Rush Hour 3
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour, 31 minutes
Directed by: Brett Ratner
Starring:
Jackie Chan - Chief Inspector Lee
Chris Tucker - Detective James Carter
Hiroyuki Sanada - Kenji
Yvan Attal - George
Noémie Lenoir - Genevieve
Max von Sydow - Varden Reynard
They made another one, you may incredulously shout to no one in particular at the news of a third Rush Hour film. You may find yourself wondering if they said all that needed to be said with the first two Rush Hour films. But really, the only question you need to ask yourself is this: how did I feel about the first two installments of the Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker action-comedy series? Whatever that reaction is, that’s how you’ll feel about Rush Hour 3.
Since Chan was the fish-out-of-water in the first movie and Tucker was the fish-out-of-water in the second movie, now they’re both fish-out-of-water in the most alienating place in the world: Paris, France. The pair head to Paris to track down the leader of the Triads who is trying to assassinated Ambassador Han and his daughter from the first movie. There are sub-plots involving Chan’s long-lost brother who is now working for the Triads and Tucker trying to hook-up with an attractive Parisian lady, but if you’re walking into a Rush Hour film, you’re walking in for two things: Tucker to be loud, funny, and be a surrogate for the audience at how ker-azy everything is; and to watch Chan do bad-ass fights and stunts and occasionally get to crack a joke or two.
Knowing what to expect and not minding the first two films, I found myself enjoying Rush Hour 3, but even with a brisk 91-minute run-time, I still found myself already growing tired by the time our heroes make their way to the big finale at the Eiffel Tower. I thought I had more tolerance for Chan’s stunts, Tucker’s humor, and director Brett Ratner’s completely bland direction, but I was wrong.
You need not wonder about why there’s a third Rush Hour film. The second one made $226 million dollars and the latest film does as little as possible to muck with the magic formula that has made so much money. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed. As for everyone else, well, why do you even care?
Words by
Matt Goldberg
8.1.07