Eye Candy #346 - "Rush Hour 3"

Rush Hour 3:  There is almost no way this couldn't be a disappointment compared to the first two, given the large gap between parts 2 and 3 and the overall nature of sequels in general. Still, I did find Rush Hour 3 enjoyable for what it was. Mostly, I realized how much I missed Chris Tucker (sure, I know he plays roughly the same guy in all his films, but I'm not watching him to see his depth of range and he hasn't put out a film since 2001). The plot is mostly an excuse to film on location in Paris, and seems more akin to the silliness of Shanghai Knights and Noon rather than Rush Hour 1 and 2. Very few physical stunts and a little fighting here and there, it doesn't feel like a Rush Hour film (or a Jackie Chan film for that matter). It feels like some other script shoe-horned into a Rush Hour film. The dialogue is fun, with Jackie given some uncharacteristic swearing and some good one-liners. Tucker is in fine form, given what he's got to work with. The length of the film was a concern: I am learning to fear action comedies that clock in or around 90 minutes (considering the final fight began 10 minutes prior to the end of the film). Less time equals less plot and less plot ain't good.