Rush Hour 3 (Blu-ray) (2007)

"...great slapstick fun, one of summer's guilty pleasures.  Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer
"Chan is still the Gene Kelly of martial arts.  Chuck Wilson, The Village Voice
"Fast-paced, action-packed and very funny!  Scott Mantz, Access Hollywood

Editor's Note In director Brett Ratner's RUSH HOUR 3, African-American cop James Carter (Chris Tucker) once again reunites with Chinese inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) to both taunt and battle bad guys. Whereas the first movie was on Carter's turf, and the second was set in Lee's homeland, this outing finds both Carter and Lee out of their element in Paris, dealing not only with criminals, but also with the quirks of French culture. Along the way, Lee must confront his old friend Kenji (Hiroyuki Sanada) in order to save the day. Fresh off of his highly successful (though critically maligned) "threequel" X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, Ratner tackles the third chapter of his own popular series, which follows the second movie by six years. Once again, Tucker provides the wisecracks, while Chan, who tones down the acrobatics, remains the emotional center of the franchise. Though Sanada (SUNSHINE, RINGU) and Von Sydow (MINORITY REPORT, THE SEVENTH SEAL) add a bit of gravitas to the film, and Polanski amuses with his rare acting appearance, RUSH HOUR 3 isn't quite as quick on its feet as previous installments, but it still provides plenty of slapstick comedy and relatively light action sequences, making it most readily appealing to teens.

	Chris Tucker
	Jackie Chan
	Max von Sydow
	Roman Polanski
	Brett Ratner - Director
	Chad S. Frey - Art Director
	Ed Verreaux - Production Designer
	J. Michael Muro - Cinematographer
	Jeff Nathanson - Screenplay
	Jonathan Glickman - Producer
	Lalo Schifrin - Original Music By
	Mark Helfrich, et. al. - Editor
	Roger Birnbaum - Producer
	Ross LaManna - Based On Characters Created By

ReelViews 5 of 10
It's hard to think of a sadder commentary about Hollywood's sequel fetish than the existence of Rush Hour 3. Dull, uninspired, and redundant, this third pointless movie in an action/comedy franchise that defines mediocrity doesn't even try to disguise the fact that its existence is a money-grab. I wasn't a fan of either previous Rush Hour film, but neither felt as tired and obligatory as this one. Aside from some amusing scenes with Chris Tucker and a nice deja vu dance routine to "War" performed by Tucker and Jackie Chan, this movie offers nothing that wasn't done better in the other outings featuring these mismatched buddy cops...One could argue that director Brett Ratner at least invested Rush Hour with some energy. Even during the climactic battle at the Eiffel Tower, there's nothing resembling that here. This is just another disposable summer movie - so lackluster that it's not even worth searching out when it plays on television. The Rush Hour experience, which never attained anything resembling full speed, has come to a crashing halt. - James Berardinelli

Reel.com 6 of 10
In 1998's Rush Hour, Jackie Chan was the Hong Kong cop thrust out of his comfort zone in L.A., but finding a buddy in local fuzz Chris Tucker. Three years later, it was Tucker's turn to be the stranger in a strange land when he re-teamed with Chan for Rush Hour 2. Rush Hour 3 begins in L.A., but quickly moves to Paris, making both men fish out of water for their first outing in six years. That does not make this lame buddy comedy twice as funny, as most of the humor is dead on arrival, but at least the action climaxes on the famed Parisian landmark...None of that would matter, of course, if the jokes were funnier and the action less thoroughly predictable. The scenes on the Eiffel Tower have a certain panache, but the rest is just action movie cliche. Legendary auteur Roman Polanski pathetically appears in a throwaway cameo as a French cop, while My Wife is an Actress director Yvan Attal no doubt earned a chunk of his next film's budget in the idiotic role of an anti-American French cabbie who learns to embrace all-American violence thanks to new pals Carter and Lee. Rush Hour 3 is just sad, but what is sadder still is the certainty that there will be a Rush Hour 4. - Pam Grady