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Jackie Chan (Lee) Chris Tucker (Carter) Ken Leung (Sang) Tom Wilkinson (Griffin) Tzi Ma (Consul Han) Robert Littman (First Caucasian) Michael Chow (Dinner Guest) Julia Hsu (Soo Yung) Chris Penn (Clive) Kai Lennox (Cop at Diner) Larry Sullivan (Cop at Diner) Yang Lin (Consul Secretary) Roger Fan (Soo Yung's Bodyguard) George Cheung (Soo Yung's Driver) Lucy Lin (Exposition Official) Rex Linn (Agent Whitney) Mark Rolston (Agent Russ) Elizabeth Peña (Johnson)

Brett Ratner

A loyal and dedicated Hong Kong Inspector teams up with a reckless and loudmouthed L.A.P.D. detective to rescue the Chinese Consul's kidnapped daughter, while trying to arrest a dangerous crime lord along the way.

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Jackie Chan is poised to score his biggest American-produced hit with "Rush Hour," a frankly formulaic but raucously entertaining action comedy that comes equipped with the additional marquee allure of up-and-comer Chris Tucker. Cast as an odd couple of cops who join forces to find a Chinese consul's kidnapped daughter, the two leads should be laughing all the way to the bank when the grosses start rolling in. Foreign release likely will generate even more impressive coin, and homevid income will just sweeten the pot.

By Joe Leydon

Film Critic

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Jackie Chan is poised to score his biggest American-produced hit with “Rush Hour,” a frankly formulaic but raucously entertaining action comedy that comes equipped with the additional marquee allure of up-and-comer Chris Tucker . Cast as an odd couple of cops who join forces to find a Chinese consul’s kidnapped daughter, the two leads should be laughing all the way to the bank when the grosses start rolling in. Foreign release likely will generate even more impressive coin, and homevid income will just sweeten the pot.

Pic represents a savvy career move for Chan, whose previous American-made vehicles — “The Big Brawl” (1980) and “The Protector” (1985) — were B.O. underachievers. This time out, the Asian superstar gets a chance to broaden his appeal beyond his loyal cult following simply by doing what he does best. The big difference is that he does a bit less of it here — and not just because he shares the screen with a co-star whose own fans must be accommodated. Much like Hong Kong expatriate John Woo, who toned down his trademark flamboyance while directing his debut American feature, “Hard Target,” Chan has restrained himself in the hope of attracting the uninitiated while keeping his longtime admirers.

To be sure, some Chan purists may be disappointed. In “Rush Hour,” the fight scenes are shorter and slightly less plentiful, and the death-defying stunts — which, as usual, Chan performs without using a double — are kept to a minimum. But even a restrained Jackie Chan is more exhilarating and engaging than just about any other action star in the business.

Tucker also brings it down a few notches, and comes across as much looser and funnier than he did in last year’s “Money Talks” — which, like current pic, was directed by Brett Ratner. Tucker’s manic, motor-mouth style of comedy is an effective counterbalance to Chan’s rapid-fire acrobatics, which owe as much to Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton as to Bruce Lee. Whether their characters are bickering or bonding, the two stars bring out the best in each other.

Early scenes introduce Chan as Detective Inspector Lee, a Hong Kong supercop who captures a notorious mobster’s cache of stolen artwork just before the 1997 transfer of the former British colony. Scene then shifts to L.A., where Tucker makes his predictably explosive entrance as Detective James Carter, a fast-talking, rule-breaking maverick who prefers to work without a partner.

Carter yearns to join the FBI, and thinks he’s gotten a big break when his disapproving chief (Philip Baker Hall) assigns him to the bureau for a major case. But the feds simply want Carter to “baby-sit” Lee, who has flown to L.A. to help his old friend the Chinese consul (Tzi Ma) recover his abducted 11 -year-old daughter (Julia Hsu). The FBI agents in charge view Lee as little more than a nuisance, and expect Carter to keep the Hong Kong detective far out of harm’s way. But, not surprisingly, Lee and Carter are the ones who identify, and ultimately neutralize, the villains of the piece.

Working from a serviceable script by Jim Kouf and Ross Lamanna, Ratner gives his two leads ample opportunity to bounce humorously off each other as they slowly bond and develop mutual respect. And rather than ignore or disguise Chan’s occasional awkwardness with English, “Rush Hour” uses the language barrier as a running gag, often to hilarious effect, particularly in a show-stopping song-and-dance sequence in which Carter corrects Lee’s pronunciation during latter’s rendition of his favorite American song, “War.”

A peroxided Ken Leung provides some forebodingly silken menace as Sang, the chief kidnapper, who proves to be almost as lethal as the Hong Kong cop when it comes to martial-arts mayhem. Tom Wilkinson (“The Full Monty”) appears briefly in the early H.K. scenes as a British diplomat; his character plays a key role in later goings-on.Chan and vet stunt coordinator Terry Leonard (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”) choreograph some full-throttle action sequences to keep the party lively. As always, Chan is sheer poetry in motion while gracefully running up walls, disarming opponents and falling from great heights. Tucker, too, is effective when he gets physical, though he mostly plays it for laughs when he’s on the wrong side of a well-aimed foot. Even co-star Elizabeth Pena, who’s stuck in the thankless role of Carter’s unwanted partner, gets to join in the rough stuff late in the film.

In a few scenes, the editing works against Chan by breaking up the flow of his frenzied physicality. Otherwise, tech credits are first-rate across the board.

(ACTION COMEDY)

  • Production: A New Line Cinema release of an Arthur Sarkissian and Roger Birnbaum production. Produced by Birnbaum, Sarkissian, Jonathan Glickman. Executive producer, Jay Stern. Co-executive producer, Leon Dudevoir. Directed by Brett Ratner. Screenplay, Jim Kouf, Ross Lamanna, story by Lamanna.
  • Crew: Camera (Deluxe color), Adam Greenberg; editor, Mark Helfrich; music, Lalo Schifrin; music supervisor, Gary Jones; production designer, Robb Wilson King; art director, Thomas Fichter; costume designer, Sharen Davis; sound (Dolby Digital/DTS/SDDS), Kim H. Ornitz; stunt coordinators, Terry Leonard, Jackie Chan; casting, Matthew Barry, Nancy Green-Keyes. Reviewed at Magno Review 1, New York, Aug. 28, 1998. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 98 MIN.
  • With: Detective Inspector Lee ..... Jackie Chan Detective James Carter ..... Chris Tucker Thomas Griffin ..... Tom Wilkinson Tania Johnson ..... Elizabeth Pena Capt. Diel ..... Philip Baker Hall Agent Russ ..... Mark Rolston Consul Han ..... Tzi Ma Agent Whitney ..... Rex Linn Sang ..... Ken Leung Clive ..... Chris Penn Soo Yung ..... Julia Hsu

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Rush Hour (1998)

After fifteen years of trying, Jackie Chan finally broke into the U.S. market with Rumble in the Bronx and Jackie Chan’s First Strike ; but it wasn’t until Rush Hour that he really connected with mainstream American audiences. The earlier two films were essentially camp chop-sockies packaged for Westerners, but Rush Hour , with its high production values and Lethal Weapon –style cop-buddy formula, is pure Hollywood formula moviemaking, pairing Jackie with the unlikeliest of partners: abrasive comic Chris Tucker.

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Moral/spiritual value, age appropriateness, mpaa rating, caveat spectator.

The theory seems to have been that Tucker ( Money Talks , The Fifth Element ), whose fast-paced, high-pitched chatter sounds like an Eddie Murphy record played at 78 rpm, would compensate for Jackie’s so-so English. ( Rush Hour was the first film in which Jackie worked up the courage to deliver his lines in English, as opposed to dubbing into English afterwards from a script.) Tucker’s self-aggrandizing attitude and outrageous banter made an obvious contrast for Jackie’s self-effacing, all-business supercop, and it was hoped that the clash of Hong Kong and the ’hood might somehow create something new and fresh.

Well, it wasn’t new, but it was reasonably fresh. Certainly Jackie and Tucker each seemed to be enjoying themselves, and audiences responded enthusiastically to their odd-couple synergy. There was a plot of course — a hackneyed trifle involving kidnapping and a collection of priceless Chinese artifacts — but it gave the stars plenty of room to mug and goof, to explore the esoteric worlds of urban pool halls and Chinese takeout joints, to argue over the merits of the Beach Boys and the lyrics to Edwin Starr’s Vietnam-era anthem "War."

The setup: Jackie plays Inspector Lee, a respected hero cop with the Hong Kong police. Tucker plays Detective Carter, a disgraced maverick of the LAPD. Although opposites in practically every way, the two have one thing in common: Like all stars of buddy films, they prefer to work alone.

What brings them together, albeit indirectly, is the kidnapping of the daughter (Julia Hsu) of the Chinese consul to the United States (Tzi Ma). Lee is a personal friend of the consul and his daughter, and the consul insists on having Lee flown to the States to assist the FBI in the investigation. That’s when the FBI contacts the LAPD and brings in Carter — not to assist in the investigation, as Carter originally thinks, but to keep Lee occupied and away from the case.

This leads to a clever string of scenes in which Carter tries to keep track of Lee while Lee tries to get to the Chinese embassy. A brief stunt sequence involving a number of vehicles and a street sign is less energetic than a typical Jackie Chan stunt, but stands out for its exceptionally effortless grace. Then there’s a funny bit where Carter and Lee each draw guns on the other, leading up to an unexpected visual punchline. Finally, Carter actually handcuffs Lee to his steering wheel, which does slow Lee down — but not nearly as much as it does Carter.

Eventually, of course, Lee and Carter must learn to work together, respecting one other’s methods and abilities, blah blah blah. Along the way they get some help from a female Hispanic bomb-squad trainee (Elizabeth Peña), whose introduction into the story guarantees that before all is said and done there will be a bomb that needs deactivating. Along the way, of course, there are more action scenes: brawls in pool halls and Chinese restaurants, and a climactic showdown in an exhibition hall where Jackie must first try to beat up bad guys while protecting priceless Chinese artifacts before executing a grand finale stunt as boldly conceived as anything he’s ever done.

Rush Hour ’s main weakness is its miscalculation in applying its stars’ assets. For some reason, director Brett Ratner ( The Family Man ) saw fit to rope in Jackie’s action scenes to short bursts of a minute or less. That’s like hiring virtuoso cellist Yo-Yo Ma and then rationing him no more than a single sheet of music at a time. (The film’s first scene gives Jackie more room to do what he does than anything else in the rest of the movie.)

What’s more, Ratner doesn’t know how to shoot Jackie: Yes, many martial-arts movies use lots of close-ups and rapid cuts — because they’re trying to make an ordinary actor (say, Keanu Reeves) look as good as Jackie Chan. When you’re really shooting Jackie Chan, you cool it and let the audience get a good look. Duh.

But while Jackie is held back, Tucker is given free rein to be as over-the-top as he wants, which is sometimes funny but more often merely crude and annoying. Tucker has some good material; I cracked up when he remarked on the lack of prestige at the LAPD: "We’re the most hated police force in the whole free world. My own mama ashamed of me — she tells everybody I’m a drug dealer." But other jokes fall flat, and not everyone will be amused by his foul mouth, or by his constant slurs against Lee ( "Mr. Rice-a-Roni" , "Chung King cop").

Another aspect that may be troubling to some viewers is the kidnapping plot itself, which begins with an ambush scene in which a driver is shot and the consul’s daughter is snatched onto a motorcycle and carried off, and ends with a tense standoff in which the girl has been blindfolded and strapped into a vest wired with explosives that can be detonated by remote control. It was partly these elements, described as "nasty menace to a child" by the U.S. bishops Office for Film and Broadcasting in their review of the film, that earned the film’s "O" (morally offensive) classification from that body.

At the same time, it’s worth noting that the movie does try to soften this aspect by making Hsu a feisty little thing who resists her kidnappers and later joins Carter in shouting defiant mockery at the villain even while wearing the explosive vest. Different people will have different tolerance levels for this sort of thing.

All things considered, for a typical American moviegoer who likes action movies but knows nothing about Jackie Chan, Rush Hour probably isn’t a bad place to start. It goes down easily enough, and afterwards, if you decide you like what Jackie does and want to see more, you can look into other films like Jackie Chan’s First Strike and Operation Condor . (Do not consider renting The Legend of Drunken Master . You aren’t ready.)

Rush Hour 3 (2007)

Rush Hour 3 is a half-hour of brilliance, preceded by an hour of dreck. That’s a roughly comparable dreck-to-brilliance ratio to the first two Rush Hour movies, I guess, and par for the course for Jackie Chan’s Hollywood films (and a fair number of his Asian ones). It’s just that the earlier Rush Hour movies are hit-and-miss throughout, whereas Rush Hour 3 is basically non-stop missing for an hour, saving all its hits for the end.

Rush Hour 2 (2001)

Rush Hour 2 follows so closely in the footsteps of its hugely successful predecessor that an actual review is practically unnecessary.

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"We waste our money so you don't have to."

"We waste our money, so you don't have to."

Movie Review

US Release Date: 09-18-1998

Directed by: Brett Ratner

Starring ▸ ▾

  • Jackie Chan ,  as
  • Chief Inspector Lee
  • Chris Tucker ,  as
  • Detective James Carter
  • Tom Wilkinson ,  as
  • Thomas Griffin
  • Chris Penn ,  as
  • Elizabeth Pena ,  as
  • Tania Johnson
  • Julia Hsu ,  as
  • Philip Baker Hall as
  • Captain William Diel

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour .

I saw Rush Hour 2 prior to seeing Rush Hour . The effect was that I liked the sequel better. I know, sequels tend to be worse. My theory is that they are not. Its just that after seeing the first movie we all have our own ideas about what the characters are like and what we think they may go on and do. Rush Hour is an action flick. The characters are fairly one dimensional. You miss no character development by watching them out of order.

The thing that makes the second one better than this one is that here we have to see them meet for the first time. First Detective Lee, a Chinese policeman is introduced fighting bad guys in China. Then we have Officer Carter. An LAPD officer capturing a bomb dealer. Then through some unimportant plot devices they finally meet after about a half hour into the movie. Now anyone who has seen these movies knows that the best thing about them is the two character's chemistry. So the second movie has more of them together, and thus is a better movie.

This one, like the second, moves along quickly with plenty of action. Also like the second, the best scenes are when the two leads are sharing screen time. These two buddies have more charm than those two cops from the Lethal Weapon series. In those movies Glover was simply the serious, straight man to Gibson's nutty character. In Rush Hour either character is the funny one. It just depends on which character is in the more familiar territory.

Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan in Rush Hour .

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker create movie magic whenever they are together on the screen. Their comic chemistry is a thing of beauty. They are an odd couple yet their differences compliment each others. Tucker's motor mouth and Chan's unique brand of physical comedy provide plenty of entertainment bang for your buck. I do agree with Eric that Rush Hour 2 improves on this first movie but only slightly. They both have run of the mill plots that are really just an excuse to get the 2 stars together in action scenes.

When the young daughter of a Chinese Consul learns she is moving to California she is reassured by Jackie Chan's Inspector Lee. He tells her, “And don't worry, America is a very friendly place.” The action then cuts to Chris Tucker driving on an L.A. freeway and shouting at a fellow driver, “Stupid fool get the hell out of my way!”

Before you know it the little girl gets kidnapped. In my favorite scene she is riding in a limo on her way to her first day of school in America. She is wearing headphones and listening to Mariah Carey's "Fantasy" and singing along at the top of her lungs. The actress playing this little girl is wonderfully unselfconscious. A police officer pulls them over. The driver asks if there is a problem and the (fake) cop replies, “No problem. Just rush hour.” He then proceeds to shoot the girl's 2 bodyguards.

Carter is at first assigned to keep Lee out of the way but before you can say Beverly Hills Cop the two of them are working together to save the girl and solve the crime. There is a nice sequence where Lee tries to evade Carter. It begins at Grauman's Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard where Carter shows Lee John Wayne's handprints in the famous cement courtyard. Chan quickly makes his escape in traffic. Jumping gracefully from moving vehicle to moving vehicle like he's Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain .

Rush Hour has nuggets of comedy gold. Check out the Beach Boys conversation or Chan's rendition of "War". Chris Tucker's incredibly memorable speaking voice and hilarious way with an insult combined with Jackie Chan's whimsical physicality make Rush Hour much better than it really deserves to be.

As my brothers pointed out, in this and their reviews of later films in the series, the best thing Rush Hour has going for it is its two leads and the oddball chemistry they share. The partnership of Chan and Tucker works extremely well despite the fact that they weren't the producers first choice for the roles. The role of Carter was first offered to Eddie Murphy, then Dave Chappelle and Martin Lawrence before finally going to Tucker.

Eric mentioned the Lethal Weapon series and the comparison is an obvious one. Both films take place in Los Angeles and both feature an interracial pairing of police officers, with a central crime to investigate that you could easily see Riggs and Murtaugh investigating. While I do agree that unlike those Gibson/Glover films, both Chan and Tucker generate laughs, it is clearly the motor mouthed Tucker who is the main comedian to Chan's more serious straight man.

Chan, as Patrick wrote in his Rush Hour 2 review, is reminiscent of a silent film star. His physicality and slapstick humor is a throwback to the early days of Hollywood, a feeling that's augmented by the Los Angeles setting. With his leaps, pratfalls and Kung Fu, he's a combination of Buster Keaton and Bruce Lee. His near silent shtick is the perfect compliment to Tucker's verbal diarrhea. It's always amusing to watch the end credits of his films with the outtakes that show his onscreen catlike reflexes take many, many takes to perfect.

The plot is formulaic and the identity of the mastermind villain is obvious from the moment a well known English actor shows up in what looks like a small, throwaway part. As my brothers wrote though, it hardly matters. The only point of the plot is to come up with an excuse to get Chan and Tucker together so that they can do their thing. Together they make this B-Movie into an A-1 partnership.

Photos © Copyright New Line Cinema (1998)

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Screen Rant

Jackie chan's rush hour movies, ranked worst to best.

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker's Rush Hour trilogy is one of the most popular buddy action franchises, but how do they rank alongside each other?

While a fourth entry appears to be trapped in development hell, how do the Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker Rush Hour movies stack up against one another? Despite being an internationally renowned movie star and martial artist, Jackie Chan had a tough time breaking into Hollywood. 1980s action fare like The Protector failed to understand his appeal, and it wasn't until 1998 buddy action movie Rush Hour - which had a short-lived TV show - that he was able to break through.

This breezy comedy not only allowed Chan to show off his action skills but also displayed his gift for comedy. Rush Hour's unexpected success made also made a star of Chris Tucker, and led to two hit sequels. For a time it appeared the third entry would the end for Chan's Lee and Tucker's Carter, and even if Rush Hour 4 never actually happens, the trilogy got a lot of mileage out of its leading men's chemistry. Still, the Rush Hour trilogy itself is a mixed bag.

Related: Jackie Chan’s Hollywood Movies Ranked, Worst To Best

3. Rush Hour 3 (2007)

Rush Hour 3 was less of a movie than it was a money-making opportunity for its leading men and director Brett Ratner. All three secured high salaries for this belated third outing, which took Lee and Carter on a case to Paris, where Lee is confronted by his villainous foster brother. Rush Hour 3 - which needed District 13 inspiration - is a flavorless action-comedy, with no inventive action sequences or comic ideas. The story has no real surprises either, while Chan and Tucker looked bored by it all. While the sequel was a modest success, it's little wonder there was no immediate rush for another entry.

2. Rush Hour 2 (2001)

The original film was such a huge success that anticipation was high for Rush Hour 2 . This sequel essentially inverts the fish-out-of-water concept of the original, with Tucker's Carter being out of place as he and Lee get into more mischief in Hong Kong. Like with most comedy follow-ups, Rush Hour 2 lacks the freshness of the original and has noticeably fewer genuine laughs, but the chemistry between Chan and Tucker helps immensely. The bigger budget also results in more impressive setpieces, but once again, Chan and his cool stunts are Rush Hour 2's great special effect.

1. Rush Hour (1998)

Rush Hour feels like a happy accident, with New Line taking a chance on a modestly budgeted action comedy with a unique pairing. Chan and Tucker proved to be an inspired team-up, with the film often being at its best when focused on their dynamics. Truly, everything outside the duo - including the story - feels like an afterthought, but it races along so agreeably that doesn't matter much. The action lacks the flair of much of Chan's best Hong Kong work and Ratner's staging is often flat and lacking in style, but there's a reason Rush Hour remains so well-liked over 20 years on from its release.

