What do you get when you have a story created by ross lamanna, the amazing duo of jackie chan and chris tucker, and humor with amazing stunts? Rush hour, of course!-Kamaria williams, 9th grade
Initially hitting theatres on September 18th, 1998, Rush Hour proved immediately successful when it reached 224.4 million dollars in earnings, and included two follow up movies- along with a short-lived TV series. Collectively, the franchise made nearly a billion dollars and often airs on BET, VH1, and sometimes MTV. Seriously, you’ll find it on your channel guide at some point if you watch those channels. This is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen and I hope you consider watching them after these brief summaries.
Rush Hour
The Rush Hour franchise follows the unlikely duo of Inspector Lee and Detective James Carter. In the beginning of the first movie, Lee is being congratulated for all his hard work before he goes to America. Everyone is happy, except for Soo Yung, his former martial arts student and the daughter of the ambassador.
In Los Angeles, Detective James Carter, a solo cop and somewhat of a loose cannon does things his own way. The first case the audience sees doesn’t go that well: the person he pursues gets shot, he fails to show identification to two other officers,-he causes an explosion, and basically fails the case. To be fair though, LAPD is famous for sucking, it’s stated multiple times in the movie.
The next scene shifts back to Soo Yung who is preparing for her first day at school. As she’s vibing in the limo, her driver is stopped by a shady looking officer. The next thing you know a gun is pulled on both drivers in the car and introducing Sang, who is also known as the “secondary antagonist”. Sang attempts to kidnap Soo Yung but what he doesn’t know is that Soo Yung has martial arts skills. She fights back with kicks and claws and runs away. She might have escaped too, except, at the last second one of Sang’s minions scoops her up from a motorcycle.
Devastated by the kidnapping of his daughter, the Ambassador enlists the help of the FBI and Lee. The FBI wants to get rid of Lee because, and I quote, “we don’t need a foreign officer getting killed,”-so, Detective Carter is assigned to watch over Lee and give him false leads, as the FBI try to figure out the case. However, the FBI have another thing coming.
Lee is determined to save Soo Yung and is constantly irritated at Carter’s attempts to distract him. Some of the funniest parts and best stunts of the movie come when Lee tries to escape from Carter and go to the Ambassador. Thankfully, Lee eventually makes it but the FBI manage to shut him out again. By this point, Carter and Lee begin to realize how the FBI is toying with them and decide to work together to crack the case by themselves.
The first attempt doesn’t work out too well though, Lee manages to find Sang and starts chasing him down. However, Sang ends up getting away. The second time could unarguably have gone worse. Carter decides to pose as Juntao’s (the main villain) lawyer at a Chinese restaurant where Juntao is known to be. Sadly, the henchmen notice Lee outside and capture Carter. One fight scene and some dramatic action movie stunts later, Carter and Lee face the consequences of their actions when Soo Yung’s ransom is raised and her life is put in a worse position. The Chinese Ambassador loses faith in Carter and Lee and the two must make it up to him and save Soo Yung, and fast.
So, enlisting the help of Carter’s coworker Johnson, the three crash the art unveiling where the Chinese Ambassador and Sang will be. The three clear everyone out with a false bomb warning and save Soo Yung. To wrap this up, after two showdowns I should not spoil, Soo Yung is rescued and Carter is offered a job at the FBI. Watch the movie to see all the funny scenes, action, drama, and everything else I have not mentioned.
Rush Hour 2
Ok, now that you know the origins, it's time for Rush Hour 2! Fun fact, this part of the franchise made the most money out of all three movies and is the best. After their first adventure the two partners go on vacation in Hong Kong. Carter wants to party but workaholic Lee is too into his work and keeps taking more cases. Eventually, Lee gets a major case that will introduce us to the newest villain: Ricky Tan. Ricky Tan is the leader of a gang called the Triads and is working on criminal activity.
But wait, there’s more. The first female antagonist in the series: Hu Li. Her agenda is about taking down Lee, for reasons unknown to the viewers. Hu Li is introduced when she is seen running away from Lee and climbing up bamboo walls near apartments. As Carter takes the stairs Lee catches up to Hu Li. Unfortunately, she has the upper hand when she kicks Lee off the building and leaves him hanging by a piece of bamboo. When Carter attempts to help Lee he also gets kicked off the building and the duo are left hanging from bamboo.
To make this up to Carter, Lee takes them to a massage parlor, and meets Ricky Tan. Lee points him out and while he wants to remain subtle, Carter goes and confronts him and breaks Ricky Tan’s laptop when Ricky Tan refuses to comply. This leads to a fight scene between Lee, Carter and Ricky Tan’s henchmen. Carter and Lee come out on top….until more reinforcements show up. At the Hong Kong police station, Carter and Lee’s friendship is a little rocky. The two argue and can’t seem to see eye-to-eye.
