Rush Hour (1998) * * *

Directed by:  Brett Ratner

Starring:  Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Elizabeth Pena, Phillip Baker Hall

Rush Hour takes an old formula and shakes it up with new energy, much like 48 Hrs. or Lethal Weapon did.   The idea of pairing two mismatched police officers is as old as talkies themselves, but if it's done right it can still seem fresh.    Rarely has there been a mismatched pair quite like Carter (Tucker) and Lee (Chan).

The plot is simply an excuse to bring the two together and allow them to mesh after a rocky start.    The Hong Kong ambassador's daughter is kidnapped in Los Angeles.   The FBI gets involved and prefers to handle the situation.   The ambassador reaches out to Inspector Lee and asks him to come to Los Angeles and assist in rescuing his daughter.   Once the FBI learns of this, they requisition LAPD Detective Carter to pick Lee up at the airport and keep him away from the scene.  Carter is a motormouth who likes to do things his way, which gets him in trouble with his superiors.   He also dreams of working for the FBI, but resents what he calls a "shit assignment".  

Carter's initial meeting with Lee at the airport leads Carter to assume wrongfully that Lee doesn't speak English.   "DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH?", he shouts at Lee, presuming that shouting will somehow allow Lee to understand him better.    Lee plays along for his own amusement and tries to escape through the streets of Hollywood.   This chase allows for Chan to perform his famed stunts, which he does himself sometimes to his own detriment.     The outtakes of Chan's Rumble In The Bronx show Chan being carted off the set after breaking his leg, but I don't think any such injuries occurred here.  

Rush Hour fails or succeeds based on the chemistry of its stars.   Chan and Tucker easily work together and are a study in opposites.   Lee is a quiet man of action.   Carter loves to hear himself talk (as Lee points out early and often), but he is confident without being arrogant.    The Carter character could've gone horribly wrong, but in Tucker's hands he's likable and finds the right comic touches.   Chan, the more experienced of the two, doesn't become exasperated by Carter's mouth like a Roger Murtuagh would have, but instead finds a way to accept him and rescue the little girl at the same time using his superior martial arts skills.

Rush Hour is nothing new in the story department.   The outcome is predictable and we know the two opposites will become friends, but I liked how Chan and Tucker worked well together and overcame the limits of the film's formula.