Shanghai Noon

Director: Tom Dey
Cast: Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, Lucy Liu, Roger Yuan, Xander Berkeley, Brandon Merrill
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 110 minutes
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THE SKINNY
A seemingly incompatible duo team up to rescue a kidnapped princess in the Wild West

THE BOTTOM LINE
You’ll have fun with this one

THE FULL REVIEW
There generally isn’t any reason to see a Jackie Chan (Rush Hour, Mr. Nice Guy) film other than to witness the Hong Kong import’s incredibly inventive blend of action and comedy. Shanghai Noon, however, teams Mr. Chan up with a relatively unknown Hollywood talent named Owen Wilson and provides audiences with just another reason to truly enjoy this film. Wilson, whom you may know from the small parts he has played in such films as Armageddon and Anaconda, began building his stature in the film community with the 1997 release of the critically acclaimed Bottle Rocket, a film which the actor both co-wrote and starred in. More than impressed with the creative talent Wilson displayed on that film, producer James L. Brooks asked him to serve as associate producer on As Good As it Gets, a film that went on to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination in 1998. In addition, Wilson co-wrote and executive produced one of last year’s most underrated films, Rushmore.

Directed by Tom Dey, Shanghai Noon tells the story of a 19th century misfit Imperial Guard to the Emperor of China named Chon Wang (Jackie Chan), who travels to the American Wild West on a mission to rescue Princess Pei Pei. The Princess, played by Lucy Liu (Play It to the Bone, Payback, “Ally McBeal”), has been kidnapped by a traitor to the Emperor named Lo Fong (Roger Yuan – Lethal Weapon IV), who is holding the Princess for ransom in Carson City, Nevada. Wang is driven to complete his mission as a result of his unwavering duty to serve the Emperor. This sets the stage for a highly amusing scenario when the intensely determined Imperial Guard meets up with an affable train robber named Roy O’Bannon (Owen Wilson) who appears to go though life as if he’s on the perfect acid trip.

As with every Jackie Chan film, Shanghai Noon is filled with numerous creative fight sequences in which the martial arts wiz displays his incredible resourcefulness as a fighter. Moving with remarkable speed and dexterity, Chan comes across as a low-tech James Bond, making use of virtually any inanimate object within his reach to fend off his opponents. And, while Chan and the ultra-mellow Ownen Wilson seem like they would make for an unlikely pair, the two actually complement each other perfectly. Shanghai Noon is a “buddy film” that truly works because Wang and O’Bannon are so believable as friends despite the fact that their personalities differ as much as the worlds from which they come.

While there are some downright silly moments in the story, and the script, written by Miles Millar, is certainly not going to win any awards for originality, the comic chemistry between Chan and Wilson is more than enough to carry this film. In addition, Lucy Liu puts forth a solid effort in her role as Princess Pei Pei and Roger Yuan is the epitome of evil in his role as bad guy Lo Fong.

Video Tip: Check out the 1996 film Rumble in the Bronx to see Chan make the most of his incredible martial arts skills. The outtakes alone are worth the $3.50 rental price.

HIGHLIGHTS

*A terrific fight scene in which Wang takes on a band of Crowe IndiansÂ
*Some hilarious moments provided by Wilson
*Stick around for the outtakes

LOWLIGHTS

*The plot is fairly predictable
*Some lame one-liners

OTHER INFO

Nudity: None.
Violence: Medium.
Humor: Plenty

By: Craig EttingerÂ