Rush Hour (1998)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Brett Ratner

Writers (WGA):

Ross LaManna (story)
Jim Kouf (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

Two cops. One is all talk. The other is all action.

Plot:

Two cops team up to get back a kidnapped daughter.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | FBI | Friend | Trust | Racial Slur

Awards:

6 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Ken Leung	...	Sang
Jackie Chan	...	Lee
Tom Wilkinson	...	Griffin / Juntao
Tzi Ma	...	Consul Han
Robert Littman	...	First Caucasian
Michael Chow	...	Dinner Guest
Julia Hsu	...	Soo Yung
Chris Tucker	...	Carter
Chris Penn	...	Clive
Kai Lennox	...	Cop at Diner
Larry Sullivan	...	Cop at Diner (as Larry Sullivan Jr.)
Yang Lin	...	Consul Secretary (as Yan Ling)
Roger Fan	...	Soo Yung's Bodyguard
George Cheung	...	Soo Yung's Driver
Lucy Lin	...	Exposition Official

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sequences of action/violence and shootings, and for language.

Runtime:

98 min | Spain:93 min (DVD edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Ireland:15 | Malaysia:U | Iceland:12 | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Brett Ratner was a big fan of Jackie Chan's Hong Kong movies. He felt that American audiences would not be familiar with the jokes in Jackie's other movies, and deliberately re-used some of his gags. For example, the scene where Inspector Lee accidentally grabs Johnson's breasts is a reference to Jackie Chan's film _Yatgo ho yan (1997)_.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the final battle at the Chinese Art Exhibition, Lee uses his foot to get hold of a metal pole (one of the kind that a velvet rope is hooked to) and then uses it to smack a henchman in the face. As the villain is hit, the metal pole has lost all of its luster and bends slightly as it flies through the air, showing that it is clearly made out of rubber.

Quotes:

Lee: Why would they not want my help?
Carter: Because they don't give a damn about you! They don't like you! I don't like you!
Lee: I don't care! I'm here for the girl!
Carter: The girl don't like you! Nobody likes you!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Hip Hug-Her

amusing buddy film

The Chinese consul's daughter is kidnapped and the FBI steps in to investigate the case. The consul doesn't trust anyone however, so he calls in an old friend and police inspector from Hong Kong to aid in the rescue of his daughter. Not wanting to work with outsiders, the FBI pairs him with a cocky, loud-mouthed street cop who dreams of becoming a federal agent but doesn't work well with partners. The formula is tired and predictable, but it's redeemed to a surprising extent by the effective pairing of Chan and Tucker, who are an ideal action-comedy duo. Lots of gimmicky action scenes, and big time laughs, with the added bonus of a script that doesn't require a lot of thinking. ***