Rating: 
Summary: Owen Wilson Terrific Leading Man
Review: I've watched most of Owen Wilson's movies and he is coming more and more into his own. Although most viewers are going to this movie for Jackie Chan, I'd never seen a Chan movie before and kung-fu movies in general are not my thing. Chan is fine doing his fight sequences and also playing Wilson's sidekick, both of them on the hunt for a stolen Chinese seal in Victorian England. However, it was Wilson who made the movie for me. He is extremely attractive and charming. Even though his character can be a bit of an airhead, he is absolutely charming and adorable doing airhead. Wilson has more range than you might expect though. See him play a serial killer in "Minus Man" and you will be hard pressed to tell it is the same actor. The film itself is nothing more than a road action-adventure film with a lot of comedy between buddies Chan and Wilson's characters. I was thinking while watching it that it was a genre combination that was part Hope-Crosby road movie, part Marx Brothers comedy and part kung-fu action film. Amazingly it works and if you need some light escapist entertainment this will do the job. You can easily take the kids to it too.
Rating:
Summary: Great as expected
Review: I don't need to give a play by play (it's all already been said). This movie is worth seeing, especially if you have an old student ID laying around to get a discount...By the way, Chris Rock was NOT in the Rush Hour movies. That was Chris Tucker... (sure that's what you meant *wink*)
Rating: 
Summary: Jackie Chan's Losing His Creativity
Review: A sequel to Shanghai Noon, Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) & Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson) are teaming up this time in search of the murderer of Chon's father, who was working in the Chinese Forbidden City as the keeper of the Emperor's seal. After a short reunion in New York, Chon and Roy went off to London, where Chon believed where the killer was hiding himself and the imperial seal. Lin (Fann Wong), Chon's younger sister, was already in London trying to track down the killer. They then uncovered a conspiracy between the Chinese Emperor's elder brother (Donnie Yan) and a member of the British family (Aidan Gillen)....... This is a typical action comedy of Jackie Chan, so there are not much new substances to be expected (Many audiences may find the pillow fighting scene quite funny). The theme of the story is not bad, which puts the majority of the scene settings in 19th century London. The script is, however, poorly written which spoils the whole idea. The directing is also sub-standard comparing with other Jackie Chan¡¯s movies made in America. The action design is very much a mix-and-match of all previous Jackie's old movies made in Hong Kong during the '80s and '90s. I wonder whether it's the poor directing which screws up the movie. The best part of the movie is still the 'deleted scenes' before the end credits - which becomes a standard of Jackie's movies. Fann Wong, a famous actress and singer in Singapore, acts okay. Somehow, I just feel I see a bit of Zhang Ziyi's (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Rush Hour II) shadow in her acting in this film. Fann is of course a more experienced actress than Zhang. I suppose Jackie has all the good intention to introduce more Asian female faces to Hollywood. I was disappointed with Jackie's last movie Tuxedo, and now this one continues to disappoint me. My 5 years and 11 years old kids both love Jackie and his movies. They said Shanghai Noon is better, I agree. I have watched almost every single one of Jackie's movies since the eighties. This one really looks like those he did back then in Hong Kong. Jackie ¨C time for you to focus on Quality, not Quantity!! I am giving this film an overall rating of C. I know it's a bit harsh but Jackie needs that criticism to improve.
Rating:
Summary: Slow 107 Minutes
Review: Jackie Chan remains great with his martial arts stunts, but he seems to be slowing down here--too many characters, and only a single fight sequence where both fighters know martial arts--I did enjoy most of the jokes, though. Here, Jackie Chan receives a message from his sister and heads off to find Owen Wilson in order to get his share of the money from the first movie, so he can go to London to find the Great Imperial Seal of China--and avenge the death of his father. This film lacks the chemistry from the original, but does have its moments. Even if those moments are not historically right. Thank God I am not a 'history buff', or the fact that SHANGHAI KNIGHTS takes place in 1887 would have more points deducted.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm Sure To Be 'On An Island' With This Review
Review: A terrible follow-up to a less-than-exciting first installment, SHANGHAI KNIGHTS feels very much like an unscripted effort made up as everyone went along. While a few of the bits do show some comic inspiration and, as always, Jackie Chan's fisticuffs are the stuff of cinema legend, it's too bad this piece plays out with so little enthusiasm. Especially disappointing is the usually reliable Owen Wilson, who basically strolls through an otherwise uninteresting follow-up. Only for true Jackie-fans.
