Rush Hour (1998)

Directed by: Brett Ratner 

Written by: Ross LaManna & Jim Kouf

When Chinese consul's daughter is kidnapped, the consul wants to get help from his best detective Lee in Hong Kong. Because FBI doesn't want Lee to ruin their operation, they pair him up with a big-mouthed loose cannon from  the LAPD. 

---

I saw Max Landis talk about this movie on Twitter, but I didn't pay much attention to the conversation. My dad and I were looking for movies to watch on Netflix, and Rush Hour popped up. Since we wanted to watch an action comedy, it seemed perfect. 

Rush Hour is absolutely hilarious! Most of the comedy comes from the clash between two main characters. There are cultural and characteristic differences, which are so much fun and cause a lot of misunderstandings and unfortunate but hysterical situations.

Rush Hour is definitely a thrilling action movie. It just happens to be predictable as well. You know what's going to happen, because you've seen tons of movies like this one. What makes that better is that you don't know how it's going to happen, so Rush Hour - and all the other movies such as this one - may still manage to surprise you by taking you to the predictable destination by different means than you expected. And usually no one expects action comedies to be completely unpredictable, even if the old, boring ways are annoying. Action comedies are fun, and the movie being fun and thrilling is more important than it being unpredictable and completely new.

Hand to hand combat scenes are a pleasure to watch. They are well coordinated and the choreography is incredible. Most of that is because of Jackie Chan's wonderful talent.

Not only is Jackie Chan talented, he's absolutely charming. I've only seen him in the Chinese movie The Twins Effect (or Vampire Effect) in a small role, and this is the first time I saw him playing a main character. Of course the character he plays - Lee - is a bit typical, but still delightful. Chris Tucker, on the other hand, played a really typical character when it comes to  a black man in an action comedy, but I'd rather blame the director and writers than him. I've seen him before in Jackie Brown and that one David O. Russell movie I barely remember watching. Both characters are lovable and their chemistry works. Different characters would've made the movie a whole lot different.

I definitely liked this movie. My dad already asked if we're going to watch the sequels. Damn right we are. I don't know if the stories will be as interesting, but I love the characters more, and it will be interesting to see how their chemistry works now that they know each other better in the sequels. 

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

8 / 10