The Medallion
By Nell Minow,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Die-hard Jackie Chan fans may be disappointed.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Community Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Jackie 'Can'
Report this review
NOT FOR AND AGE 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report this review
What's the Story?
In THE MEDALLION, Jackie Chan plays Hong Kong cop Eddie Yang. A bad guy named Snakehead (Julian Sands) is after a medallion and the child who can give it the power to grant eternal life. Working with officers from Interpol (Lee Evans as Watson and Clare Forlani as Nicole), Eddie chases after Snakehead and his henchmen, from Hong Kong to Ireland. Along the way, both Eddie and Snakehead get medallion-ized superpowers.
Is It Any Good?
It's fun to see Jackie try out his new powers, but no amount of flying around or recovering from massive injuries will ever be as magical as seeing Jackie fight when he was at his best. Back in the day, Chan was his own special effect, and that was plenty special enough. After all those years and broken bones, it isn't surprising that he is ready to let the technology do some of the work for him. And it isn't surprising that Chan sees some appeal in a story about a charm that can bestow eternal life and strength. But it isn't as much fun.
Jackie's action scenes are still 90% of what this movie has to offer, and there are a couple of good ones, including an extended chase that is pretty exciting, even though it relies on wires for some of the best stunts. The rest is just dumb jokes (an extended double entendre exchange that has some of the Interpol cops thinking that Eddie and Watson are gay, some potty humor), a brief love interest, and the aforementioned special effects.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether they would want to have -- or to be able to give -- the powers granted by the medallion. What would be the benefits and what would be the drawbacks?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 22, 2003
- On DVD or streaming: December 23, 2003
- Cast: Claire Forlani, Jackie Chan, John Rhys-Davies
- Director: Gordon Chan
- Studio: Columbia Tristar
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 116 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: action violence and some double entendre
- Last updated: March 29, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate