As good as you may believe Jackie Chan to be, it is his chemistry with Owen Wilson that makes Shanghai Knights a success. The action sequences are at the head of its class for the genre, but it is the humor and frequent wit that connects all of the dots. Without spoiling all of the details, Shanghai uses its fictitious storyline to humorously incorporate historical figures into its plot, such as Jack the Ripper, Charlie Chaplin, and Arthur Conan Doyle. Never stretching its PG-13 rating, the movie remains funny even with its light ethnic jabs and sexual material.
Chan and Wilson also starred together in the original installment to this hopeful growing franchise. Also, they have both proved their recuperation after horrid efforts in The Tuxedo and I-Spy, respectively, in the second half of last year. Now that Wilson has a few of these buddy comedies under his belt, it might be best for him to return to his greatest talent: writing. Nominated for Best Original Screenplay at last year's Academy Awards was The Royal Tenenbaums, which he co-scripted with director Wes Andersen, but it was their screenplay for Rushmore, along with flawless performances by Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray, that is by far the better of the two.
But for Shanghai Knights, which is consistently funny, the humor extends into a series of hilarious outtakes proving Chan's lack of knowledge in the English language. The best of which is when he means to say `baby sister' and results in saying `babysitter.' Wilson is quick to poke fun at him, showing that their great chemistry so apparent on-screen is also a backstage thing too. So, if you are sick of the over-rated Academy Award nominated films, then two hours with these guys will do you no harm, and you will laugh just as hard as you would at any other 2003 comedy (yes, including Old School and Bringing Down the House).
*** out of ****
Chan and Wilson also starred together in the original installment to this hopeful growing franchise. Also, they have both proved their recuperation after horrid efforts in The Tuxedo and I-Spy, respectively, in the second half of last year. Now that Wilson has a few of these buddy comedies under his belt, it might be best for him to return to his greatest talent: writing. Nominated for Best Original Screenplay at last year's Academy Awards was The Royal Tenenbaums, which he co-scripted with director Wes Andersen, but it was their screenplay for Rushmore, along with flawless performances by Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray, that is by far the better of the two.
But for Shanghai Knights, which is consistently funny, the humor extends into a series of hilarious outtakes proving Chan's lack of knowledge in the English language. The best of which is when he means to say `baby sister' and results in saying `babysitter.' Wilson is quick to poke fun at him, showing that their great chemistry so apparent on-screen is also a backstage thing too. So, if you are sick of the over-rated Academy Award nominated films, then two hours with these guys will do you no harm, and you will laugh just as hard as you would at any other 2003 comedy (yes, including Old School and Bringing Down the House).
*** out of ****