Review Of Rush Hour 3
Its hard to think of a sadder commentary about Hollywoods sequel fetish than the existence of Rush Hour 3. Dull, uninspired, and redundant, this third pointless movie in an action/comedy franchise that defines mediocrity doesnt even try to disguise the fact that its existence is a money-grab. I wasnt a fan of either previous Rush Hour film, but neither felt as tired and obligatory as this one. Aside from some amusing scenes with Chris Tucker and a nice d?j? vu dance routine to War performed by Tucker and Jackie Chan, this movie offers nothing that wasnt done better in the other outings featuring these mismatched buddy cops.
The wafer-thin plot has Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) protecting a Chinese diplomat during his stay in Los Angeles. He has top-secret information about the Triad crime syndicate but, before he can divulge it, he is shot. Lee, reunited with his former partner, Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker), vows to the consuls daughter, Soo Yung (Zhang Jingchu), that he will find the man who attacked her father. To do this, Lee and Carter must pursue Triad assassin Kenji (Hiroyuki Sanada) to Paris, where they are aided by an anti-American cab driver named George (Yvan Attal), who discovers that he has a taste for car chases and gunplay.
As was true of Rush Hour and Rush Hour 2, this movie combines hit-and-miss comedy with lackluster action. The film doesnt have much of a pulse, and the excitement comes across as pallid when compared to last weeks The Bourne Ultimatum (although at least the camera isnt afflicted with the shakes). This movie is probably no more amusing than its predecessors, although its hard to be sure. Nothing in any of the Rush Hour products has been roll-on-the-floor funny, and this one is no different. Especially lame is a riff on Whos on First that proves the stars of this movie have nothing on Abbot and Costello. Theres also a parody of emotional moments in buddy movies featuring Elton Johns Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word. Maybe thats supposed to be an apology to the audience by Brett Ratner. Also consider a scene featuring a lot of raw sewage that may on some level be a comment about where the franchise is headed.
On of the many areas in which the movie disappoints (although, all things considered, it isnt unexpected), its in the lack of physicality displayed by Jackie Chan. At age 53, he can no longer perform the kinds of stunts that made him an international star. Putting life and limb at risk in the line of duty are things for younger men. Most of Chans most daring work has been passed on to stunt-men and there are hints of CGI (although not to the point where its distracting). The end-credit outtakes, which are typically a horror show of Chans muffed stunts, are limited here to verbal bloopers, messed-up lines, and the occasional minor pratfall. Chans gift for comedy appears as muted as his martial arts derring-do. At no time during Rush Hour 3 is he especially funny. My assumption has been that as Chan aged, he would gravitate more toward comedy, but this isnt a good start.
Chris Tucker picks up a nice paycheck but none of the slack. However, while its a stretch to call him likable, at least hes not as irritating as he was in Rush Hour and Rush Hour 2. Both Chan and Tucker are outmaneuvered in the comedy department by Yvan Attal, whose characters love/hate relationship with American culture leads to some of the films wittiest (and I use that word loosely) scenes. Max von Sydow, in concealed bad guy mode, is on hand to do what he does best with that glorious bass voice. (Now that Bergman is officially in his grave, he can turn over.) And Roman Polanksi has a cameo as a French policeman who anally rapes Lee and Carter. (Yes, you read that correctly. A PG-13 movie features anal rape although, of course, its only implied and is used to get a laugh.) Why Polanski would agree to play this part is anyones guess; its not the kind of thing that will help his less-than-sterling reputation. I kept waiting for Jean Reno to show up, since he always seems on hand in these English-speaking films set in France.
Does Rush Hour 3 deliver what audiences expect of it? Only its most devoted fans will say yes. The formula is in place but the performers are going through the motions. Its a stale version of the previous movies, and they werent all that great to begin with. One could argue that director Brett Ratner at least invested Rush Hour with some energy. Even during the climactic battle at the Eiffel Tower, theres nothing resembling that here. This is just another disposable summer movie so lackluster that its not even worth searching out when it plays on television. The Rush Hour experience, which never attained anything resembling full speed, has come to a crashing halt.