The Medallion
© James C. Hess
In a week where we witnessed the death of comedy--John Ritter--and the passage of tragedy--Johnny Cash, in a week where we saw the theatrical release of a film that marks the end of a narrative cycle--"Matchstick Men"--and the presentation of a film that embodies the conclusion of a story cycle--"Once Upon A Time In Mexico", we must pause and consider, very seriously and carefully, a question that weighs heavily upon us all:
Is there a certain order to the known universe?
Or not?
I believe there is a certain order to the known universe. That is: Everything happens for a reason. But I also believe that despite this apparent absolute we have free will: The ability to do what we want, when we want, how we want.
Seemingly contradictory, this? Of course it is. Which is why one can then explain a movie the likes of "The Medallion" without too much intellectual heavy lifting: There are exceptions to every rule and this movie is most certainly it.
Here is a movie that has almost no redeeming value or merit beyond superficial entertainment. Here is a movie that does not require one to think, and if you do, well the thoughts that pass through your mind are anything but deep and profound. Here is a movie so barren of realistic logic and reason that attempts to explain what does pass for logic and reason will be meet with a sound thrashing by way of plastic dog poo and a rubber chicken.
So what, then, is the purpose, the value of this movie? Simply, to serve a higher good: It makes you feel good, often by way of laughter and delight.
Admittedly, this movie is heavy on formula and cliches, but set them aside and give up the prejudice of such things. If you don't the odds are good you will spend the majority of the movie trying to rationalize and justify more than a few problems. Such as: Why are there so many candles surrounding a special child? Who has the job of lighting them and keeping them light? Why doesn't the kid get bothered when the candle wranglers come and go, doing their jobs? Isn't meditation, which he does, supposed to be without interruption? And what's the deal--
Like I said: Accept a suggestion and forgo pondering such questions. Better one merely enjoy this movie than to attempt a plumbing of its depths.
The star of "The Medallion" is Jackie Chan who, like many of his movies, defies logic and reason. He is by no means, by the Hollywood Machine standard, a leading man, yet here he is: In the lead role. He is by no stretch of the most flexible imagination a smooth talker, yet there is something charming and wonderful about the way he butchers words and the English language, in general. Maybe it is all of this that makes "The Medallion" so acceptable: Despite all the obvious shortcomings and problems it is a delight.
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