# Rush Hour 3 Review



## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

This was a week of goofy comedies for me, first Superbad, and then Rush Hour 3.

To start off, I wasn't a huge fan of the first Rush Hour movies... I liked them fine, and would usually watch them when they were on TV, but I wasn't nuts for them or anything. Maybe it was because I didn't see them in the theatres, or maybe this was the best one, because I really liked it.

Same Premise, different city. This time, the two heroes are sent off to Paris together, after an attempt is made on Ambassador Han's life as he is about to reveal some information regarding his new investigation into the Triad. Lee chases down the assassin, who turns out to be someone from his past, and he can't bring himself to take the shot, allowing the assassin to escape. Carter hears about the incident at the embassy (while he is working his new beat - traffic duty) and commandeers a car from the two ladies he has just pulled over, and then made dinner plans with, to race to Lee's aid but doesn't end up being any help. 

The two make a promise to Han's daughter that they will track down the people responsible, and after some classic Rush Hour bumbling, banter, and even a version of "who's on first?", they discover that the Triad assassins are working out of Paris (sure, I'll go for it). They head off, and are harassed (pretty substantially!) by the local law enforcement (Roman Polanski!?) before they begin their off the record investigation. They follow up on a lead, have more trouble with the Triad, and meet the lovely Genevieve, who they rescue from another assassination attempt. Lee and Carter have the expected argument, and each take their own way, but they clearly miss each other (Lee orders fried chicken from room service, and Carter finds something stereotypically Chinese) and they soon run into each other again and are back working as a team.

We find out that Han's daughter has been kidnapped by the Triad, and want to exchange her for the information the two have found, and we get to watch the big stunts performed in and around the Eiffel Tower. It seems to me that Chan is slowing down a bit, or at least toning down his usual crazy stunts, which I can understand at his age, and with his list of injuries! I think Tucker eclipsed him in this movie with his outrageous one liners and exaggerated facial expressions, but their time on screen together is usually pretty good, and in keeping with the first two movies. Apparently this got pretty poor reviews, but really, if you know what you're getting into, and are up for some easy laughs, some good stunts, and few surprises, it will work for you. One of the good surprises for me was the cab driver, played by Yvan Attal, who I liked quite a bit.

It didn't require much thought to enjoy, but I did laugh at a lot of it. And seriously, who goes into a movie like this expecting to think much? It is what it is... and in my opinion, it was a decently funny movie.


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## brandonnash (Sep 11, 2006)

Can't wait for the DVD!


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