cityonfire.com | Rush Hour 3

	Rush Hour 3 "It's a cash-in sequel, which means it's recycling material from the previous Rush Hour flicks while relying on decent-but not spectacular-action and chase scenes to compensate for a weak script." - Ningen Rush Hour 3 (2007) Director: Brett Ratner Writer: Jeff Nathanson, Ross LaManna Cast: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Max von Sydow, Noemie Lenoir, Hiroyuki Sanada, Roselyn Sanchez, Roman Polanski, Yvan Attal, Youki Kudoh, Zhang Jingchu , Tzi Ma Running Time: 90 min. Plot: See review below. Reviews NINGEN'S REVIEW: In the newest installment of this cross-cultural cop comedy, the triads somehow have managed to expand their empire from selling bootlegs to international terrorism. When the leader of their local French off-shoot of the organization(played pointlessly by Hiroyuki Sanada) shoots a Chinese ambassador, Detective Lee is on the case. He reluctantly involves Carter-who's been demoted for racial-profiling (a first for an LAPD officer)-and the pair head to France to find out the secret behind the triads-and to save the ambassador's kidnapped daughter. The cop duo trades jabs and blows with the locals while running around and dodging anything sharp and hollow. Unfortunately, the boobs belonging to the sexy women who show up in the sequel to Brett Ratner's "opus" are more appealing than the antics of the boobs played by Tucker and Chan. Jackie's English has actually improved significantly since the first film; but Ratner's insistence on him speed-reading his parts hurts the viewer's understanding of the situation. What this means is that the comedic lines have less impact, because no one's allowed to pause, while reciting them. Tucker may be older, but he's still got the moves and attitude. It's just that, in spite of his name being before Jackie's in the credits, he feels tacked on instead of important to the plot. Jackie does most of the fighting, and the story really is about his character, not Tucker's character. Still, he(or his double) does more stunt-work that in the previous films; so at least he helps the action scenes, even when he's not really needed in them. Plus, he gets the token chicks-in-underwear to show some skin; so I can't complain too much about his performance. But I can't really say that you need to see Rush Hour 3 in theaters-even if you're into dumb comedy. It's a cash-in sequel, which means it's recycling material from the previous Rush Hour flicks while relying on decent-but not spectacular-action and chase scenes to compensate for a weak script. I really wanted this one to end with a bang, but it sputtered before it even had a chance to fizzle. NINGEN'S RATING: 5.5/10

Rush Hour 3

"It's a cash-in sequel, which means it's recycling material from the previous Rush Hour flicks while relying on decent-but not spectacular-action and chase scenes to compensate for a weak script."

- Ningen

Rush Hour 3 (2007)

Director: Brett Ratner

Writer: Jeff Nathanson, Ross LaManna

Cast: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Max von Sydow, Noemie Lenoir, Hiroyuki Sanada, Roselyn Sanchez, Roman Polanski, Yvan Attal, Youki Kudoh, Zhang Jingchu , Tzi Ma

Running Time: 90 min.

Plot: See review below.

Reviews

NINGEN'S REVIEW: In the newest installment of this cross-cultural cop comedy, the triads somehow have managed to expand their empire from selling bootlegs to international terrorism. When the leader of their local French off-shoot of the organization(played pointlessly by Hiroyuki Sanada) shoots a Chinese ambassador, Detective Lee is on the case. He reluctantly involves Carter-who's been demoted for racial-profiling (a first for an LAPD officer)-and the pair head to France to find out the secret behind the triads-and to save the ambassador's kidnapped daughter. The cop duo trades jabs and blows with the locals while running around and dodging anything sharp and hollow.

Unfortunately, the boobs belonging to the sexy women who show up in the sequel to Brett Ratner's "opus" are more appealing than the antics of the boobs played by Tucker and Chan. Jackie's English has actually improved significantly since the first film; but Ratner's insistence on him speed-reading his parts hurts the viewer's understanding of the situation. What this means is that the comedic lines have less impact, because no one's allowed to pause, while reciting them.

Tucker may be older, but he's still got the moves and attitude. It's just that, in spite of his name being before Jackie's in the credits, he feels tacked on instead of important to the plot. Jackie does most of the fighting, and the story really is about his character, not Tucker's character. Still, he(or his double) does more stunt-work that in the previous films; so at least he helps the action scenes, even when he's not really needed in them. Plus, he gets the token chicks-in-underwear to show some skin; so I can't complain too much about his performance.

But I can't really say that you need to see Rush Hour 3 in theaters-even if you're into dumb comedy. It's a cash-in sequel, which means it's recycling material from the previous Rush Hour flicks while relying on decent-but not spectacular-action and chase scenes to compensate for a weak script. I really wanted this one to end with a bang, but it sputtered before it even had a chance to fizzle.

NINGEN'S RATING: 5.5/10