I enjoyed Rush Hour very much, yes it is a little silly, but what it is really is harmless fun. The two leads, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are an inspired double act, though I will say, that sometimes Tucker's mouth runs away with him, so I didn't always understand what he was saying at times. The clever plot, involving an international kidnapping, actually allows Chan to do what he does best, but I did wish there was a little more of it. The script is irreverent, if only let down by what seemed like some improvisation from Tucker, that sometimes got off target. There are some excellent camera work and stunts, making this a hugely enjoyable film, not as good as Shanghai Noon, but a delight for fans of Chan. 8/10 Bethany Cox.

The young daughter of a Chinese diplomat is kidnapped. He insists that the FBI use his trusted Hong Kong detective Lee (Jackie Chan). However the FBI dumps him on LAPD detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) to babysit.

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker form a great team. Their chemistry is evident right away. Brett Ratner brings out all the hilarity with some culture clash humor and loudmouth Tucker.

The story is passable. There isn't anything original going on here. It's really just an excuse for Chris Tucker to make an ass of himself, and allow Jackie Chan to do some crazy fighting moves.

Jackie Chan's first breakthrough American movie is a fast-paced, non-stop barrage of comedy spills and action thrills, a solid buddy-buddy formula movie which never deviates from the rules, but nevertheless succeeds as a piece of entertainment for the masses and at least proved popular enough to spawn a sequel (and possible further sequels). A conspiracy kidnapping plot, double-crossing bad guys, east meets west tension, tons of action and jokes keep this one running throughout. Jackie Chan himself is the main ingredient of this film's success; although the film is very different in style and feel to his eastern movies, he still proves himself to be a very funny leading man, especially when dealing with all of the racial humour his character puts up with in this movie. In the film's many explosive fight sequences, Chan also gets to show off his martial arts skills, although I would have preferred a one-on-one fight with the blond-haired bad guy at the end.

The comedy element is largely provided by the love-him-or-hate him Chris Tucker, an extremely overbearing and outrageous comedian-turned-actor in the Eddie Murphy mould. Truth be told, I'm not a great fan of sweary, jive-talking comedians but Tucker is undeniably likable here, and his persona sparks off nicely with Chan's more laidback, serious character. Expect plenty of the usual male bonding and some nice chemistry to develop between the two stars. Also expect to see plenty of familiar faces in the cast giving quality performances, not least Tom Wilkinson, who bizarrely goes from a comedy stripper in THE FULL MONTY to the imposing central villain in this movie.

The action elements are kept varied, ranging from martial arts to shoot-outs, explosions and tense hostage situations, with the finale being particularly well handled. The film also never outstays its welcome and despite the violent, often profane subject matter, it never becomes offensive. The comedy is mixed well with the thriller angle so not only are there some very funny moments, but there are also some highly suspenseful, even dangerous scenes in the movie. Chan's knack for physical comedy is highlighted in a great moment where he attempts to hold up a priceless vase whilst fighting off two baddies. Although this isn't a superb film and can't hold a candle to the LETHAL WEAPON movies, Chan and Tucker make for a surprisingly good combination and the film as a whole is impossible to dislike.