RUSH HOUR A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 1998 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): **
RUSH HOUR, regardless of what you may have read, is NOT a Jackie Chan movie. Whereas it is true that Jackie Chan, one of the more engagingly delightful actors around, does appear in the movie, it is not the typical Chan project to showcase his comedic brand of martial arts skills.
Director Brett Ratner, director of the widely-panned MONEY TALKS, lacks much sense of action or comedic timing. RUSH HOUR drifts aimlessly for large portions, especially when Chan isn't in the frame. The script by Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow has some good laughs, but it isn't written nearly smart enough and frequently feels the need to sink to bad racial humor. Besides making the cops asinine, a key plot twist revolves around whether to cut the red, green, or blue wire on the bomb. As always, the bomb squad, with a one chance in three of being right, will cut the right wire.
People who haven't seen the talented Chan in action may not be as disappointed as those who have become his fans. Non-fans will undoubtedly enjoy the few times Chan is allowed to cut loose, but those who have seen him at his best will likely be frustrated. Chan's charms come as much from his sweet cherubic demeanor as his athletic skills and daring stunts. RUSH HOUR features Chan as an untypically dour character whose seriousness gets in the way of his allure as an action hero with childlike innocence.
The movie's plot concerns the kidnapping of the Chinese consul's daughter in L.A. When Hong Kong sends their number one cop, Detective Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan), the FBI decides they don't want him messing with their case. The FBI agent in charge calls the L.A. Chief of Police to get a cop to baby-sit Lee and keep him out of trouble and out of their hair.
Philip Baker Hall and many other fine character actors are given nothing to do in the picture but collect a paycheck. (THE FULL MONTY's Tom Wilkinson sleepwalks his way through the movie as a criminal mastermind.) Hall plays the L. A. Chief of Police who sends the FBI the loudmouthed officer who has been driving him and everyone else crazy, Detective James Carter. Chris Tucker from MONEY TALKS plays the fast-mouthed Carter. Viewers' degree of tolerance for Tucker's brand of over-the-top, slapstick humor will be a major determinate of how much they like RUSH HOUR. At times he is extremely funny. In the best scenes, as when he and Jackie share dance and martial arts moves to the rock song "War," their chemistry clicks.
Most of the film plods along with the audience hoping that Jackie will finally get some more screen time and be allowed to show off his skills. The only completely successful part of the film is the series of outtakes shown during the closing credits. But any film where the outtakes are dramatically better than the "intakes" is clearly in trouble. If the director had thrown out the script, left the set, and just filmed the characters ad-libbing, he would have had a superior product.
RUSH HOUR runs 1:36. It is rated PG-13 for violence and profanity and would be fine for kids around ten and up.
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: www.InternetReviews.com
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