Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker made action cool and funny with their cult film Rush Hour. The movie’s widespread success resulted in the duo pairing up for 2 more sequels that also gained popularity with audiences. The narrative which revolves around two cops from diverse ethnic backgrounds working together to solve crime also worked for its witty humor and chemistry between Chan and Tucker. But it was not always smooth sailing on the sets of Rush Hour, with the Hong Kong action star having to overcome many issues during the filming of the movie.
Jackie Chan Was Lost In Translation During Rush Hour
Rush Hour stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are considered to be one of the most popular duos in Hollywood for their swashbuckling and humorous performances in the film. But Chan revealed that he had to cross a lot of barriers to eventually build his famous chemistry with his co-star. The actor confessed that language was one of the main stumbling blocks that prevented him from understanding his American counterpart’s speaking nuances. Rush Hour director Brett Ratner referred to Tucker’s use of slang and improvisations and said,
“Jackie has a hard enough time with his dialogue. The way he remembers dialogue is by remembering the last word of Chris’ sentence. Ninety-nine percent of the time that word never comes.”
The pair eventually worked out the kinks and succeeded in developing a fantastic rapport on and off screen that resulted in 3 highly profitable films with Rush Hour 2 making the biggest money at the box office.
Jackie Chan’s Demand made Rush Hour A Success
The Rush Hour films are considered a cult classic among buddy movies with the 3 installments making fantastic money as well as earning a great deal of praise for Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. The Hong Kong actor also confessed that he was surprised by the film’s success despite its poor showing in his home country. Theorizing the reason for the film’s huge appeal, Chan spoke about a prior condition that he had made with director Brett Ratner regarding action sequences, saying,
“So when the movie started–Rush Hour–I went to the director and said, ‘Look, you have to promise me. Fewer explosions. Less violence. Fewer gunfights. Even if you have gunfights don’t show the blood. We want no special effects. Jackie Chan will be the special effects, doing exactly what I am doing in Asia.”
The martial arts veteran went on to state that these stylized action sequences were dramatically different from the ones already seen in other American action flicks which resulted in Rush Hour becoming a global hit. With talks of a potential 4th installment, fans will be eager to see Tucker and Chan back in action again.
Source: Cheatsheet
