Rush Hour

Rush hour pairs Jackie Chan with a complete opposite loud mouthed partner played by Chris Tucker. In the movie, a foreign leader's daughter is kidnapped and held for ransom. Agent Lee (Jackie Chan) comes over from china to aid the FBI in the investigation. The FBI, wanting to handle the case on their own, attempt to pawn off Lee on Carter (Chris Tucker). In their first interaction, lee pretends to not understand english. Carter is portrayed as a bit ignorant by yelling his words in an attempt to make Lee understand. Carter first takes Lee to china town to talk to the first of many contacts he has. In china town the asian tourists are all portrayed stereotypically, becoming fastinated and snaping hundreds of photos at every little thing happening. Later, while driving the music tastes of these two opposite races are commented on. Lee turns on the beach boys, and being the uptight out of touch asian he is, he loves it. Carter of course critizices Lee and changes the channel to a rap station. Eventually the duo is able to find the hideout of the mastermind behind the kidnapping. Upon entering the building a huge brawl breaks out and, as they are often portrayed, every asian knows kung fu. Carter attempts to keep up and help out, but all of the fast paced acrobatic fighting is done by the asians. The mastermind Jin Tao escapes unfortunatly and the chase continues. After pursuing further, they find out that jin tao is actually british, not asian. This reinforces the idea that behind everything is the man, and whitey runs all. This trend continues throughout the cast with all the FBI agents and police supiors are the typical white middle aged man. Fortunatly enough in the end, everybody bad dies, and everyone that is good lives, giving us a happy ending,

The ways in which the main charectors are portrayed is stereotypical for their respective heratiges. Lee is a calm quite respectful asian who, like all asians, knows awsome kung fu. Carter is set up as the typical loud mouthed fast talking black guy. Carter also owns a gaudi corvette and for some reason always loves to dance. Although their pairings are very different and result in hilarious consequences, neither are taken seriously by their supiors because they are both minorities. Rush hour pairs two stereotypical minorites for a action packed comedy filled movie.

-nick h