In association with

Rush Hour [1998]
from Entertainment in Video
starring Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Ken Leung, Tom Wilkinson, Tzi Ma
directed by Brett Ratner

Features:

• PAL
• Widescreen

Editorial Review:

The plot line may sound familiar: two mismatched cops are assigned as reluctant partners to solve a crime. Culturally they are complete opposites, and they quickly realise they can't stand each other. One (Jackie Chan) believes in doing things by the book. He is a man with integrity and nerves of steel. The other (Chris Tucker) is an amiable rebel who can't stand authority figures. He's a man who has to do everything on his own, much to the displeasure of his superior officer, who in turn thinks this cop is a loose cannon but tolerates him because he gets the job done. Directed by Brett Ratner, Rush Hour doesn't break any new ground in terms of story, stunts, or direction. It rehashes just about every "buddy" movie ever made--in fact, it makes films such as Tango and Cash seem utterly original and clever by comparison. So, why did this uninspired movie make over $120 million at the box office? Was the whole world suffering from temporary insanity? Hardly. The explanation for the success of Rush Hour is quite simple: chemistry. The casting of veteran action maestro Jackie Chan with the charming and often hilarious Chris Tucker was a serendipitous stroke of genius. Fans of Jackie Chan may be slightly disappointed by the lack of action set-pieces that emphasise his kung-fu craft. On the other hand, those who know the history of this seasoned Hong Kong actor will be able to appreciate that Rush Hour was the mainstream breakthrough that Chan had deserved for years. Coupled with the charismatic scene-stealer Tucker, Chan gets to flex his comic muscles to great effect. From their first scenes together to the trademark Chan outtakes during the end credits, their ability to play off of one another is a joy to behold, and this mischievous interaction is what saves the film from slipping into the depths of pitiful mediocrity. --Jeremy Storey

After years pleasing fans on his home turf, Jackie Chan finally broke into American multiplexes with the 1998 hit Rush Hour. In one of many tips of his hat acknowledging the late great Bruce, Chan plays Hong Kong-based Detective Inspector Lee who finds himself on the streets of LA assisted by motor-mouthed Detective Carter (Chris Tucker). The baddy's identity, his motive and exactly how the good guys will win in the end is all rather secondary to seeing lots of goons dispatched by increasingly flamboyant and jaw-dropping stunts. The inevitable showdown with nasty henchman Sang fulfils all Chan fans' expectations nicely. What genuinely made this an international success was the pairing of Chan with Tucker, who won Blockbuster Entertainment and MTV Movie awards for Best On-screen Duo.

On the DVD: After a flawless anamorphic 16:9 presentation with a choice of 5.1 or 2.0 Stereo, the extras package is generous to say the least. Animated menus with excerpts from Lalo Schifrin's superb score link to the usual fare: trailer, cast and crew biographies in scrolling text, two music videos for Heavy D's "Nuttin But Love" and Dru Hill's "How Deep is Your Love", and six deleted scenes totalling three minutes. Additionally there's a highly enthusiastic commentary from director Brett Ratner and a very peculiar 40-minute short from Ratner's NYU Film School days (funded by Steven Spielberg) called Whatever Happened To Mason Reese. The real jewel is the documentary "A Piece of the Action" consisting of 17 featurettes and totalling 40 minutes. It includes a fascinating 10- minute segment of Chan choreographing a fight scene from scratch and some hilarious outtakes not already featured in the end titles. --Paul Tonks

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• Entertaining
  I bought this DVD for my dad last christmas. I had no intention to see it myself because i usually hate these type of films. The only reason i ended up watching it was because i decided to sit with my dad whilst he watched it. Well what can i say... i'm glad i did watch it now. It wasnt really what i expected at all. Funny how you picture movies to often be different than what they realy are. Obviously the cover gives you some image of what it will be like though. We actually found this rather entertaining... more info

• Classic Chan
  This is a classic cop movie with great stunts and thrills and the ever great Chan. It wont disappoint.

• ENTERTAINING
  Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) is a wisecracking, plays by his own rules type policeman who gets a little bit carried away with his job. When a drug bust goes haywire and two cops caught in the crossfire are shot, the LAPD Supervisor knows it's all Carter's fault! Not looking very highly towards Carter, the LAPD Supervisor gives him two options: Either be suspended without his badge for two months, or help the FBI chase after a gang of ruthless criminals who have kidnapped a Chinese Diplomat's... more info

• Rush Hour is one of best buddy-cop movies
  I get a kick out of this movie. The way Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker interact and play off each other is so hilarious. Jackie Chan's Hollywood career got a second break with Rush Hour and the plot has more substance than most Jackie Chan movies.
  We got James Carter, played by Chris Tucker, who is an LAPD detective with a penchant for dancing Michael Jackson-style while blowing up blocks of buildings. This gets him into trouble with his sergeant who, at the request of the FBI, assigns him to a case... more info

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