Prepare for explosive action and hilarious moments as you watch the Rush Hour Trilogy. Three international blockbusters in one, this action-comedy trilogy offers solid entertainment value for the whole family. The comedy starts with the once fresh and new Rush Hour, and continues the fun and timeless laughs on into the second and third instalments.
Hong Kong inspector Jackie Chan and loud-mouthed LAPD detective Chris Tucker have yet to hit the big screen once more in another sequel from director Brett Ratner's franchise - Rush Hour 4. But before we get too excited, here's a quick look at the story behind the buddy cop misadventures and the martial arts scenes you simply cannot miss:
Rush Hour
It all began in 1998: Jackie Chan at the peak of his international game, Chris Tucker rising to big-time leading man roles, and Brett Ratner an up and coming director destined to make his first big hit.
Did you know that Ratner was a huge fan of Jackie Chan’s movies? At that time, American audiences weren't familiar with the Chinese actor's gags, so the producer deliberately re-used some jokes, such as the instance where Inspector Lee accidentally grabs Johnson's breasts, a reference to Chan's film, Mr. Nice Guy.
Rush Hour featured Jackie Chan in an English-speaking role and was the first of its kind released in the U.S. Unlike his past films, there was no dubbing whatsoever, hence adding more authenticity to his character. It was in the same movie that Chan almost got killed in the stunt where his head veered away from clashing metal boxes a mere quarter of a second before.
The first in the series of films is considered to be a remake of Red Heat (1988), which was released a decade prior to Rush Hour. Both plots involve tough foreign officers who partner US policemen in fighting crime.
Jackie Chan on Working with Chris Tucker
What's interesting about Rush Hour 2?
On July 26, 2001, Rush Hour 2 premiered onboard a single United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Hong Kong as a result of the airlines' partnership with the Hong Kong Tourism Board and New Line Cinema.
Don Cheadle, who played Kenny, only agreed to partake in the movie provided he got to fight Jackie Chan and speak Chinese.
Ziyi Zhang, who played Hu Li, spoke only three words in English in Rush Hour 2 - "Some apple?" and "Out!" Hu Li is a Mandarin word that translates as fox in English, and the part was originally meant for a man.
The climax of Rush Hour 2 took place in the Red Dragon Hotel. Guess what? Red Dragon was Brett Ratner's next film the following year, 2002.
Chris Tucker Honours Jackie Chan at the 2016 Governors Awards
It just keeps getting better. From one Rush Hour to the next, up to the final Rush Hour 3 in 2007, the film retained its popularity, along with its many interesting behind-the-scenes facts.
Guess who's a big fan of the first two Rush Hour films? Roman Polanski. Upon finding out that the movie was set in Paris, the filmmaker asked Brett Ratner whether he could be part of the cast, and thus played the role of a French police officer.
While Polanski was quite eager to join, many people have declined Rush Hour. Brett Ratner was turned down by actresses Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Li Gong; as well as actor Tony Jaa due to scheduling conflicts with his 2008 film Ong-bak 2. Basketball player Yao Ming was offered a role to create a scene similar to 1978's Game of Death, which starred Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but declined.
During the film's shooting, the production crew agreed that a $20 fine would be imposed whenever somebody's cellphone rang and that proceeds would be donated to Chrysalis, a homeless charity. By late February, their collection reached $600.
Jackie Chan receives an Honorary Award at the 2016 Governors Awards
