Cast: Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, Lucy Liu, Brandon Merrill, Roger Yuan, Xander Berkeley
Director: Tom Dey
Producers: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Jonathan Glickman
Screenplay: Alfred Gough & Miles Millar
Cinematography: Dan Mindel
Music: Randy Edelman
U.S. Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Rush Hour has frequently been referred to as Jackie Chan's English-language breakthrough, and, at least from a box-office standpoint, there's truth to that claim. However, much of what makes a Chan performance special was missing from that film, as the Hong Kong actor spent much of the time in the shadow of the flamboyant Chris Tucker. Shanghai Noon, on the other hand, gives Chan a meatier and more varied role. The level of martial arts is toned down while the comedy is amplified, and Owen Wilson proves to be an effective sidekick, complementing the star while never stealing the spotlight from him. This isn't great Chan, but it's better than the feeble Lethal Weapon wannabe that Rush Hour turned into.
The film occurs during the 1880s, with the first few scenes transpiring deep within China's Forbidden City. When Princess Pei Pei (Lucy Liu) is kidnapped and taken to America's Wild West, the Emperor sends four members of the Imperial guard after her, including Chong Wang (Chan). Once in Nevada, Chong saves an Indian boy, earning him a wife (Brandon Merrill) and the name of "Man-Who-Fights-In-Dress." He also becomes entangled with Roy O'Bannon, an outlaw, and, after ending up in the same jail cell after a bar brawl, the two make an uneasy pact to aid each other. However, while Chong's goal is to rescue the princess, Roy is thinking of the gold that the Emperor is supposed to pay as her ransom. But he's not the only one after the money. A greedy law man, Van Cleef (Xander Berkeley), and Pei Pei's captor, Lo Fong (Roger Yuan), are equally eager for the Eastern treasure.
Those expecting the martial arts derring-do of a Romeo Must Die will be disappointed. Director Tom Dey, making his feature debut, has positioned Shanghai Noon as a kinder, gentler film. Chan has several opportunities to perform his ballet of carefully choreographed moves, but the fight scenes are shaded towards comedy, not testosterone-based action. This is perhaps the tamest movie Chan has done in a long while - most of the outtakes shown during the closing credits are of him flubbing lines, not being hurt in physical miscues. Of course, with Chan aging (he's now 46), it's unrealistic to expect him to continue doing a variety of death-defying stunts. Middle age catches up to everyone, even martial arts stars.
But, if Chan's hands and feet aren't as nimble as ever, his wit certainly is. In one of the fight scenes, he cleverly makes use of the local flora (trees and bushes) to dispatch the bad guys. In another, he employs a rope and a horseshoe. The lighter flavor to the hand-to-hand combat sequences adds a hint of spice that is sadly missing from too many generic American action endeavors. The easygoing Wilson (last seen as the killer in The Minus Man, and not to be confused with his brother, Luke) makes an effective foil for Chan, helping to enhance the "fish out of water" comic scenario concentrated around Chong Wang (whose name is mispronounced as "John Wayne"). Lucy Liu, as the supposed love interest, has little screen time and no chemistry with Chang when she is around. Plus, there's always the problem of what to do with his nameless-but-devoted Indian Wife.
The only time Shanghai Noon falls apart is if you begin to think about the plot, which really doesn't make much sense. Ultimately, it's designed as a throwaway means of getting likeable heroes and detestable villains on the screen and throwing them together for a final showdown. Shanghai Noon is intended to be enjoyed for its jokes and its low-key action, but nothing more. For Chan, it's a step in the right direction, although he has yet to be given the opportunity to bring the full force of his charisma to bear on an English speaking audience. However, this certainly won't be his last chance. Not only is Rush Hour 2 on the way, but Disney has already greenlighted a second Shanghai Noon. It appears that, after trying and failing once before, Jackie Chan has finally taken Hollywood by storm.
© 2000 James Berardinelli