Laughs and action delivered with full force

By Nina Pham, Special to the On-Line Forty-Niner

Tuesday, September 22, 1998

Jackie Chan's new comedy, "Rush Hour," delivers non-stop laughs and plenty of kicks and punches to please any action enthusiast.

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MOVIEW REVIEW

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Chan plays a Hong Kong detective who travels to Los Angeles to solve the kidnapping of a Chinese diplomat's daughter. When Chan arrives, he teams up with LAPD detective James Carter, played by Chris Tucker.

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The pairing of Chan and Tucker is . . . one of the best things about "Rush Hour."

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Both men are strong-willed, stubborn, and have their own agenda. They do not get along, but throughout the film, a beautiful friendship blossoms.

The pairing of Chan and Tucker is wonderful and is one of the best things about "Rush Hour." Tucker is loud and obnoxious, but that is part of the charm. He is incredibly funny playing a quirky, offbeat cop with an attitude.

Chan's interaction with Tucker is fun to watch. They play the comedy well off each other. The pairing of the two adds plenty to the film. The comedy in "Rush Hour" is intelligent and does not feed off tired stereotypes of East meets West.

Chan is very likable and natural on screen. Tucker is a scene stealer with his humor. His comedic style is similar to Chris Rock's and Eddie Murphy's, but it is still uniquely his own. He is funny when he lets loose with his over-the-top attitude.

"Rush Hour" has much of the physical comedy that Chan is famous for. It is another film that Chan gets to strut his stuff in, but it lacks a little creativity. Films such as "Super Cop" and "Operation Condor" have more exciting physical comedy and stunts. However, true Chan fans will still see some impressive martial arts moves.

"Rush Hour" is definitely worth watching. It is an enjoyable and fast-paced movie. It is a great date movie and the comedy surpasses age, language and cultural barriers. For those who have never seen a Jackie Chan movie before, this is the one to watch.