Shanghai Noon ** (2000, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Owen Wilson, Jason Connery) – Classic Movie Review 12,924

Director Tom Dey’s 2000 martial arts Western action comedy film Shanghai Noon stars Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Owen Wilson, and Jason Connery. Good-natured it is, but Blazing Saddles it’s not. 

Chon Wang (Jackie Chan), 19th-century imperial guard to the emperor of China, finds himself flung into the Wild West on a rescue mission when his beloved Princess Pei Pei (Lucy Liu) is kidnapped.

Jackie Chan gets his kicks in the Wild West when he pairs up with train robber Roy O’Bannon (Owen Wilson) and goes on the trail of gunslinging kidnappers, a fortune in gold and the beautiful princess in this daft, light-hearted, featherweight spoof of the Western, martial arts and buddy-buddy movies.

Jackie is fine, though the action and comedy are mostly just silly and slapdash. And the film? Good-natured it is, but Blazing Saddles it’s not.

Sequel: Shanghai Knights (2003).

Also in the cast are Brandon Merrill, Roger Yuan, Xander Berkeley, Walt Goggins, Adrien P Dorval, Rafael Bâez, Stacy Grant, Kate Lubyen, Henry O, Russell Badger, Simon Baker, Sam Simon, Alan C Peterson, Rad Daly, Rick Ash, Valerie Planche, and Cliff Solomon.

Shanghai Noon is directed by Tom Dey, runs 110 minutes, is made by Jackie Chan Films Limited, Roger Birnbaum/ Gary Barber Productions, Spyglass Entertainment and Touchstone Pictures, is released by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, is written by Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, is shot by Daniel Mindel, is produced by Jackie Chan, Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum and Jonathan Glickman, is scored by Randy Edelman, and is designed by Peter J Hampton.

Release dates: May 26, 2000 (US) and June 2000 (Hong Kong).

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,924

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