Shanghai Knights (2003)

When a Chinese rebel murders Chon's estranged father and escapes to England, Chon and Roy make their way to London with revenge on their minds.

Director:

David Dobkin

Writers:

Alfred Gough (characters), Miles Millar (characters),

Stars:

Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jackie Chan	...	Chon Wang
Owen Wilson	...	Roy O'Bannon
Aaron Taylor-Johnson	...	Charlie Chaplin (as Aaron Johnson)
Tom Fisher	...	Artie Doyle
Aidan Gillen	...	Rathbone
Fann Wong	...	Chon Lin
Donnie Yen	...	Wu Chow
Oliver Cotton	...	Jack the Ripper
Alison King	...	Prostitute
Constantine Gregory	...	The Mayor
Jonathan Harvey	...	Fagin #1
Richard Haas	...	Street Preacher
Anna-Louise Plowman	...	Debutante (as Anna Louise Plowman)
Georgina Chapman	...	Debutante
John Owens	...	Server

Storyline

When a Chinese rebel murders Chon's estranged father and escapes to England, Chon and Roy make their way to London with revenge on their minds. Chon's sister, Lin, has the same idea, and uncovers a worldwide conspiracy to murder the royal family but almost no one will believe her.

---

Plot Keywords:

murder | imperial seal | revenge | 1880s | opium | 

---

Taglines:

A Royal Kick In The Arse

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Western

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for action violence and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Disney Enterprises, Inc [us]

Country:

USA Hong Kong

Language:

English Mandarin

Release Date:

7 February 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shanghai Noon 2

Filming Locations:

Action Under Water Studios, Hertford Road, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$211,484 (Japan) (14 November 2003)

Gross:

$701,287 (Japan) (28 November 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Spyglass Entertainment, Birnbaum / Barber Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene where Wang fights Rathbone's guards, they are constantly making sure that no priceless antique urns are broken. This is the same exact action by Jackie Chan's character in the climax of Rush Hour.

---

Goofs

At Stonehenge, modern rubber radial tires can be seen on the automobile that Wang and O'Bannon stole from Rathbone.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Chon Wang's Father: You are not permitted to gaze at the Imperial Seal.

---

Crazy Credits

Outtakes from the movie run during the ending credits.

---

Connections

Featured in Troldspejlet: Episode #30.13 (2003)

---

Soundtracks

"Saloon Ragtime"
Written by Marc Ferrari and Don Great
Courtesy of Master Source

User Reviews

Is Jackie Chan Heading for a Lifetime Achievement Oscar?

Well, a Lifetime Achievement Oscar may be the only category that's open to the aging but impish martial arts virtuoso, Jackie Chan, whose latest series-sequel, "Shanghai Knights" is...excellent, fun, entertaining.

My kid got into Jackie Chan films a while back and we have a half-shelf of $5.99 videotapes of the young Chan. Poorly shot with howlingly funny dubbing they nonetheless catch a Kung-Fu master at the height of his considerable prowess.

Hollywood and Jackie's sincere but imperfect effort at learning English led to a series of films that are high budget such as "Rush Hour" with its sequel and "Shanghai Noon," now followed by this film. Each has a sidekick for the irrepresible Chan but "Shanghai Knights " is the first where the faithful companion is a strong character in his own right.

"Shanghai Knights" begins with the Peking (not Beijing, it's the end of the nineteenth century) murder of Chan's dad and the theft of the Imperial Seal (a device to mark documents, not a pet). Chan is a Nevada sheriff who upon learning of the homicide and theft sets off to New York City to find his pal, played formidably and with evident relish by Owen Wilson.

The duo head for London where an unending series of misadventures brings the heroes, along with Chan's gorgeous and martial arts-skilled sister (Fann Wong) into the path of such diverse characters as little Charlie Chaplin, Her Majesty Queen Victoria, Jack the Ripper and others. Of course all ends well and if the martial arts terpsichore is less breathtakingly complex than its predecessors - well, let's cut Jackie some slack.

The film is PG-13 but Wilson provides a measured but running dose of raunch aided by a bevy of scantily clad beauties. There's no doubt HE had a terrific time making the movie.

Director David Dobkin keeps the pace moving and pays humorous tribute to films and stars from the Gilded Age of the cinema. I won't spoil the amusing surprises but listen to the music as the intrepid trio (sister now a full-fledged partner) waft to and fro in a caricature of nineteenth century London. Sad to say most moviegoers won't recognize the well-executed takeoffs of some great moments in film.

As always, a special Chan treat are the outtakes before the end credits, scenes that prove making these films may not be good for the health of the no-longer-young star or his cast but they all have a blast (literally).

And here's good news for the many who will enjoy this movie. I don't know if there will be a "Rush Hour III" but last week I couldn't get within 150 feet of the venerable Yonah Schimmel's on the Lower East Side's Houston Street. Chan and crew were filming a sequel to this new release - a flunky stopping pedestrian traffic told me the title would be "Shanghai Knish!" I can't wait.

7/10.