A buddy-cop formula movie that - surprise! - actually works.Jackie Chan's a Hong Kong cop. The young daughter of an old friend who has come to the States has been kidnapped, and he wants Chan to work with the FBI on the investigation. The FBI want none of that, so they stick Chan with Chris Tucker, the latest loudmouth from the LAPD (because all LA cops, in the movies, are either wacky fast talkers or corrupt). The two end up working together to solve the case and save the girl.
Just so you know going in, this is not really a Jackie Chan movie. Oh sure, it's got the trademark stuntwork and finesse of a Chan film, but he's a co-star here with Tucker. But the two get along well. It's nothing new under the sun though; a fish out of water, buddy cop action pyrotechnic flick. Kind of a Beverly Hills Cop/Lethal Weapon hybrid with Chan thrown in the mix. Still, it works.
Chan's amazing. He's probably the best action star in the world. And Chris Tucker continues to grow on me. A cop who spontaneously bursts into Michael Jackson dance impersonation after blowing up a car loaded with C4 is actually pretty funny.
The villian could've used some work, and you know who the head boss is from the very first moment he shows up on screen (he shows up early, so pay attention), so it's all pretty formula stuff. But it works. The stuntwork's impressive, and the interplay between Tucker and Chan is often quite funny.It's no Drunken Master II, but it'll do.
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