Shanghai Noon

Director: Toy Dey

Action Director: Yuen Biao, Gang Wu

Producer: Jackie Chan, Willie Chan, Solon So

When Princess Pei Pei (Lucy Liu) is kidnapped from the Forbidden City, one of the her servants, Wang (Jackie Chan) feels its his responsible and insists on joining a group of guards (including Yu Rong Guang) sent to rescue the Princess, Leading the group to Nevada.

Wang is soon separated from the group and soon finds himself teamed up with Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson), a small time robber, betrayed by his own group. Together, the two hate each other. But for the sake of the princess they seem to get along just fine so the two join forces and plan to save the princess who is now being treated as a slave and works in the mines...

This being a drastic change of genre's for Chan. After his success with Rush Hour, we see Jackie getting rid of the of the slick gelled hair and coming back with the Qu! Jackie handles his role well. Coming back with some good old martial arts. Its good to see that Jackie gets to have a decent fight in the end against Iron Monkey star 'Yu Rong Guang'. Who has re-teamed up with Jackie for 2004's New Police Story.

He's also changed side kicks, from loud mouth soul brother Chris Tucker to broken nose Ben Stiller regular Owen Wilson. Owen seems to mix well with Jackie, Jackie comes back with his physical comedy and being the fish out of water role again. Although Owen seems to have mastered his role of cowboy gambling womanizer.

This film also seems to have a the touch of Hong Kong to it. With Yu Rong Guang, from Iron Monkey & Musa playing one of guards from the Forbidden City. Also Jackie has shipped in Yuen Biao as action director, plus he can be seen as a Cowboy in the bar room brawl, look closely! Biao seems to have done well with the action. I remember the action in this movie being better than some of the fights in Brett Ratner's Rush Hour.

Final thoughts, this film will be a crowd pleaser for fans of Martial Arts and good of Spaghetti Westerns mixed with Comedy. Although I don't find this film as strong its sequel, but still worth a gander at.

Highlights

• The Forest Battle
• Owen Wilson's comic relief
• The drinking games
• Jackie Chan vs. Yu Rong Guang! Woo!
• Lovely Scenery

Letdowns

• Might just be me, but every time I watch this film I fall asleep

Rating: 6.8 out of 10.0