TV watcher

Rush Hour

review by Orlando C. Fernando

October 20, 1998

Storyline: 6 (0=worst, 10=best)
Originality: 3
Acting: 6
Special Effects: 2
Overall: C+/B- (F=worst, A=best)

It's time for more martial arts mayhem with one of our favorite martial arts actors from the Orient - Jackie Chan. But for the first time he gets a somewhat familiar American counterpart (Chris Tucker) as a sidekick. It seems that the Chinese Consul wants to exhibit major works of art from their rich history in Los Angeles, complete with FBI protection to assure all goes well. Unfortunately, a Hong Kong expert-bomb terrorist group has ulterior motives, to kidnap one of the consul official's visiting daughter in ransom for millions of dollars. The official calls on Lee (Jackie Chan), his entrusted Hong Kong police officer from back home, to cooperate with the FBI to find the kidnappers and his daughter. The FBI secretly, in turn, hires a loose cannon smooth-talking LAPD cop James Carter (Chris Tucker) to keep Lee away from the investigation, for fear that Lee's involvement will cause an international incident.

T his movie seems to have less action, less visual humor, and more plot substance yet more plot predictability than a favorite Chan movie of mine "Rumble in the Bronx". Actually, with the number of run-ins from ghetto thugs in that earlier movie, NO other Chan movie could have more action than that! In "Rush Hour" you truly won't find much originality here plot-wise or character-wize. The Chan/Tucker combo follows the classic partners-don't-get-along/I-work-alone formula. Can you say Mel Gibson and Danny Glover (from the "Lethal Weapon" series)? The one fresh exception is that Chan still retains his tough yet compassionate non-egotistical persona which is part of his ever-growing appeal to his fans. In addition, the Chinese daughter of the Consul official (Tzi Ma) was cute, behaved realistically (When first kidnapped, she's far from jello. She actually puts up a good struggle which was a result from learning the martial arts growing up.), and even gets a few comical moments. Not too surprisingly when Lee and James learn that the FBI blew smoke screens at them to keep them both off the investigation, they both independently try to break the case, then eventually work together. The movie humor relies heavily on Chinese vs. American stereotypes, which were funny in some ways (watch how Lee and James pass the time while waiting by their car for a Chinese restaurant shakedown). But often times, we get an overdose. Chris Tucker may initially get on your nerves at times with some of his urban humor (much like his bisexual character in "The Fifth Element"), but it grows on you during the film's progression.

I would ultimately say that it is a slightly above mediocre Jackie Chan movie. Nothing new here in plot and character development that you have not seen in any action movie before. His action scenes and his stunts, though somewhat fewer than normal here, were still top notch (he just has a thing with using a couch!). And not bad for my first seeing of Jackie Chan in an American Hollywood movie production. Incidentally, I found the movie bloopers at the end credits (Chan's traditional style) to be extremely funny! All had really seemed to enjoy making the movie. Definitely worth a matinee movie ticket or a rental. Jackie Chan's work and play still continues to baffle yet delight us on the action big screen.