While a fourth entry appears to be trapped in development hell, how do the Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker Rush Hour - which had a short-lived TV show - that he was able to break through.
This breezy comedy not only allowed Chan to show off his action skills but also displayed his gift for comedy. Rush Hour's unexpected success made also made a star of Chris Tucker, and led to two hit sequels. For a time it appeared the third entry would the end for Chan's Lee and Tucker's Carter, and even if Rush Hour 4 never actually happens, the trilogy got a lot of mileage out of its leading men's chemistry. Still, the Rush Hour trilogy itself is a mixed bag.
3. Rush Hour 3 (2007)
Rush Hour 3 was less of a movie than it was a money-making opportunity for its leading men and director Brett Ratner. All three secured high salaries for this belated third outing, which took Lee and Carter on a case to Paris, where Lee is confronted by his villainous foster brother. Rush Hour 3 - which needed District 13 inspiration - is a flavorless action-comedy, with no inventive action sequences or comic ideas. The story has no real surprises either, while Chan and Tucker looked bored by it all. While the sequel was a modest success, it's little wonder there was no immediate rush for another entry.
2. Rush Hour 2 (2001)
The original film was such a huge success that anticipation was high for Rush Hour 2. This sequel essentially inverts the fish-out-of-water concept of the original, with Tucker's Carter being out of place as he and Lee get into more mischief in Hong Kong. Like with most comedy follow-ups, Rush Hour 2 lacks the freshness of the original and has noticeably fewer genuine laughs, but the chemistry between Chan and Tucker helps immensely. The bigger budget also results in more impressive setpieces, but once again, Chan and his cool stunts are Rush Hour 2's great special effect.
1. Rush Hour (1998)
Rush Hour feels like a happy accident, with New Line taking a chance on a modestly budgeted action comedy with a unique pairing. Chan and Tucker proved to be an inspired team-up, with the film often being at its best when focused on their dynamics. Truly, everything outside the duo - including the story - feels like an afterthought, but it races along so agreeably that doesn't matter much. The action lacks the flair of much of Chan's best Hong Kong work and Ratner's staging is often flat and lacking in style, but there's a reason Rush Hour remains so well-liked over 20 years on from its release.
