RUSH HOUR (1998)

MORGAN'S RATING

A box office smash, this film combines the comic stylings of funny-man Chris Tucker with the explosive action of super star Jackie Chan. The two team up to battle the bad guys and, along the way, meet their fair share of dangerous situations. Realizing that the FBI and their by the book tactics may be unsuccessful, the Cinese consul recruits the aid of a loyal Hong Kong inspector to help rescue his kidnapped daughter. Outlawed by the FBI, the inspector must form an unlikely partnership with a cocky, street smart LAPD officer who prefers doing things his own way.

Jackie Chan (Chief Inspector Lee), Chris Tucker (Detective James Carter), Chris Penn (Clive Cod), Rex Linn (FBI Agent Dan Whitney), Mark Rolson (Warren Russ), Elizabeth Pena (Tania Johnson), Philip Baker Hall (Captain William Diel), Ken Leung (Sang), Tom Wilkinson (Thomas Griffin / Juntao), Tzi Ma (Consul Han), Robert Littman (First Caucasian), Michael Chow (Diner Guest), Julia Hsu (Soo Yung), Kai Lennox (Cop at Diner), Larry Sullivan (Cop at Diner), Yang Lin (Consul Secretary), Roger Fan (Soo Yung's Bodyguard), George Cheung (Soo Yung's Driver), Lucy Lin (Exposition Official), Jason Davis (Kid at Theatre), John Hawkes (Stucky), Gene Le Bell (Taxi Driver), Wayne King (Cigaweed Man), Manny Perry (Aztech Pool Hall Bartender), Kevin L. Jackson (Pool Player), Ronald D. Brown (Pool Hall Doorman), Clifton Powell (Luke), Lyndia Look (Foo Chow Waitress).

THE FASTEST HANDS IN THE EAST MEET THE BIGGEST MOUTH IN THE WEST.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 2). WRITERS: Ross LaManna and Jim Kouf. PRODUCERS: Roger Birnbaum, Jonathan Glickman and Arthur M. Sarkissian. ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: James M. Freitag and Wayne Morris. CO-PRODUCER: Art Schaeffer. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jay Stern. CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Leon Dudevoir. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Lalo Schifrin. DISTRIBUTOR: New Line Cinema.

QUOTES

FACTS

Captain Diel: Every now and then we have to let the general public know that we can still blow shit up. Carter: You're God damn right.

RELEASE DATE: September 18th, 1998 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $33.0 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $141.1 million (USA) BUDGET: $35 million (USA) SHOOTING DATES: December 1997 -- February 1998 - Whilst in China Town, Carter shows Inspector Lee the foot prints of John Wayne. In Shanghai Noon (2000), Chan plays a character named Chon Wang -- which is a play on John Wayne. - Followed by two sequels: Rush Hour 2 (2001) and Rush Hour 3 (2006).

Lee: Not being able to speak is not the same as not speaking. You seem as if you like to talk. I like to let people talk who like to talk. It makes it easier to find out how full of shit they are. Carter: What the hell did you just say?

Sang: The drop will be made tonight. The amount will be $50,000,000. Carter: Fifty million dollars? Man who you think you kidnapped? Chelsea Clinton?!

Carter: This is the United States of James Carter here. I'm the President, I'm the emperor, I'm the king. I'm Michael Jackson, you Tito!

CRITICAL COMMENTS

[Lee turns on the radio] Lee: Beach Boys. Carter: Oh hell no. You didn't just touch my God damn radio! Lee: The Beach Boys is great American music. Carter: The Beach Boys is gonna get you a great ass whuppin', don't you ever touch a black man's radio, boy! You can do that in China but you get your ass killed out here, man.

"The opening credit sequence in Rush Hour outdoes anything that follows it." -- Steven Boone, Citysearch

"Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker make an entertaining team!" -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

"What a lousy movie!" -- Bob Fenster, Arizona Republic

"Classy and brassy, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are a funky, well-matched duo in New Line's winning Rush Hour." -- David Hunter, Hollywood Reporter

Clive Cod: Let me tell you something, I don't know anything about that, so you can kiss my fat ass. Carter: Clive, it would take me all day to kiss your fat ass.

"Raucously entertaining." -- Joe Leydon, Variety

"A kick-happy buddy film!" -- Janet Maslin, New York Times

Carter: We've must be a misunderstanding, 'cause I was sent down here for the big case for the kidnapping of the little girl.

"So why is that when Chan makes a real Hollywood movie the results are so disappointing?" -- Sean Means, Film.com

Lee: We can hang in my crib. I will show you my 'hood'.

Carter: This is the LAPD. We're the most hated cops in all the free world. My own mama's ashamed of me. She tells everybody I'm a drug dealer.