Films starring Jackie Chan that I've seen:
Police Story
Rumble in the Bronx
Rush Hour
Shanghai Noon
Rush Hour 2The Tuxedo
Shanghai Knights
The Medallion
Rush Hour 3
The Forbidden Kingdom
Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda 2
Kung Fu Panda 3
Best Performance: Rush Hour (1998)
Rush Hour marked Chan's first leading role in an English-language film and as far as I'm concerned, it's the clear peak of his 3-decade+ career. Chan's ability to play off of the spastic whirlwind energy of his co-star Chris Tucker combined with his signature insane stuntwork/fight choreography helped give Rush Hour a unique, winning flavor in the densely populated 90's/00's buddy movie scene.
Rush Hour marked Chan's first leading role in an English-language film and as far as I'm concerned, it's the clear peak of his 3-decade+ career. Chan's ability to play off of the spastic whirlwind energy of his co-star Chris Tucker combined with his signature insane stuntwork/fight choreography helped give Rush Hour a unique, winning flavor in the densely populated 90's/00's buddy movie scene.
Worst Performance: The Tuxedo (2002)
While no one has ever mistaken Chan for a master thespian, his work in The Tuxedo still manages to be well below what the world-renowned martial artist usually brings to the screen. His signature jaw-dropping stuntwork, subtle charm and immense likability are nowhere to be found in this ill-conceived spy parody.
While no one has ever mistaken Chan for a master thespian, his work in The Tuxedo still manages to be well below what the world-renowned martial artist usually brings to the screen. His signature jaw-dropping stuntwork, subtle charm and immense likability are nowhere to be found in this ill-conceived spy parody.
Best Film: Rush Hour 2 (2001)
The Rush Hour franchise essentially served as my generation's Lethal Weapon. Some of my fondest early movie memories involve the mismatched crime-fighting of stern Hong Kong Chief Inspector Lee (Chan) and unpredictable loudmouth LAPD detective Carter (Chris Tucker) kicking ass, cracking jokes and providing grade-A popcorn entertainment. While the entire trilogy is comprised of elite action comedies, the 2nd installment is my personal favorite. The chemistry between Chan and Tucker is even stronger than it was in the original and it contains the 2 finest fight scenes (the opening sauna sequence and climatic casino showdown) of the entire franchise.
The Rush Hour franchise essentially served as my generation's Lethal Weapon. Some of my fondest early movie memories involve the mismatched crime-fighting of stern Hong Kong Chief Inspector Lee (Chan) and unpredictable loudmouth LAPD detective Carter (Chris Tucker) kicking ass, cracking jokes and providing grade-A popcorn entertainment. While the entire trilogy is comprised of elite action comedies, the 2nd installment is my personal favorite. The chemistry between Chan and Tucker is even stronger than it was in the original and it contains the 2 finest fight scenes (the opening sauna sequence and climatic casino showdown) of the entire franchise.
Worst Film: The Tuxedo (2002)
After Chan put out the first 2 Rush Hour films and Shanghai Noon, it seemed like he was untouchable. Then The Tuxedo came along and brought an abrupt, pain end to his hot streak. Outside of an outstanding cameo from the late James Brown, The Tuxedo brings nothing worthwhile to the table. Every single one of the jokes that doesn't involve Brown misses the mark, the pacing is stunningly slow for a film with such a dumb premise and most importantly, the fight scenes lack the invention and sense of spectacle that you typically find in a Chan-led film.
After Chan put out the first 2 Rush Hour films and Shanghai Noon, it seemed like he was untouchable. Then The Tuxedo came along and brought an abrupt, pain end to his hot streak. Outside of an outstanding cameo from the late James Brown, The Tuxedo brings nothing worthwhile to the table. Every single one of the jokes that doesn't involve Brown misses the mark, the pacing is stunningly slow for a film with such a dumb premise and most importantly, the fight scenes lack the invention and sense of spectacle that you typically find in a Chan-led film.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Geostorm" star Gerard Butler.
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