One of the most tried and true movie genres is the ‘buddy cop action movie’. When it is well done you not only get great action, but a slice of comedy and a healthy dose of overcoming differences to work together for the greater good. Heck, you might even get the feels over universal themes of friendship.
The Rush Hour films throw in some ‘East-meets-West’ dynamics and then give the reigns over to the legendary Jackie Chan and the hilarious Chris Tucker. The result is a well-liked original movie followed by two sequels.
Top Move Countdown recently re-watched all three films and now we rank them from worst to best. Let’s go!
#3: Rush Hour 3 (2007)
Score:
5
A franchise is not a franchise until it becomes a trilogy!
Unfortunately, the third part of the Rush Hour trilogy finds itself in last place in our rankings. However, that doesn’t mean it is completely without merit, it’s just that this one definitely feels more like a cash grab than a complete film. So, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker reprise their roles as Inspector Lee and Officer Carter to fight some underground criminal types, one of which happens to be Lee’s brother.
Despite the bigger budget, this sequel feels a little cheaper than the previous two installments. There is some bad green-screen work and the overall look of the film doesn’t feel the same. The pacing and story are a bit stale, however there are a few chuckles here and there and Chan does his best to deliver on the stunts and action. Overall, this mediocre sequel gets a score of 5.
#2: Rush Hour 2 (2001)
Score:
6.5
After the surprise smash success of the first Rush Hour film, expectations were high for the sequel. While it performed exceptionally well at the box office, Part 2 doesn’t have quite the same magic as the first one. Part of the problem is that the plot unfolds as we go along and our buddy detectives discover more and more of what the bad guys are planning in small increments. It’s not a bad idea but the film lacks the urgency and clear direction that the original Rush Hour had. Because of that it’s harder to stay invested in the story. A movie called Rush Hour should feel fast paced and blow your hair back.
The chemistry between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker is still strong, however many of the jokes don’t land as well. The action is still fun to watch, and in the end the bad guys get their due and our heroes dance off into the sunset once again.
#1: Rush Hour (1998)
Score:
7
This is a movie that came out of nowhere and gave us another great buddy-cop pairing with great chemistry between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. The film has an energy that is contagious and it feels fresh and exciting even though it has a simple kidnapping plot with cookie cutter bad guys and a predictable ending. The acting is solid and everyone adds a little something to the proceedings. Even the behind the scenes footage during the end credits is a lot of fun.
This is a classic ‘East-meets-West’ film where everything works and the end result is enjoyable entertainment that goes down smooth.