Lee eventually walks away. Suddenly, the area where Carter was is bombed! Lee is devastated and is determined to bring the bomber to justice. Fortunately, Carter is okay and spots Ricky, so he follows. Lee and Carter conveniently meet at the same yacht party where they meet both Hu Li, Ricky Tan, and Carter meets their soon-to-be newest ally Isabelle, a secret service agent.
Towards the end, the two find themselves in Vegas to track down Ricky Tan. Lee is captured during an operation and his life is put at risk with a grenade in his mouth and no idea where the detonator is. As Lee goes to catch Ricky Tan, Carter and Hu Li have a fight scene, and we get to know a bit of Lee’s past. According to Ricky Tan, he worked with Lee’s father and betrayed him. Ricky Tan has the nerve to mock Lee’s father--which causes Lee to kick him out of the window and Ricky Tan dies.
Oh, and we’re not done with Hu Li yet. After this, she carries a bomb in her hand causing the two to have to escape through the window and Hu Li’s end...I think. It was technically never specified if she died or not, all we know is that she isn’t in the next entry.
Rush Hour 3
Rush Hour 2 ended well enough but Rush Hour 3 starts off all kinds of crazy. First, the Chinese Ambassador from the first movie gets shot. Second, after Rush Hour 2 Carter and Lee’s friendship doesn’t go too swimmingly. Third, we find out Lee has a brother (not by blood but in a close way) named Kenji!
Apparently, to find Kenji the duo must find Shy Shen, a supposed person. In a way Shy Shen, but in a way...not really. In the movie, Shy Shen is explained to be a gang ritual where they place their new leaders or members' names on the back of a woman's head. The woman is Genevieve, whom Carter meets at a hotel and has somewhat of a romantic relationship with.
The three eventually team up and start looking for Kenji and cracking more mysteries along the way. This remains the same along with some comedic scenes from George, chases, singing, etc. I’d go on but this is taking awhile and there’s not much else to mention. Plus, I think you get the gist and if you want to know the rest, tune into the movies. You won't regret it. I’d say more on this movie but I think it would be better if you knew everything else from the movie.
Have you ever seen any of these movies? If so, which was your favorite? If not, would you consider watching one of these movies?
Oh and before you go check out a few of these clips in case you want to know a bit more about the movies! If you like these check out more from Movieclips or other channels!
Rush Hour (4/5) Movie CLIP - Death Fall (1998) HD - YouTube
Rush Hour 2 (1/5) Movie CLIP - Bamboo Scaffold (2001) HD - YouTube
Rush Hour 3 (1/5) Movie CLIP - Carter vs. the Giant (2007) HD - YouTube
Rush Hour
The Rush Hour franchise follows the unlikely duo of Inspector Lee and Detective James Carter. In the beginning of the first movie, Lee is being congratulated for all his hard work before he goes to America. Everyone is happy, except for Soo Yung, his former martial arts student and the daughter of the ambassador.
In Los Angeles, Detective James Carter, a solo cop and somewhat of a loose cannon does things his own way. The first case the audience sees doesn’t go that well: the person he pursues gets shot, he fails to show identification to two other officers,-he causes an explosion, and basically fails the case. To be fair though, LAPD is famous for sucking, it’s stated multiple times in the movie.
The next scene shifts back to Soo Yung who is preparing for her first day at school. As she’s vibing in the limo, her driver is stopped by a shady looking officer. The next thing you know a gun is pulled on both drivers in the car and introducing Sang, who is also known as the “secondary antagonist”. Sang attempts to kidnap Soo Yung but what he doesn’t know is that Soo Yung has martial arts skills. She fights back with kicks and claws and runs away. She might have escaped too, except, at the last second one of Sang’s minions scoops her up from a motorcycle.
Devastated by the kidnapping of his daughter, the Ambassador enlists the help of the FBI and Lee. The FBI wants to get rid of Lee because, and I quote, “we don’t need a foreign officer getting killed,”-so, Detective Carter is assigned to watch over Lee and give him false leads, as the FBI try to figure out the case. However, the FBI have another thing coming.
Lee is determined to save Soo Yung and is constantly irritated at Carter’s attempts to distract him. Some of the funniest parts and best stunts of the movie come when Lee tries to escape from Carter and go to the Ambassador. Thankfully, Lee eventually makes it but the FBI manage to shut him out again. By this point, Carter and Lee begin to realize how the FBI is toying with them and decide to work together to crack the case by themselves.
