Rush Hour 3

Quick…raise your hand if you can tell me how many films Chris Tucker has appeared in since 2001’s “Rush Hour 2.” If you said anything more than zero, you’re staggering generosity has been duly noted. Despite his cinematic inactivity, he’s somehow managed to become one of only a handful of actors to receive $20 million per film, despite only having done ten films in his entire career.

In a peculiar way, Tucker has developed somewhat of a symbiotic relationship with the “Rush Hour” franchise in that neither party would function quite the same way without the other. Their success rests entirely on the hope that audiences still care about buddy cop films and have not yet grown tired of Tucker’s jarringly obnoxious comedic delivery.

I, for one, am actually quite fond of Tucker and this franchise, so I found “Rush Hour 3” to be very funny at times even if it feels a bit stale and formulaic at others. The first thirty minutes move along at a brutal pace and feel like a tedious re-hash of old gags from the first two, but the film gets significantly better as Tucker and Jackie Chan are given more opportunities to pick things up. Together, they make a terrific pair of on-screen chums and the combination of Tucker’s motor mouth banter and Chan’s graceful fight scenes is guaranteed entertainment.

This time, they meander their way through the streets of Paris in search of a list containing the names of past Triad leaders and encounter some unique individuals along the way. If that sounds similar to the plot from the previous installment, I’m not surprised. The scenery is essentially the only new addition to this one, but some splendid shots of the Eiffel Tower are actually well placed during the final scene.

Fans of Chan’s riotously brilliant martial arts repertoire will certainly get their fill here, but at 53, Chan appears to be lightening up on the bodily harm. Instead, Chan lets his comedic chops shine through on many occasions and doesn’t disappoint. One of the best scenes involves them finagling their way out of an assassination attempt by singing, which is just plain ridiculous, but always good for a laugh.

Have we seen this film before? Of course, but at 91 minutes, it contains just enough action and sharp one-liners to be acceptable. Cameos by Max Von Sydow and Roman Polanski are also a pleasure if only for the fact that they’re on screen long enough to be identified. Rumor has it, that Tucker and Chan have agreed for three more chapters of this unruly farce. If that’s correct, I can’t be totally opposed.

- ** ½ out of 4