Rush Hour (1998)
Directed by Brett Ratner
Written by Ross LaManna and Jim Kouf

Another moronic attempt to cash in on the Asian action boom, Rush Hour is pointless and pathetic, useful only to die-hard Jackie Chan fans who are willing to endure him playing second fiddle to the most annoying rising star ever, Chris f'ing Tucker.

The forgettable plot centers around a Hong Kong diplomat in Los Angeles whose daughter is kidnapped. The diplomat calls on Chan, a Hong Kong cop who flies in to help. But the idiotic FBI thinks he'll just get in the way (didn't they see Supercop?), so they assign LA's worst cop to watch over him.

Enter Chris Tucker, the fast-talking soul brother who is about to be fired because, as the captain so eloquently puts it, he just "blew up half a city block, for crying out loud!" Wackiness abounds.

Sing along with the story, you know the words:

The two zany cops argue and banter until they finally agree to help each other solve the case, earn the respect of the police and the FBI, and learn something in the process.

Tucker is insufferable, proving that his insufferable performance in The Fifth Element was no fluke. Someone out there obviously thinks he's funny. Not me.

Chan is his usual charming self, sadly reined in by a lame story and weak fights. There's only one good action sequence in the film, but it is mostly negated by Chris Tucker's mugging and preening. Note to Jackie Chan: quit trying to "break in" to the US.

Despite all, there's an amusing scene of Tucker and Chan teaching each other some moves. Plus the end credits which show amusing out-takes, like all of Chan's films. Surprisingly, Tucker comes across as personable and funny in the out-takes, which only makes me hate his performance even more.

Masochists and Chris Tucker fans, this is your movie.

Review by Crimedog