Shanghai Noon

Rating:
Summary: SHANGHAI JINKS
Review: SHANGHAI NOON is so unabashedly good natured one can't help but find it an entertaining and diverting entertainment. Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson have a strong chemistry, and some of their deadpan deliveries are right on target. The usually lethal Lucy Liu is much more subdued in this one, although she does get a few kicks in here and there. Character actor Xander Berkeley is very good too as the no good sheriff, Nathaniel Van Cleef (Notice the play on western actor Lee van Cleef's name). The anachronistic referrals to pop culture such as John Wayne and Wyatt Earp being terrible cowboy names; Wilson calling Chan Dr. No in one sequence; and the reference to the likelihood of Chinese food catching on in the West are all fun sequences. The rock and/or pop music, one song sounded a lot like "La Grange" is a little distracting, but fits the movie's goofy aura. The fight sequences are what one would expect from a Jackie Chan movie and the sequence where Chan is taken in by the Indians is priceless.
All in all, a funny and entertaining movie.

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly Good Comedy Western
Review: The amazing thing about "Shanghai Noon" is that nothing in this film should work, from the pairing of Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson (although both are highly entertaining performers), to the modern rock songs that seem to pop up every 10 minutes or so. These thing do work, though, and they help to make this an excellent comedy western. Jackie Chan's martial arts exhibitions are mesmerizing as always, and Owen Wilson is great as the goofy counterpoint to Chan's earnest character. The plot is somewhat thin, but clever enough, and all in all, the film mines a lot of entertaining moments from the tired fish-out-of-water and "buddy movie" genres. Surprisingly good chemistry between the leads, a solid supporting cast,and clever writing make this a highly entertaining film.


Rating:
Summary: Downright Hilarious
Review: It's a film like this that I love. It had me on the ground laughing out loud and intensely captivated by the cool and crazy action sequences. Jackie Chan does what he does best, playing a martial arts master, and Owen Wilson does what he does best, just being a laid back type of guy. From the moment you first meet Wilson, even though he's robbing a train, you can sense his laid-back style.

Jackie's character, of course, is entirely serious. He has to rescue a Chinese princess who has been kidnapped and he meets up with Wilson along the way (doesn't at all sound like Rush Hour). Throw in some mortal enemies and there you have it. Oh, and this all takes place in the Wild West. I thought that the plot was well thought out, but at times it rushed things. There is almost no transition from the end of the middle to the end of the movie.

Owen Wilson alone is hilarious but he works best when he's teamed up with someone else (See Starsky and Hutch). There is definitely great chemistry between him and Jackie. They play off of each other very well but don't get annoying either. One hilarious scene involves them stuck in a jail cell together. This is when they first really get to know each other and Owen introduces Jackie to his laid back style. They help each other break out, and from then on they are partners. There are some good montages of Owen introducing Jackie to the ways of the west.

But everything isn't always peachy between the two partners. They have their disagreements, and well, they tend to lead to some funny situations. Their final feud is perhaps a little too predictable, but the comedy makes up for it.

I'd definitely recommend this film. Jackie Chan's fighting is, as usually, amazing. He takes on both Cowboys and Indians and uses everything in the West to his advantage. There is a rather long scene involving him attacking multiple people with a horseshoe attached to a rope. They really did a great job of keeping a good balance of both action and comedy. Owen Wilson has the ability to laugh at anything and make the audience laugh at everything. This is by far one of the best action comedies out there.

Rating:
Summary: Silly and Highly Entertaining
Review: I am generally hooked on Jackie Chan's Hong Kong style kung fu movies (Drunken Master and the like), but I did find this movie very refreshing and entertaining. I'm not into western type of movies, but this one had enough of a twist to make me like it. I do enjoy East-West multi-cultural mix. Also, the movie does bring out Jackie's silly side. Few times I almost cried from laughter.