to Allen's previous films, and whatever potential it has is wasted due to Allen ironically being miscast in his own film. This would have benefited from a younger, or at least different actor in Allen's role (perhaps Tom Hanks). Above all, Jade Scorpion is a rather insincere and ill-conceived homage.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
52 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 31 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 31
  3. Negative: 3 out of 31
  1. Mr. Showbiz
    Reviewed by: Cody Clark
    80
    Allen's good with the material, but Hunt sparkles, repeatedly razoring her diminutive antagonist to shreds.
  2. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Amy Taubin
    30
    Although there's no evidence of sexual chemistry on the screen, the stars share a certain physical defensiveness that occasionally makes them seem simpatico; most of the time, however, they just look bored to death.
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  3. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Rosenbaum
    80
    One thing I especially like about it, apart from the flavorsome 40s decor in color, is that it's silly in much the same way that many small 40s comedies were.
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