From Amazon.com
Directed by Brett Ratner,
Rush Hour doesn't break any new ground in terms of story, stunts, or direction, but the casting of veteran action maestro Jackie Chan with the charming and often hilarious Chris Tucker as buddy cops was a serendipitous stroke of genius. Although Chan fans may be slightly disappointed by the lack of action set pieces that emphasize his kung fu craft,
Rush Hour was the mainstream breakthrough that he 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 mediocrity.
Rush Hour 2 is easily recommended to fans of its returning stars. The action--and there's plenty of it--starts in Hong Kong, where Detective Lee (Chan) and his L.A. counterpart Detective Carter (Tucker) are attempting a vacation, only to get assigned to sleuth a counterfeiting scheme involving a triad kingpin (John Lone), his lethal henchwoman (Zhang Ziyi, from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and an American billionaire (Alan King). Director Brett Ratner simply lets his stars strut their stuff, so it hardly matters that the plot is disposable, or that his direction is so bland he could've phoned it in from a Jacuzzi. At its best, Rush Hour 2 compares favorably to Chan's glossiest Hong Kong hits, and when the action moves to Las Vegas, the movie goes into high-pitched hyperdrive, riding an easy wave of ambitious stuntwork and broad, derivative humor. Rush Hour 2 is a palatable dish of mainstream comedy; it insults and comforts the viewer at the same time, and while some may find Tucker's relentless hamming unbearable, those who enjoyed Rush Hour are sure to appreciate another dose of Chan-Tucker lunacy.
On the DVD
ccRush Hour: Widescreen version of the feature
Audio commentary by director Brett Ratner
Isolated score with commentary by composer Lalo Schifrin
Deleted scenes
Original featurette - "A Piece of the Action - Behind the Scenes of Rush Hour"
Cast and crew biographies and filmographies
Original theatrical trailer
Short film - "Whatever Happened to Mason Reese?" with audio commentary by director Brett Ratner
Music video: Dru Hill "How Deep Is Your Love"
Enhanced features for your PC: Script to screen: 1. Access any scene in the movie directly from the script. 2. Print any section or the entire screenplay. Say What: an original interactive game; In-depth information on Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker; Web links and more
Rush Hour 2: Jackie Chan's Hong Kong Introduction
Culture Clash: West Meets East
Language Barrier
Attaining International Stardom
Kung Fu Choreography
Early Brett Ratner student film Lady Luck
Fast track - trivia subtitle track with direct access to additional features
DVD-ROM features: Script-to-Screen, original website, link to exclusive Infinifilm.com features and more
All-Access Pass features: Commentary by director Brett Ratner and writer Jeff Nathanson
Deleted scenes with optional director commentary and outtakes
Making Magic Out of Mire: A Look at Brett Ratner
Evolution of a Scene: Analysis of Selected Scenes
Fashion of Rush Hour 2
Visual effects deconstruction
Theatrical & teaser trailers
Cast and crew filmographies
