Rush Hour
Originally Written: August 2001
“What’s up, my nigga?”
Usually, the use of such a blatantly racist bit of slang in a film would- to my ears- fall flatter than a skydiver without a parachute. But when it’s spoken by Jackie Chan’s Inspector Lee in incomprehensible English as he tries to just act like new partner Chris Tucker on a kidnapping case, you can’t help but bust a gut laughing- especially when you realize it’s just the icebreaker for another spectacularly-choreographed set piece featuring Chan’s still-vital physical prowess.
“Rush Hour” was a shocking success back in 1998, earning more than $140 million in the US alone despite Chan’s mediocre track record in the States and Tucker’s cult status in films such as “Money Talks” and “Friday.” Granted, those type of numbers don’t necessarily make the film “neglected” (in keeping with the budding tradition of this series)- that’s the hype before the film was released. You see, back when magazines were looking at the Fall ahead, a formula buddy flick (albeit one with Chan and Tucker) wasn’t anything to make a big deal out of, and they relegated it to merely a few lines in their Fall Previews. The point is- no one saw it coming.
This was certainly not the case with this summer’s “Rush Hour 2,” which was released on August 3 (my birthday). Salary negotiations had taken over a year, and the time had to be found to get Chan, Tucker, and director Brett Ratner (who helmed this first film) together and make it. It opened to boffo box-office muscle (a deserved reward to a tremendously fun sequel), only to- the week after- follow the pattern of this summer’s big action films and drop off like a bag of hammers the next week, even though the film’s financial success was all but assured by then. Look for “Rush Hour 3” on slate for 2003 if the stars are game.
But for now, my focus is on the original. Like most action films nowadays, the story is reasonably simple. The daughter of a Chinese diplomat has been kidnapped by a Hong Kong crime lord by the name of Juntao and one of his henchmen (Ken Leung). Enter Tucker’s Detective James Carter, a renegade LAPD cop who’s just gotten into a bit of troubled regarding a recent bust that resulted in the explosion of a car and a lot of evidence. His captain (Phillip Baker Hall), though, has a new assignment for him rather than a punishment. Well, at least it looks that way. The diplomat has sent for Chan’s Lee to help the FBI in the recovery of his daughter. Carter’s job, according to the FBI? Essentially baby-sit Lee, keeping him out of the way in the investigation. Well, suffice to say that doesn’t last long, as Lee gradually involves Carter more and more in the case while Carter tries to distract him.
Buddy movies are generally a dime a dozen. Pretenders such as “Chill Factor” strive for the offbeat chemistry perfectly achieved in classics such as “Lethal Weapon,” “48 Hours,” and even “The French Connection.” For “Rush Hour,” the choice of Tucker and Chan was inspired. With this breezy action comedy, Tucker finds the perfect vehicle for his motor-mouth blend of comedy and sass; he’s never been funnier than he is as Carter, and it’s a good bet he won’t be again. For Chan, “Rush Hour” was the first of his American productions- which include his breakout hit “Rumble in the Bronx” and his 1997 Bond-esque vehicle “Jackie Chan’s First Strike”- to really make him accessible to a widespread audience. It’s a well-deserved success, and it’s in big part to his odd couple pairing with Tucker. Chan’s cool, soft-spoken, and comedic action style and Tucker’s extroverted comic style play spectacularly well together. “Rush Hour” is all about watching Chan do everything from dismantle a pool hall fight to attempting to fight and save his country’s precious artifacts and vases to gliding down a huge makeshift slide from a banner, and having Tucker around quipping and making smartass remarks to his partner, as well as showing him a bit about what being a cop in LA entails. All set to Lalo Schifrin’s exciting score and filmed at breakneck pace by Ratner, “Rush Hour” is a 97-minute thrill junkie guilty pleasure. It’s not meant to enlighten; it’s not meant to move; and it’s not meant to win awards. It’s an action comedy that’s slick, funny, exciting, and stupid by turns, and in the end, just plain fun because of it. All I’ve got to say is…bring on “Rush Hour 3.”
