"RUSH HOUR 2"-DVD (reviewed by OG)

God bless the peeps at InfiniFilm (a hot new addition to the world of DVD formats)...they know how to make a silk purse out of a sow's ballbag. RUSH HOUR 2, the sequel to the mega-blockbuster Chris Tucker/Jackie Chan buddy flick, is a bit lower on the rung than its predecessor, which combined a subtler sense of wit with Jackie Chan's acrobatic stuntwork. This one's all about Chris Tucker, even though it takes place in Chan's Hong Kong home...and if you think his antics are hilarious, then this one's for you. Tucker, however, tends to go overboard in this second installment, and his routine wears its welcome in the first half of the flick.

The plot, which revolves around a money-laundering-Triad scheme (wow...that's a new one), is by-the-numbers, and the beautiful Zang Zhi Yi (from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) is underused as a villainess (where's her fight with Jackie?). But that's all besides the point. It is, at best, a watchable popcorn flick, brainless and marginally entertaining, with enough laughs to keep it moving.

The DVD, however, amps up the film with tons of features (too many to freaking count), including hilarious outtakes, commentaries, and deleted scenes. Other features range from the interesting (An intro to "Hong Kong" by Chan) to the useless (A "fashion of Rush Hour 2" featurette...who fucking cares?), and the bulk of it all takes up so much space that subtitles and copy protection are thrown out the window (so feel free to dub this one, pirates). More is indeed MORE, though, and this one has a lot more to offer than the film itself. It's a sad case, however, that the extras amount to a more interesting experience than the film itself. Let's hope Jackie's next role involves a duel with Jet Li. Just planting seeds, Hollywood.

(12.19.01)