The first attempt doesn’t work out too well though, Lee manages to find Sang and starts chasing him down. However, Sang ends up getting away. The second time could unarguably have gone worse. Carter decides to pose as Juntao’s (the main villain) lawyer at a Chinese restaurant where Juntao is known to be. Sadly, the henchmen notice Lee outside and capture Carter. One fight scene and some dramatic action movie stunts later, Carter and Lee face the consequences of their actions when Soo Yung’s ransom is raised and her life is put in a worse position. The Chinese Ambassador loses faith in Carter and Lee and the two must make it up to him and save Soo Yung, and fast.
So, enlisting the help of Carter’s coworker Johnson, the three crash the art unveiling where the Chinese Ambassador and Sang will be. The three clear everyone out with a false bomb warning and save Soo Yung. To wrap this up, after two showdowns I should not spoil, Soo Yung is rescued and Carter is offered a job at the FBI. Watch the movie to see all the funny scenes, action, drama, and everything else I have not mentioned.
Rush Hour 2
Ok, now that you know the origins, it's time for Rush Hour 2! Fun fact, this part of the franchise made the most money out of all three movies and is the best. After their first adventure the two partners go on vacation in Hong Kong. Carter wants to party but workaholic Lee is too into his work and keeps taking more cases. Eventually, Lee gets a major case that will introduce us to the newest villain: Ricky Tan. Ricky Tan is the leader of a gang called the Triads and is working on criminal activity.
But wait, there’s more. The first female antagonist in the series: Hu Li. Her agenda is about taking down Lee, for reasons unknown to the viewers. Hu Li is introduced when she is seen running away from Lee and climbing up bamboo walls near apartments. As Carter takes the stairs Lee catches up to Hu Li. Unfortunately, she has the upper hand when she kicks Lee off the building and leaves him hanging by a piece of bamboo. When Carter attempts to help Lee he also gets kicked off the building and the duo are left hanging from bamboo.
To make this up to Carter, Lee takes them to a massage parlor, and meets Ricky Tan. Lee points him out and while he wants to remain subtle, Carter goes and confronts him and breaks Ricky Tan’s laptop when Ricky Tan refuses to comply. This leads to a fight scene between Lee, Carter and Ricky Tan’s henchmen. Carter and Lee come out on top….until more reinforcements show up. At the Hong Kong police station, Carter and Lee’s friendship is a little rocky. The two argue and can’t seem to see eye-to-eye.
Lee eventually walks away. Suddenly, the area where Carter was is bombed! Lee is devastated and is determined to bring the bomber to justice. Fortunately, Carter is okay and spots Ricky, so he follows. Lee and Carter conveniently meet at the same yacht party where they meet both Hu Li, Ricky Tan, and Carter meets their soon-to-be newest ally Isabelle, a secret service agent.
Towards the end, the two find themselves in Vegas to track down Ricky Tan. Lee is captured during an operation and his life is put at risk with a grenade in his mouth and no idea where the detonator is. As Lee goes to catch Ricky Tan, Carter and Hu Li have a fight scene, and we get to know a bit of Lee’s past. According to Ricky Tan, he worked with Lee’s father and betrayed him. Ricky Tan has the nerve to mock Lee’s father--which causes Lee to kick him out of the window and Ricky Tan dies.
Oh, and we’re not done with Hu Li yet. After this, she carries a bomb in her hand causing the two to have to escape through the window and Hu Li’s end...I think. It was technically never specified if she died or not, all we know is that she isn’t in the next entry.
Rush Hour 3
Rush Hour 2 ended well enough but Rush Hour 3 starts off all kinds of crazy. First, the Chinese Ambassador from the first movie gets shot. Second, after Rush Hour 2 Carter and Lee’s friendship doesn’t go too swimmingly. Third, we find out Lee has a brother (not by blood but in a close way) named Kenji!
Apparently, to find Kenji the duo must find Shy Shen, a supposed person. In a way Shy Shen, but in a way...not really. In the movie, Shy Shen is explained to be a gang ritual where they place their new leaders or members' names on the back of a woman's head. The woman is Genevieve, whom Carter meets at a hotel and has somewhat of a romantic relationship with.
The three eventually team up and start looking for Kenji and cracking more mysteries along the way. This remains the same along with some comedic scenes from George, chases, singing, etc. I’d go on but this is taking awhile and there’s not much else to mention. Plus, I think you get the gist and if you want to know the rest, tune into the movies. You won't regret it. I’d say more on this movie but I think it would be better if you knew everything else from the movie.
Have you ever seen any of these movies? If so, which was your favorite? If not, would you consider watching one of these movies?
Oh and before you go check out a few of these clips in case you want to know a bit more about the movies! If you like these check out more from Movieclips or other channels!
Rush Hour (4/5) Movie CLIP - Death Fall (1998) HD - YouTube
Rush Hour 2 (1/5) Movie CLIP - Bamboo Scaffold (2001) HD - YouTube
Rush Hour 3 (1/5) Movie CLIP - Carter vs. the Giant (2007) HD - YouTube