Namiya (2017) Poster

(2017)

User Reviews

Review this title
8 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
5/10
A massive change in style for Jackie that doesn't work
isaacsundaralingam19 March 2019
Jackie Chan is old. And in Namiya, he is really old. First of all, kudos to the makeup team for doing a good job. It could've been better, but it wasn't off putting. Namiya is a movie about three teenage runaways who hide out in an abandoned general store after committing a burglary. Through a series of supernatural events, they are connected to the kind old owner of the store who lived many years ago. The story is about how the lives of these three orphans are changed by this man named Namiya.

In paper, it looks good. It has an interesting theme and it has the potential to be a feel good family entertainer. And to be fair, for the most part, it tries. The movie maintains a certain charm but it's let down by bad and unbelievable storytelling. It's quite a stretch even for suspension of disbelief. When watching the movie, all I see is how well this movie could've been. The storyline is unnecessarily complicated, and even for a fantasy film, quite unbelievable.

Being a die-hard Jackie Chan fan, I was so delighted to see him in a completely unusual role to which he does justice. Unfortunately, everything good about the movie was that: Jackie Chan being loveable. That however, doesn't even amount to how badly the movie was executed.

In conclusion, all I see in this movie is a missed opportunity. Something that could've been an entertaining feel good movie turns out to be a "what on earth is going on" movie. Wouldn't recommend it as a movie, but maybe just check out the trailer and a few clips for Jackie's sake.
6 out of 18 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Under rated
fredhoedt28 May 2019
I thought it was a really well put together movie. For not a word of English, I was gripped from beginning to end. Have no idea about the negative reviews. Good story and well done.
7 out of 8 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Loved it
jimvandemoter-502364 August 2019
This is more proof that some of the best story telling isn't happening in Hollywood. The entire movie is totally different than anything from 'mainstream' studios. I loved that Jackie Chan played a completely different kind of character than most would expect. The three young central actors were great. Some people might have a problem with subtitled movies but not me. I want to hear the language the movie was written for.
5 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Superb movie, a feast for the heart and the soul. Greatly underrated.
rodarte316 December 2020
Superb story telling that is engrossing and delightful. This needs to be on your watch list. This is not a typical "action" Jackie Chan movie. Jackie really demonstrates his acting capability, though truly this is an ensemble movie with no single star. This is sophisticated story telling and deserves your full attention.
2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Brilliant
carmena-375006 June 2019
As is accustomed with Mr. Chan simply amazingly brilliant...!!
4 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Beautiful story with nice twist on time-bending theme
la_ricciolina17 April 2021
This is one of those stories where you just have to go along for the ride. The three young characters don't know what's going on any more than we do and so we get to discover with them this strange place where time is folded a bit. They are three teens on the cusp of adulthood learning about how others faced that moment in their lives.

All the acting is well-done. From the three main characters to all the smaller parts. Jackie Chan as the old man is wonderful. I wish people who love him for his action abilities would let him have these quieter moments.
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Truly Magical!
coolkoolqool25 January 2022
This heartwarming movie is truly magical, because it stays with you long after watching it.

This is NOT an action movie, but Jackie Chan does justice to his role, and it is a must-see for his true fans. It would be a shame to overlook this modern classic just because it isn't his usual style or genre. Just start watching it without any prior expectations, and you will be rewarded.

If you like this movie, you can enjoy its Japanese version too (made just a few months earlier), but I think Jackie Chan did a much better job at portraying Mr. Namiya.
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Based on the 2012 novel Miracles of the Namiya General Store by Keigo Higashino.
Bernie44442 January 2024
First, I must say that I have not read the book yet so I cannot compare it.

A slow beginning to introduce the runaway characters. We ease into the mystery. This is not a time travel as much as a retrospective on lives.

The acting is o.k. For kids. It tries too hard to be ethical. It is trite to wait for the ending to unravel the mystery as this means you have to wade through the movie.

"Your Future is unbound" - Namiya

"The Miracles of the Namiya General Store" by Keigo Higashino Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Yen On (September 24, 2019) Language: English ISBN-10: 1975382579 ISBN-13: 978-1975382575.
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed