Rating
(1 to 10) : 4
Summary: Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker team up again as an unlikely pair in trying to solve a bombing at the US embassy in Hong Kong.
I didn't
see "Rush Hour" yet so I can't tell if this sequel is a
letdown but judging this movie on its own merit, I would give this movie a below
mediocre rating.
Inspector
Lee (Jackie Chan) and James Carter (Chris Tucker) are in Hong Kong as Carter is
on vacation while Lee is doing his usual duties. A bomb is planted at the US Embassy and explodes, killing 2 US
translators. Turns out that the victims
weren't really translators but US Customs agents investigating a counterfeit
operation of US C-notes.
And it
turns out that the suspected mastermind of this counterfeit operation is Ricky
Tan (John Lone, Joey Tai in "Year of the Dragon"). Ricky Tan was a former inspector in the Hong
Kong Police Dept. and his partner was Inspector Lee's father. We find out that Inspector Lee's father was killed
and it was suspected, but never proven, that the killer was Ricky Tan.
Ricky has
a henchman, or should I say, henchwoman Hu Li (Ziyi Zhang of "Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). She
goes around doing all of Ricky's dirty works and even gets into a fight scene
with Carter.
On the
surface, this movie sounds comedic and light-hearted but it seems obvious that
this movie tries to get by on its association with its predecessor rather than
on its own merits. The script wasn't all
that funny and the plot was half-hearted as the movie meanders on, just like
the two main characters, who start in Hong Kong and go to LA and end up in Las
Vegas.
This movie
was made to be released to both the American and Chinese market so the humor and
dialogue was set to appeal to both target audiences. Thus the two main characters are shown as caricatures of
African-Americans held by Asians, and of Asians by Americans. Unfortunately, the stereotypes are the main
focus of humor as Chris Tucker plays the part of the black minstrel, with his
loud voice, jive slang, and exaggerated facial expressions while Jackie Chan
plays the part of the typical Asian who is deferential, knows kung-fu, and
speaks English with a Chinese accent.
I know
Jackie's been trying to break into the Hollywood scene and do some serious
movies, and he recently did "The Tuxedo" with Jennifer Love
Hewitt, but doing more of these "Rush Hour" type movies just
typecasts him. I hope he knows that.
Old
Chinese lady (to
Carter): "Move aside Kobe"