Few can boast about making an entire comedy franchise and then making another one with the same formula as the first. But Jackie Chan can.
As the legendary martial artist gave Hollywood comedians a run for their money by combining his humor with not only Chris Tucker but Owen Wilson as well.
It is not foreign to Jackie Chan to make action comedy films as he made it his specialty from an early age.
Starting with Drunken Master in China to The Tuxedo in Hollywood.
The man has not only climbed the mountain but also made his own route on the way to the top.
As for which movie was better, of course, both films are comedy gold in their own right and this comparison is purely for entertainment purposes.
Hence, without further ado, let us get down to the factors that make these movies what they are today:
Comedy
Of course, Rush Hour takes the cake in this genre with no doubt!
Not to mention that Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan have already made three films to perfect their style of comedy.
Whereas Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan only got two.
Comedy is an extremely crucial element for both of these series.
As not just anyone can replicate the level of humor that was created in these films without falling into instant online death due to the snowflake generation we live in nowadays.
The three main actors were extremely lucky that they managed to grab the opportunity to make these films at the perfect time.
Plot
The plot of Rush Hour and the Shanghai Noon/Knights films was always more of something that worked its way into the film without feeling too forced.
Yet, it was still something that gave these films a flair for being the few films that exist with a strong enough plot to make the audience feel all the emotions our protagonists must be feeling without it feeling too forced for a film that so heavily relies on comedy for the majority of its runtime.
Even though Rush Hour has strong plots in all three of its films, this category is done better in the hands of the Shanghai Noon/Knights films.
There is just something so impressive about making an action comedy film while having the themes of duty, slavery, friendships, and royalty all mixed in and making all of them work in harmony.
Action
It is almost redundant to explain why this category is as crucial as the last two.
Knowing that Jackie Chan is a legendary Martial artist who would perform amazingly choreographed stunts in all of his films.
Both Shanghai Noon/Knights and Rush Hour provide generous action sprinkled throughout their runtime, and only one does it better.
The fight scenes that consist within the police series hold so much more weight as even Chris Tucker started to join in the martial arts of it all by the third film.
Owen Wilson is a gunslinger but has almost nothing in comparison to Chris Tucker when it comes to stunts side by side with Jackie Chan of all people.
Drama
As entertaining as it is to see Lee and Carter tend to fight and mend their brotherhood back together, Shanghai Noon and Knights have much more to offer.
While it is true that relationships are tested there as well, it does not limit its drama to the two protagonists of the film.
Jackie Chan has a much bigger role in the Shanghai Noon/Knights film.
As he plays the role of a Chinese Imperial Guard who holds a lot more responsibilities and takes his role seriously while he is undermined by his colleagues.
Not to mention that making an Imperial Guard's best friend a southern outlaw is a movie that everyone would like to watch on the basis of that description alone.
Rush Hour provides a more safe route when it comes to drama.
Whether it be the villains or the protagonists, emotions are majorly the same and can easily be predicted.
Yet the cowboy films make sure to take it a step further even though it already has everything it needs to be a good hit in the theaters.
Owen Wilson or Chris Tucker
We all know that Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker still keep a great sense of their friendship intact.
However, the point is not on the basis of friendship but rather performance.
This category feels like an easy win for Chris Tucker due to the range of emotions he provides within the Rush Hour series.
And you would be absolutely correct. No offense to Owen Wilson's performance as his roles are usually built around him being more of a calm and reasonable person.
Obviously, a calm and reasonable man will always lose to the flamboyant and hyper man that Chris Tucker performs.
With each second on screen, the actor makes an expression that gives a clear message of what emotion is going through his character at that exact moment.
Dylan Jobe
Dylan Jobe
