Review of Shanghai Noon

Introduction

I love Jackie Chan movies. However, I`ve always preferred the early Golden Harvest stuff. Films like Project A and Wheels on Meals were always better than his later more Hollywood oriented stuff. When movies like Rumble in the Bronx and First Strike came out, I watched in the cinema and was curiously disappointed. In the move to more western audiences, something was lost in the translation. The action seemed more muted and the stories not as thrilling. Then Rush Hour happened and at last Jackie Chan was the Hollywood star that he always should have been. My only problem with Rush Hour was Chris Tucker, a man who has only one volume setting, LOUD. This was all well and good, but when the movie combined Jackie`s physical action and Chris` verbal action, there was very little counterpoint and nothing to balance the frenetic pace of the film. Then in 2000 came, in my opinion Jackie Chan`s best Hollywood film to date, Shanghai Noon.

Shanghai Noon is ostensibly a western, but with an eastern flavour. Like all the best Jackie Chan movies, his character is a fish out of water, a Chinese Imperial Guardsman, Chon Wang in the West of the 1880`s. When the Princess Pei-Pei (Lucy Liu) is kidnapped from the Forbidden City and is taken to America, the Chinese Imperial Guard is sent after to pay the ransom. In America, after the train on which they are travelling is attacked by Roy O`Bannon played by Owen Wilson and his outlaws. Chon Wang becomes separated from his comrades. Meanwhile, Roy O`Bannon is betrayed by his gang and left to rot in the desert. Chon Wang rescues him after a fashion and what ensues is wonderful action comedy with the two trying to outwit and help each other to rescue the princess.

Video

Visually this is just a treat. A 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer, the picture quality is excellent, as you would expect. Image is detailed and sharp and the colours are just glorious. The cinematography is exceptional. Director Tom Dey has taken the western ideal of grand vistas and wide-open spaces to heart and this picture is great to look at. Canyons and plains, to the Forbidden City in China, all are wonderfully epic in scale. I must make special mention of the fight scene in the river. The action slows down and the water sprays up with Jackie Chan`s movements. Every water droplet is defined and the scene is stunning to watch. When the action shifts to more traditional fighting action, Jackie Chan takes the helm and you get the quick fast energetic cutting that you would expect from a Jackie Chan action sequence. The fight scenes are superbly choreographed, as you would expect from the master of Hong Kong movies. I must mention the opening titles, they are absolutely stunning, with Chinese Pictograms lit from behind, it`s such a simple idea but the play of lights and shadow have you hooked before the film itself starts.

Audio

The sound is a DD 5.1 transfer and is as impressive as you would expect. Dialogue is clear and the action well presented. The music is a mix of East and Wild West as you would expect, but there is the occasional lapse into contemporary music.

Features

Extras are well catered for. You get the audio commentary with Owen Wilson and Tom Dey; Jackie Chan supplies his contribution from elsewhere though. You get a whole raft of deleted scenes presented anamorphically, including an expensive train stunt that didn`t make the final cut, curiously it makes the back of the DVD case. The deleted scenes are worthwhile and must have only been cut because of time considerations. You can see what happened to rest of the Chinese guard whilst the film focused on Jackie and Owen. There are a series of featurettes detailing the making of the film, including the deleted train sequence. Finally there is a music video with a chubby country western rapper, which isn`t much to listen to but enjoyable to watch (Jackie Chan`s in it). The packaging is filled with errors, Contrary to what it says on the case, the disc is a dual layer one, as well as the two subtitle tracks listed, there are another 8 languages catered for, and strangely the theme/contents of this film are "None". There is a making-of booklet though.

Conclusion

Jackie Chan is on top form in this movie, he`s as energetic and funny as he always is and here Owen Wilson partners him. Owen Wilson is just brilliant as the outlaw Roy O`Bannon. He is the perfect counterpoint to Jackie Chan`s explosive energy. Owen Wilson is laid-back and soft-spoken and brings the action down to a slow pace before Jackie Chan raises it back up again. They also play well off each other. Lucy Liu plays the princess and appears to be the standard damsel in distress until she surprises us with her own Martial Art prowess.

This is a very funny film with some classic Jackie Chan moments; it`s amazing that they managed to cram so much into 1hr and 45m. Owen Wilson is brilliant as the inept outlaw who is trying to educate Chon Wang in the ways of the west. The "Chon Wang" joke is the direst in this film but it`s the only low point. This film is just filled with magic moments. Whether it is Jackie Chan in the Indian Village, the Chinese drinking game, the homage to Butch and Sundance, the High Noon Style Shootout to the denouement in the church. You`ll love every minute of this.

This film is pure fun on a disc, I can watch it again and again, and I wouldn`t hesitate in recommending it. It takes every Western cliché in the book, gives it an Eastern twist and ends up totally refreshing the genre. The two leads are excellent and work wonderfully together. They totally carry this film. And as a bonus, like every Jackie Chan film, this one has the out-takes in the end credits. Don`t take my word for it, just watch it for yourself.