Rating: 
Summary: A Fun Film to Watch!
Review: This very fun sequel will have you leaving the theatre in a good mood and actually hoping they make another one, something you rarely do. It is filled with humor and action, with just a dash of sentimentality thrown in for good measure. Chan and Wilson really look comfortable together and very pretty Fann Wong is added to the mix as Chan's sister, who Roy falls for instantly, much to the chagrin of Chon. It starts in China as Chon's father is murdered during the theft of the Imperial Seal, which Chon's family has guarded for centuries. Even his sister's fighting skills are unable to prevent the tragedy and when she follows the assasin to England and sends for brother Chon in Nevada, the fun begins. It takes a little while to get going initially but the last half hour really pays off, with both the humor, action, and sentiment reaching five star proportions. It is one of those films that has to be judged on an entertainment level, and it pays off well in that department. A puzzle box left Chon by his father and a plot by the 10th in line to England's throne to become King of England in alliance with an old enemy of Chon's family are all key in a pretty good story. The charm and byplay between Chan, Wilson, and the lovely Wang carry this film through the slow spots, which are few once you get past the first 30 minutes. Roy's the same old guy and his ghostwriting of some western novels about their exploits where he is the hero and Chon is his sidekick are amusing. There is also a very funny dream sequence involving a copy of the Kama Sutra Roy steals from the Palace I won't spoil for you, but it's a huge belly laugh! Chan has gotten a little older but has grown into the humor of his character in this stage of his career and can still pull off some pretty terrific stunts. The action and humor blend perfectly for this kind of film and it's defintely one worth seeing now and picking up on DVD when it comes out. The fun and exciting finale is punctuated by enough sentiment to separate this from any average action film of this kind. Adding more than a little to the fun and excitement are Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, and the start of motion pictures, including a little street kid named Chaplin. I really had a good time watching this and you will to. At the theatre there were some hilarious bloopers shown of stunts gone wrong and the like that will surely be included on a DVD once this is out. It shows just how much fun they had making this one, which doesn't always translate to the finished film. But in this case it does, and you don't want to miss this one!
Rating:
Summary: Martial Arts...Wyatt Earp Style!
Review: In "Shanghai Knights", modern-day martial arts meets up with the wild west - Jackie Chan style. Although this combination appears to be an interesting and well-executed mixture onscreen, it appears to get lost in the translation in certain parts of the movie, thus coming across as being both disjointed and spotty. The disjointedness occurs when the various battle scenes move forth in one awkward continuing sequence, sometimes leaving the viewer to ponder whether or not there is a pinpointed explanation to why all this takes place about halfway through the picture, other than a generalized explanation that this is simply a Jackie Chan flick. Owen Wilson makes a good, likeable sidekick - although just as in his last picture (with Eddie Murphy), "I Spy", doesn't appear to lean on Chan's main character very well in certain places (namely the action scenes involving the physical aspect of "Shanghai Knights"). The dramatic side of "SK" contains many pluses - in that it shows Chan is more than just an athletic specimen. Indeed, the man shows a lot of dramatic prowess when called upon to make the most of a "romantic" and tender moment. This is a case in point in these type of scenes with Wilson, which work wonders with these two in this type of acting environment. As for the medieval physical environs (which were given paintakingly great attention to detail), the prop guys really did their homework to make the settings fit in with "Shanghai..."'s martial arts ambience. Even though "SK" may contain a certain "draggy" quality in places, it's still worthy of a look-see for its action scenes and somewhat "worldly" qualities (most of which were filmed in London and the English countryside), another standout feature of this modern-day "thriller". Get "Knight"-ed (at your local theater [or later on video or DVD]) today!