Next: What Happened To Chris Tucker After The Rush Hour Movies

Movie Reviews

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rush hour movie reviews

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I like this movie about as much as it's possible to like a movie with a two-star rating. Given its materials, it couldn't have been much better, but it's every bit as good as it is, if you see what I mean. Once you realize it's only going to be so good, you settle back and enjoy that modest degree of goodness, which is at least not badness, and besides, if you're watching "Rush Hour 3," you obviously didn't have anything better to do, anyway.

The filmmakers didn't, either, I guess. It has been six years since " Rush Hour 2 ," and unless you believe that director Brett Ratner and his stars, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan , spent all that time turning down offers for a sequel, it seems fairly likely that this is a case of returning once more with a bucket before the well runs dry. Tucker is again Carter, the motormouth LAPD cop who's always in trouble, and Chan is again Lee, the ace Hong Kong cop called in to partner with him. This is, you realize, a formula. A friend of mine (I think it is me) calls these Wunza Movies. You know, wunza L.A. cop and wunza cop from China, and neither wunza guy you want to mess with.

Curious how Carter is always being hauled in from a punishment gig like traffic detail and being assigned to super-important cases that will require him to investigate backstage at the Folies Bergere in Paris, etc. This time, one of Lee's old pals, Ambassador Han, has been shot in an assassination attempt in L.A., probably by a Chinese Triad gang, who are getting to be as handy as the Mafia for movie plots. Lee, in town as the ambassador's bodyguard, runs after the shooter in one of those impossible Jackie Chan chase scenes; it used to be we were amazed by his stunts, but these days I find myself even more amazed that he can still run that far.

Lee partners with his old friend Carter, and they go to the hospital to question the ambassador's beautiful daughter Soo Yung (Zhang Jingchu). This produces the movie's funniest line, by Carter: "Let's go to the gift shop and get a little teddy bear." Soo Yung had possession of an envelope with key evidence her father was going to use in testimony before the World Court. The envelope is, of course, this movie's MacGuffin, and was stolen from Soo Yung at her karate academy.

The cops go there and have a battle with the world's tallest man (Sun Ming Ming). I think he's the same man who got married recently and was about twice as tall as his bride. Or maybe he's another tall guy -- naw, it has to be the same guy. Yao Ming, the basketball player, is only 7 feet, 6 inches, and Sun Ming Ming is 7 feet, 9 inches. A guy that tall, on his wedding night he could be making love and solving a Rubik's Cube at the same time. When Jackie Chan engages him in kung fu, he has to call on some of his wall-climbing skills.

Anyway, the chase leads to Paris, where the fragrant Genevieve (Noemie Lenoir) appears. Her function in the film, apart from certain plot details is -- to appear, which she does to great effect. And soon Carter is backstage at the Folies Bergere, and all the time we know, just know, that the Eiffel Tower is in the background of so many shots for a reason.

Yes, there is a pursuit up and down the tower, with Jackie Chan doing the usual impossible things, although at 53, he doesn't do all of his own stunts. What difference does it make? In these days of special effects, who can tell, anyway? For years, I suspected that the only reason Jackie did the stunts himself was to provide footage for the shots during the closing credits, showing him waving cheerfully as he was taken to the hospital.

All of these events take place efficiently, and I was amused, even by a dialogue sequence involving a "Mr. Yu" and a "Mr. Mee," in which "he's Mee and I'm Yu," and who's on first? If you are trapped in a rainstorm in front of a theater playing this picture, by all means go right in. You won't have a bad time, will feel affectionate toward Lee and Carter, and stay dry.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Rush Hour 3 movie poster

Rush Hour 3 (2007)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of action violence, sexual content, nudity and language

Jackie Chan as Lee

Chris Tucker as Carter

Roman Polanski as Police Chief

Max von Sydow as Reynard

Dana Ivey as Sister Agnes

Yvan Attal as George

Directed by

  • Brett Ratner
  • Jeff Nathanson

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Rush Hour (United States, 1998)

Considering his recent surge in American popularity, it was all-but-inevitable that Jackie Chan would eventually show up in a big-budget Hollywood action picture. (He hasn't been in one since he did the Cannonball Run films back in the early '80s.) That production is Rush Hour , a somewhat lackluster cop buddy movie that goes wrong in two big ways: (1) it fails to utilize Chan's full range of skills, relegating him to the role of a kickboxing action hero and virtually ignoring his comedic aptitude, and (2) it saddles him with a partner, played by the irritating Chris Tucker.

In his Hong Kong features, Chan almost always delights (sometimes in spite of the plot) because he is given an opportunity to display his versatility. His performances aren't just about action; they're as much about comic timing as they are about stunts and death-defying feats. That's the reason why he is more often compared to Chaplin and Keaton than to Bruce Lee. Unfortunately, film maker Brett Ratner (who directed Tucker in Money Talks ) doesn't seem to understand a large part of Chan's appeal. In Rush Hour , the actor is relegated to participating in various uninspired action sequences that could have just as easily been executed by Chuck Norris. Chan is rarely offered the opportunity to let his charisma shine through. 90% of the "comedy" is left to Tucker, who, when wound up, can be as aggravating as fingernails on a blackboard.

