Reel News - 'Shanghai Knights'

Reviewed by Justin Colburn and Keayn Dunya

Chinese rebels kill Chon's father in order to steal the Imperial Seal. Chon and Roy leave for London in order to meet up with Chon's sister, Lin. Chon and Lin seek their father's killer with revenge in mind. Once there they discover more than they bargained for.

Justin:

I know I've mentioned somewhere in one of the past reviews my disgust with Hollywood's desire to make needless sequels. Rush Hour 2 was a needless sequel, Terminator 3 is a needless sequel and Shanghai Knights is a needless sequel. But much like Rush Hour 2 I found Shanghai Knights to have some redeeming value. The benefit of making a needless action movie is that there really doesn't have to be much explanation or plot and those are both things that Shanghai Knights is lacking.

There were a few disappointments with the movie, the story was somewhat simple, the characters were a little flat and the ending was anti-climatic. For a long time I've been anxious to see Donnie Yen cast opposite Jackie Chan or Jet Li and he did a wonderful job portraying the villain in this movie, but I feel his talents were underused. We had two of Hong Kong's greatest actors in the movie together fighting each other and the action felt a little stale.

On the upside the action was more abundant, this was something I've been complaining about in Chan's American movies for a while. I really enjoyed the music a lot; it was a little daring for a period piece. Shanghai Noon was an action movie that used comedy as a device to keep people interested in the action, but Shanghai Knights is a comedy that uses action to progress the plot. Although I stand by my opinion that this movie was just another needless sequel, I really enjoyed it and plan to see it again before it leaves theaters.

The jewel of this movie was Chan's homage to Gene Kelly. That one scene sums up Jackie Chan's philosophies on film making. Long shots that show a lot of action, the hero is an everyman fighting a mob of thugs even though the odds are against him and everything is shown from a lighthearted perspective. To me, that one scene sums up Jackie Chan's entire career, if there's anything I took with me when I left the theater it was that scene. It made paying the ridiculous admission prices bearable for a short time.

If you're looking for a movie that's lighthearted, funny and all around entertaining, Shanghai Knights is a good choice. It gives you a whirlwind tour of England, lots of laugh and the most interesting theory regarding the disappearance of Jack the Ripper that I've seen in a long time. If you're the typical martial arts fan or the parent looking for a suitable family movie I recommend you give Shanghai Knights a chance.

Keayn:

Shanghai Knights is one of those entertaining sequels. The kind that is good for an evening's entertainment but ultimately doesn't live longer than the night. In this sequel to Shanghai Noon, Wang and O'Bannon have gone there separate ways. When Chon finds out that his father is killed he looks Roy up in order to get to London to avenge his father's murder. Once there they meet up with Chon's sister Lin.

Shanghai Knights is a thin plot wrapped in Jackie Chan action and the Occasional Owen Wilson one-liner. With all respect, Jackie Chan is extremely good at what he does. His action scenes are incredible. Every improv fight scene looks totally spontaneous. They have a charm that transcends normal action fight scenes. The greatest scene is this movie is the homage to Gene Kelley. The sets were fantastic, completing the illusion of being in another time. Even the music was oddly appropriate for the movie. Yet, one scene as great as it may be does not redeem the movie. Many of the character lack any type of depth. However, depth isn't needed to enjoy the movie. Enjoy the action, laugh at the jokes, but please don't look for a plot. Don't question anything there is no need for background. Still there are a few things that could have been left in. What happened to Chon's wife, Falling Leaves? Or Roy's wife for that matter? Even though the action was great it often felt as if there was something lacking. The final fight between Chon and Wu Yip seemed anticlimactic and unbalanced.

All in all it was a good movie. Not great, not bad, just good. I enjoyed it and I laughed a lot. I guessed a lot of the plot (such as it was) before it came up. Pros and cons added up it's a great ride for a dinner and a movie. Great action seamlessly integrated with hilarious hijacks. Check it out and make up your own mind. Or you could just wait for Rush Hour 3; it'll probably be more of the same.

3.5 out of 5 flags