Rating:
Summary: Fun and entertaining, a good follow up for Chan and Wilson
Review: In Shanghai Knights, Chon Wang and Roy O'Bannon find themselves teaming up again, but this time there is no princess to rescue. Instead, they head out to London to track down the person that murdered Wang's father, and to retrieve the imperial seal that was stolen from the Forbidden City. With the assistance of Wang's beautiful and resourceful sister Lin, they eventually uncover a conspiracy that will affect the power structure of the East and the West if it is allowed to succeed. Foreigners in a strange land, the dynamic duo must once more rely on Wang's quick hands and Roy's charming wits, not to mention the help of a few friendly natives, to complete their mission. A relatively standard buddy film, Shanghai Knights follows the same winning formula with Chan handling the fights and Wilson cracking the jokes. The two of them definitely seem more comfortable around each other the second time around, and as a result the movie benefits from the familiarity between the leads. The Chinese-Singaporean singer Fann Wong plays Chon Lin, relatively new to the cinema, she does a good job in the role of Wang's sister and as Roy's love interest, she also got the opportunity to kick a few butts at the same time. Donnie Yen is again underused as the exiled renegade Wu Chan, and even though he is very convincing as a villain, the short screen time he has doesn't even begin to demonstrate his versatility as an actor much less an accomplished martial artist. Lastly, Aidan Gillen's portrayal of Rathbone is surprisingly likeable, rather than the stereotypical evil mastermind we are so used to seeing in action comedies these days. Fans of Jackie Chan should be happy to know that he had abandoned the wire works and special effects recently seen in The Tuxedo, and had gone back to the traditional stunts he is known for. Unfortunately, the best match up in the movie, between Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen, happens to be one of the shortest fights. I cannot help but wonder if this was a Hong Kong production, we probably would've been treated with a 3 to 5 minute worth of uninterrupted kung fu goodness. Even so, Chan does have an incredible showdown at the end with Aidan Gillen, the sword action is fast and furious, and should be a treat to all action enthusiasts. Overall, the pacing of the movie is pretty good, although there are a few parts that seem to drag on endlessly, especially the opening scene in New York. Shanghai Knights is an enjoyable film that aims to entertain, it is for sure a fun ride, but I find the humor and the jokes aren't as sharp as the ones in Rush Hour, probably because Owen Wilson lacks the spontaneity of Chris Tucker. Oh yeah, don't forget to catch the blooper clips right before the credits, they are good for a few laughs.
Rating:
Summary: Not as good or funny as Shanghai Noon...
Review: This movie was o.k. but I didn't care for it as much as I did Shanghai Noon. In Shanghai Noon I couldn't stop laughing but I didn't find that I laughed but a time or two in Shanghai Knights. The bloopers at the end gave me many more laughs then the actual movie did. I thought the vase scene was way to fake & didn't make a whole lot of sense. I don't plan on watching it again. To be honest, I just saw the movie yesterday & can't remember most of it. It's just not a movie that's going to stick with you. I'd say skip this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Fun
Review: Shanghai Knights is Jackie Chan's best American film, and arguably one of his best period in general terms. Some unyielding HK action "fans" of his are becoming increasingly critical of him "softening", but even that is more stubbornness than reality. In Shanghai Knights, Chan has several creative and lengthy action pieces that he himself is VERY happy with! "Charisma" and "chemistry" abound in this film, with both Chan and Wilson very obviously enjoying their scenes together. Chan has said he really enjoys working with Owen much more than Chris Tucker and it shows. Also doing surprisingly well (given that even Jackie Chan said he never heard of her before production began) is Fann Wong, who also mixes well with Wilson. As the director commentary says of Fann and Wilson on the commentary, "These two were great together, it was really, really sweet." The action scenes with Jackie Chan are superb; Owen Wilson has by his very nature (a prominent writer as well as actor) smarter comic commentary than did Tucker or Jennifer Love Hewitt (from "Tuxedo"); and Fann Wong both kicks tail and looks pretty. Director David Dobkin put together a fun, thoroughly tongue-in-cheek, action-packed movie featuring Jackie Chan that should be applauded for entertaining as superbly as it does.
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