The storyline is as silly as one might expect for a movie that doesn't want its viewers thinking too much about plot or characterization. It's designed as a framework for the action sequences, all of which are in dire need of an adrenaline injection. Chan plays Lee, a Hong Kong police inspector who has been brought to America to aid in a kidnapping investigation. Soo Yung (Julia Hsu), the daughter of the Chinese consul in the United States and one of Lee's former charges, is taken hostage by a gangster, who is demanding a $50 million ransom to return her alive. The FBI, led by the usual band of incompetents, doesn't appreciate Lee's involvement, so they recruit James Carter (Tucker), a LAPD cop, to "babysit" him during his time in America. Soon, Lee and Carter, who don't really get along, are trying to solve the crime on their own. If it sounds like the Lethal Weapon formula, it is, but Rush Hour isn't close to being as entertaining.

Some people think Chris Tucker is funny, but I have yet to laugh at one of his out-of-control performances. He's too loud and abrasive, and he seems to think that acting weird and shouting are among the necessary attributes of a comedian. I feel the same way about Robin Williams and Jim Carrey - they're a lot more effective when they're under control. Unfortunately, in Rush Hour , Tucker is allowed to do pretty much what he wants, and he ends up interfering with Chan's few attempts at subtle humor. Tucker may be perfect for a loud, brash action film, but his presence her effectively undermines Chan's work.

There are times when Rush Hour shows potential, but these instances are more of a tease than anything else. On one occasion, Chan leaps into the air from a moving bus to grab an overhead road sign. After dangling in mid-air for a few seconds, he drops onto the top of a truck. There's also an amusing bit with Chan and Tucker strutting their stuff to the tune of "War." And, in the kidnapping victim, it's refreshing to see a little girl who has spunk but isn't a brat.

Everyone familiar with Chan's movies should be aware that he uses the end credits to show a variety of often bone-crunching outtakes. For Rush Hour , these are rather lame, showing more flubbed lines than stunts gone awry. That, more than anything, is indicative of how little Chan's potential is realized in this movie (not that we want to see him getting hurt, but he's given so little to do that he never really has the chance...). There's little doubt that Rush Hour is going to be a success at the box office, and, given audiences' love of sequels, Rush Hour 2 is probably already in the planning stages. Let's hope that next time around, the director uses his lead actor as something more than Tucker's straight man. On this occasion, as Chan moved from Hong Kong to Hollywood, something got lost in the translation.

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  • Parents say (9)
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Based on 9 parent reviews

Tame Content, Nothing Too Much For Older Kids And Teens

Report this review, u can't stop watching, good movie but bad language.

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Not your average buddy cop movie, gets your attention.

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Rush Hour parents guide

Rush Hour Parent Guide

Diplomatic advisor Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) from Hong Kong and loud-mouth Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) of the FBI have nothing in common -- except the assignment to work together on the case of a kidnapped child.

Why is Rush Hour rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Rush Hour PG-13

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by rod gustafson.

When you first see a Jackie Chan film, you can’t help but notice that something is missing: Hero (Chan) approaches edge of building, looks back at crooks, and then jumps, with camera following him the whole way down. He gets up and doesn’t have time to brush off his clothes because more bad guys are waiting for him at the bottom. There are no edits and no stuntman to replace the big star.

Chan does it all, and the rough-around-the-edges production style of his Hong Kong produced films add to his dynamic screen presence. But Rush Hour is Chan’s first big budget American film, and safety conscious Hollywood requires him to take fewer risks while still trying to show off his talents. Consequently this movie pulls out pistols, bombs, and a comedic partner to fill the gaps between Chan’s stunts.

That aside, I have a soft spot for Chan. His stunts are usually done as a last ditch effort to get him out of a jam and he often shows compassion toward his opponents. He’s not an invincible superhero, but instead reacts to what’s happening around him. When he gets hit, he shows pain. These elements make him a more complex character, and this opens the magic gate to the audience: We care about him.

If your older teens are interested in his work, look for some of his other PG-13 titles. Another recent release, Who Am I?, offers more Chan and less blood than Rush Hour. Still, preview any Chan movie first to see if it meets your family standards. Also, take time to explain to your teens that Chan is trained to do those amazing stunts. Don’t try this at home kids.

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Rush Hour Reviews

rush hour movie reviews

"The direction of Kaplan is very fluid and her film has some illuminating moments".

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Nov 12, 2018

rush hour movie reviews

Each story is detailed and well told. Some may be more interesting than others, but all are narrated with agility and care. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Nov 5, 2018

With Rush Hour, Kaplan offers us a look at the suffering of another global phenomenon. About the irremediable lost hours. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 15, 2018

rush hour movie reviews

Rush Hour lets audiences see how these different people with different economic realities could share the same unhappiness. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Oct 12, 2018

rush hour movie reviews

A terrifying documentary that inspires reflection. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Oct 11, 2018

Luciana Kaplan's documentary triptych on planetwide, perpetual gridlock is nearly as exhausting as finding oneself ensnarled in an actual traffic jam. Which is exactly the point of this calculatedly fly-on-the-windscreen film.

Full Review | Mar 22, 2018

rush hour movie reviews

"Motor Mouth & Motor Hands"

rush hour movie reviews

What You Need To Know:

(B, C, LLL, VV, A, DD, M) Light moral worldview of taking care of family with a few Christian elements including thanks to Jesus, a call to prayer & a man asks his brother why he wasn't in church; 64 obscenities & 12 profanities including one from a girl who copies an adult; extensive action violence including shooting, explosions, chase scenes, hand-to-hand combat, kicking, & falls; no sex; no nudity; alcohol use; smoking & brief marijuana smoking which is rebuked; and, kidnapping & corruption in the FBI.

