Rush Hour 2 (2001)

Absolutely Fantastic

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The fast pace and quick action continue in this sequel to Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker's "Rush Hour." Chief Inspector Lee (Chan) and Detective James Carter (Tucker) are on vacation in Hong Kong, but Lee is distracted with police work and becomes embroiled in a counterfeiting case involving Hong Kong Triad Leader Ricky Tan (John Lone) and his beautiful but evil assistant Hu Li (Ziyi Zhang). Soon, Lee and Carter's vacation are spoiled and they end up in another rush to solve a high-profile case which involves the U.S. Secret Service.The hilarious game of culture clash, mismatch and quick humor of Lee and Carter continues. There is an endless supply of racial and racy comments coming from Tucker's motormouth and never-ending quick wit and action coming from Lee, but, like's its prequel, there is great chemistry between Chan and Tucker as they deliver another laughable and entertaining comedy. There are also more gags in this film than the previous, including the crazy scene where Chan and Tucker are stripped naked by the villains and are sent running around the streets in Hong Kong, and in the scenes where Tucker tries to speak Cantonese.The two female leads were a real treat in the film - gorgeous femme fatale Hu Li that is mercilessly evil and sly and cunning and the beautiful double agent Isabella Molina (Roselyn Sanchez) that is charming and no-nonsense. It was great to see them on screen together during the kidnapping and fight scenes; however, I just wished their one-on-one duel would have been longer.I especially enjoyed seeing many of the Hong Kong city scenes and the appearance of Hong Kong movie legends such as Kenneth Tsang (Captain Chin), John Lone (Ricky Tan) and members of Jackie Chan's stunt team.Overall, another great rush! Grade B+

'Rush Hour (1998)' is one of my favorite comedy films and I usually don't expect much from sequels and as a result don't like them. I can happily say that 'Rush Hour 2' isn't one of these occasions. This movie picks off where 'Rush Hour' left and this film still stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. Both still are hilarious and share that amazing chemistry. The plot behind this film is well thought off and the characters were great! The acting is fantastic, the dialogue is well written and the visual effects look great! However, the main strength lies with Tucker and Chan! ***SPOILERS***There were many hilarious scenes in this film such as when Carter confronts Ricky Tan and goes all crazy and gets both himself and Lee into a fight. The part where Carter accidentally punched Lee in the face was hilarious and the excuse he made up was hilarious! The ending to the movie is great as it clearly hints a sequel was on its way. The scene where Lee was spying on Isebella was hilariousThere were lots of great scenes to go with the movie***END OF SPOILERS***Overall, another must see!

Carter (Tucker) is back as the ultra manic cop from L.A. and once again is the perfect mismatch for the conservative Lee (Chan) as they bumble their way through police investigations this time in Hong Kong. Zhang Ziyi is at her nasty best with one of the finest angry faces on the screen, she alone is worth the price of admission. The movie is fast paced with a simple plot and lots of trademark characteristics from Tucker as expected.This is one of those movies that you probably need to watch at least twice to appreciate the funny side of. I have to say I did watch it many years ago at never even thought of watching it again. However, now I quote lines out of it along with my other family members and that dosen't start happening until you've watched a movies at least a half a dozen times, as we have.Highly recommended for those who are fans of Tucker, Chan, Zhang and can enjoy a movie without having to check for all the technical errors.

If Chris Tucker's James Carter gallivanting in Hong Kong doesn't sound appealing to you, surely, you didn't see 'Rush Hour'. The dynamic 'Blackinese' duo return and they do so with a bite. We now have the situation completely reversed with Carter venturing into the unknown and Lee guiding him for the majority of the film. Carter's interactions with the locals and clashes with the more calm Chinese culture compared to his audacious, egocentric personality are really the highlights yet again. As I said, a hardcore African American making his way in Hong Kong is bound to be a laugh. Yet another stellar script and consistent directing from Brett Ratner help to ensure this sequel doesn't bomb out. A little less realistic, but then again, if you are familiar with 'Rush Hour', realism isn't the first thing on the agenda as much as action work and comedy play. The script was a little less compelling this time and seemed to be driven with a lighter direction in mind although it was interesting to learn a little more of the backgrounds of our two leads. Chris Tucker's loudmouth antics just about match up to his brilliant show in the original, his dialogue is as fresh, smooth, fast and excessive as ever. Oh, and did I mention as funny? He dominates the screen once again, takes charge and gives you his typical impulsive on-screen persona. Jackie Chan reaffirms his reputation as one of the world's best film stuntmen. His stunts yet again were terrifically executed and he was well supported by 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' star, Zhang Ziyi. The 'bamboo scene' was comparable in awe-worthiness to the 'convention center' finale scene in 'Rush Hour'. Again as the more sensible and sedate Inspector Lee, his partnership with Tucker is as good as ever and the interplay once again is just plain, good fun. We also saw a shift in the love interest angle with the introduction of the seductive, sexy secret service agent, Isabella Molina played by Roselyn Sanchez. Her allegiances mysterious, she really sizzles in her role. Now that the duo finally have a beautiful woman to fight over, any guesses as to who wins? If I don't give this 5 stars, it's simply because in some respects, it's a rehash of the original, in the same way in which you would deem Lethal Weapon 1 better than Lethal Weapon 2 or Beverly Hills Cop 1 superior to its successor. If you did however enjoy the original formula, look into this. As I said, it is the same old thing in some ways, but in others, the Tucker-Chan combination still find ways to surprise and entertain. And yet again, do not miss the bloopers.P.S. Also don't miss Don Cheadle in surely one of the strangest roles you will see an African American man play. But a credit to him for it, he was outstanding.