More Detail:

A seemingly odd mix of contradictions, RUSH HOUR nevertheless provides adequate entertainment. It mixes fast hands with a fast mouth, and includes some Christian content in an otherwise rough movie which raises the bar for the number of obscenities in a PG-13 rated movie. Still thrilling to watch, but showing his age, Jackie Chan pairs up with Chris Tucker in a LETHAL WEAPON-style thriller mixing action, comedy and some subtle race issues.

Chan plays Detective Inspector Lee, the pride of the Royal Hong Kong Police. A tough, dedicated cop, he is also a martial arts genius. He is friends with the Chinese Consul Han (Tzi Ma) and teaches martial arts to the Consul’s 11-year-old daughter Soo Yung (Julia Hsu). Lee is both her bodyguard and best friend.

The Consul moves to America when Hong Kong is taken over by the Chinese government. There, a criminal mastermind named Juantao, played by Tom Wilkinson, kidnaps little Soo Yung. Pretending to be the Consul’s friend, Juantao killed Lee’s partner. The FBI decides to investigate the kidnapping, but Han invites Lee to come over to America to participate. Frustrated by Lee’s presence, the FBI asks LAPD to assign a man to baby-sit Lee and keep him away from the investigation. Therefore, the LAPD assign Officer Carter (Chris Tucker) to the case. Carter is nothing but trouble to the force, and they feel this special assignment will get him out of their hair, at least for a moment.

When Lee meets Carter, they mix like oil and water. Not only can they not understand each other, but Lee keeps escaping so that he can involve himself in the investigation again. Soon, the pair learn to get along. Their combined talents provide a formidable match for Juantao.

Depending on your tastes, Chris Tucker may be one of the funniest men in movies today, or the most irritating. Taking a lot of cues from an early foul-mouthed Eddie Murphy, Tucker talks fast and laces his humor with many obscenities. Surprisingly, the Atlanta-based comedian also includes a few nods to Christianity, perhaps exposing a Christian background. For example, he asks his brother why he wasn’t in church on Sunday. On another occasion, when facing certain physical punishment by some thugs, he says, “Why don’t we pray about this?” Finally, at a point of victory, he gives thanks to Jesus. These Christian elements are brief, however, and hardly make up for the dirty language, which may be the highest count yet for a PG-13 movie.

RUSH HOUR is like many Jackie Chan movies in that the action is based on moral causes, and not on vengeance. For instance, Chan’s main goal is to preserve the Consul’s family. RUSH HOUR also has some of Chan’s trademark comical fight scenes. He performs many expected fast hand chops and leg kicks but no death-defying leaps or jaw-dropping stunts. Chan is aging, in fact he is over 40, and so one wonders how long he can sustain his physical prowess.

RUSH HOUR seems to be a summer movie left over. While not special effects laden, it does have plenty of action and comedy. Since it does resemble LETHAL WEAPON, mixing two heroes of different races and sometimes playing off their differences, it seems reasonable the filmmakers would want to hold off on releasing this movie. Though perhaps not as strong as LETHAL WEAPON, RUSH HOUR positions itself to suggest future sequels. As Chan ages further, it may be a wise career move to let someone else help shoulder the load, but Tucker seems to invest his talent into annoying characters. RUSH HOUR is no classic, nor a big money item, but mainly seems to be a stepping stone for two actors in transition.

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  1. Rush Hour Movie Synopsis, Summary, Plot & Film Details

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  3. ‎Rush Hour (1998) directed by Brett Ratner • Reviews, film + cast

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COMMENTS

  1. Rush Hour movie review & film summary (1998)

    Powered by JustWatch "Rush Hour" is our reliable friend, the Wunza Movie, pairing two opposites: Wunza legendary detective from Hong Kong, and wunza Los Angeles cop. And wunza Chinese guy, and wunza black guy. And wunza martial arts expert and wunza wisecracking showboat.

  2. Rush Hour

    Rush Hour PG-13 1998, Action/Comedy, 1h 38m 62% Tomatometer 77 Reviews 78%

  3. Rush Hour (1998)

    8/10 Chris Tucker at his best! Smells_Like_Cheese 5 November 2003 Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan, the best comedic duo since Lethal Weapon bring us Rush Hour. A classic action movie that brings great action as well as awesome comedy that makes you laugh every minute.

  4. Rush Hour Movie Review

    By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer age 14+ Buddy cop fun amidst explosions, bad guys, and language. Movie PG-13 1999 97 minutes Rate movie Parents Say: age 10+ 9 reviews Any Iffy Content? Read more Talk with Your Kids About… Read more A Lot or a Little? What you will—and won't—find in this movie. Positive Messages

  5. Rush Hour

    Top Critics All Audience Verified Audience Matt Brunson Film Frenzy One of the better "buddy" flicks to appear in the waning years of the 20th century. Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug...

  6. Rush Hour

    Directed By: Brett Ratner Written By: Ross LaManna, Jim Kouf Rush Hour Metascore Generally Favorable Based on 23 Critic Reviews 61 User Score Universal Acclaim Based on 433 User Ratings 8.5 My Score Hover and click to give a rating Add My Review Where to Watch Amazon ($3.79) All Watch Options Top Cast View All Jackie Chan Lee Chris Tucker Carter

  7. Rush Hour (1998)

    A loyal and dedicated Hong Kong Inspector teams up with a reckless and loudmouthed L.A.P.D. detective to rescue the Chinese Consul's kidnapped daughter, while trying to arrest a dangerous crime lord along the way. Director Brett Ratner Writers Ross LaManna Jim Kouf Stars Jackie Chan Chris Tucker Ken Leung See production info at IMDbPro RENT/BUY

  8. Rush Hour (1998)

    Film Movie Reviews Rush Hour — 1998. Rush Hour. 1998. 1h 38m. Action/Comedy/Crime. Where to Watch. Buy. $14.99. ... Rush Hour 4 is something that's been on our collective radar for, ...

  9. Rush Hour

    Rush Hour. Jackie Chan is poised to score his biggest American-produced hit with "Rush Hour," a frankly formulaic but raucously entertaining action comedy that comes equipped with the additional ...

  10. Rush Hour critic reviews

    A somewhat lackluster cop buddy movie that goes wrong in two big ways: (1) it fails to utilize Chan's full range of skills, relegating him to the role of a kickboxing action hero and virtually ignoring his comedic aptitude, and (2) it saddles him with a partner, played by the irritating Chris Tucker. By James Berardinelli FULL REVIEW.

  11. Rush Hour (1998 film)

    Detective James Carter is tricked into "babysitting" Lee as punishment for botching a sting operation; when he finds out, he decides to solve the case. Carter takes Lee on a sightseeing tour, keeping him away from the embassy while contacting informants about the kidnapping.

  12. Rush Hour (1998)

    Moral/Spiritual Value -2 Age Appropriateness Teens & Up MPAA Rating PG-13 Caveat Spectator Recurring action violence; menace to a child; some profanity, crass language, and racial slurs. About These Ratings

  13. Rush Hour

    Chan, as Patrick wrote in his Rush Hour 2 review, is reminiscent of a silent film star. His physicality and slapstick humor is a throwback to the early days of Hollywood, a feeling that's augmented by the Los Angeles setting. With his leaps, pratfalls and Kung Fu, he's a combination of Buster Keaton and Bruce Lee.

  14. Jackie Chan's Rush Hour Movies, Ranked Worst To Best

    1. Rush Hour (1998) Rush Hour feels like a happy accident, with New Line taking a chance on a modestly budgeted action comedy with a unique pairing. Chan and Tucker proved to be an inspired team-up, with the film often being at its best when focused on their dynamics.

  15. Rush Hour 2 movie review & film summary (2001)

    There's one scene that really grates. The Tucker character finds himself in a Vegas casino. He throws a wad of money on a craps table and is given a stack of $500 chips. He is offended: It is racist for the casino to give him $500 chips instead of $1,000 chips, the dealer doesn't think a black man can afford $1,000 a throw, etc., etc.

  16. Rush Hour 3 movie review & film summary (2007)

    A guy that tall, on his wedding night he could be making love and solving a Rubik's Cube at the same time. When Jackie Chan engages him in kung fu, he has to call on some of his wall-climbing skills. Anyway, the chase leads to Paris, where the fragrant Genevieve (Noemie Lenoir) appears.

  17. Rush Hour

    Rush Hour (United States, 1998) A movie review by James Berardinelli. Considering his recent surge in American popularity, it was all-but-inevitable that Jackie Chan would eventually show up in a big-budget Hollywood action picture. (He hasn't been in one since he did the Cannonball Run films back in the early '80s.)

  18. Rush Hour (1998)

    Summaries A loyal and dedicated Hong Kong Inspector teams up with a reckless and loudmouthed L.A.P.D. detective to rescue the Chinese Consul's kidnapped daughter, while trying to arrest a dangerous crime lord along the way.

  19. Parent reviews for Rush Hour

    A lot of nameless characters get shot but it is unclear if they die. The kidnapped daughter, who ends up with a bomb vest strapped to her, is rescued and the bomb does not explode. Sang (the main henchman) is shot and killed by Carter (on screen) and Juntao falls to his death. Bother these deaths happen at the end of the movie.

  20. Rush Hour Movie Review for Parents

    Parent Movie Review by When you first see a Jackie Chan film, you can't help but notice that something is missing: Hero (Chan) approaches edge of building, looks back at crooks, and then jumps, with camera following him the whole way down.

  21. Rush Hour

    Each story is detailed and well told. Some may be more interesting than others, but all are narrated with agility and care. [Full Review in Spanish] Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Nov 5 ...

  22. Rush Hour 2 (2001)

    Rush Hour 2 was funny and the fighting was dynamite. Jackie and Tucker duo is legendary. They are better than The Bad Boys because Rush Hour was more flexible, funny and open-ended. Its not really about the story but about the Jackie stunts and fighting and Tucker comedy gold. Great movie.

  23. RUSH HOUR

    Entertainment Quality: What You Need To Know: RUSH HOUR mixes fast hands with a fast mouth and includes some Christian content in an otherwise rough action movie that raises the bar for the number of obscenities in a PG-13 rated movie. Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker pair up as polar-opposite policemen searching for a kidnapped daughter of a friend.

  24. Rush Hour

    Information Studio DABZ MOVIE PRODUCTION Released 2023

  25. "The Rush Hour Melbourne Catch Up

    IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. Get personalized recommendations, and learn where to watch across hundreds of streaming providers.