Movie Review: Rush Hour 3 (2007)

Thankfully, Chris Tucker dialed down the high-pitched yelling (mostly) in Rush Hour 3. Sure, he still acts like an ill-disciplined and insecure child, he feels as if he has to hit on anything with two legs and long hair (and you should see his reaction when he discovers that the woman he is about to score with is only wearing a wig), but at least he's quieter this time around, even if he insists on being offensive. And you would never make the same complaints about Jackie Chan. In the first Rush Hour, Chan came to LA and worked in tandem with Tucker to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a Chinese diplomat. In 2, Tucker vacationed in Hong Kong with Chan and solved a mystery involving the Triads and counterfeit "superbills." Now, in this third installment, our duo head to Paris to protect a woman who has access to information which could finally dismantle the Triads. Somewhere along the way we are introduced to Chan's brother, Kenji; of course, he has to fight him in the climax of the film set (where else?) in the Eiffel Tower. If you think about these films in order, you will see a steady drop in the quality and quantity of Chan's famous stunt work. We forgive this in the second film because of our aforementioned affectation for it (due to outside factors, of course), but Chan fans have so little to look forward to in Rush Hour 3: his fight with his brother is fun, but nothing else really stands out, except for an inexplicable dramatic increase in the number of Chris Tucker fights, which are obviously of a lesser quality than Chan's work. So while this is a decent enough way to round out series, it is a bit of whimper. Jackie Chan devotees will be disappointed, but more casual action fans could find worse things to do.

Friday From the Archives: Rush Hour 2 (2001)

Every Friday we celebrate the heritage of Code Redd Net by posting a retro-review from our considerable back catalogue of embarrassingly naive, but nonetheless entertaining and heartfelt, movie and game reviews. Please pardon the prose; most of these articles were written in our immediately post-pubescent years. Hopefully you find them as enjoyable as we do.

Rush Hour 2 is a curious thing for us at Code Redd Net. In many ways it's a pretty dumb (though innocuous) flick, but it has memories for us. Not only was it our first movie review back when we launched the site in late 2001, but it was the instigating force behind the website itself. The nostalgia we feel gleefully blinds our objective judgment. In this case, affect goes beyond the text. And looking at my review (rewritten in 2005, I believe) I see that I had this same idea in mind when reexamining the movie. Looking forward to our tenth anniversary in a few short weeks, I want to make sure that Rush Hour 2 is understood as a significant part of our history.

"You must be forewarned that my opinion on Rush Hour 2 may be slightly slanted. Objectively, I have a difficult time reviewing the film, because the memories I have of it are closely tied with a friendship, and the enjoyable time we had seeing the movie in theaters. But, just to be impartial, I'll try to review the film based solely on it merit, not personal recollections, however awesome they may be. No promise, though. The story begins with the bombing of the American embassy in Hong Kong, which kills two U.S. customs agents involved in uncovering a ring of smugglers controlling "superbills," extremely well-made counterfeit $100 bills. Naturally, Detective Lee and Detective Carter, portrayed by Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, respectively, become involved in the case. Together they track down Ricky Tan, the head of the Triads, a deadly posse of thugs from China. From that rather basic premise, we segue into the action scenes, which unfortunately are very disappointing, at least in comparison to some of the other films Chan has done. Rush Hour 2 was my introduction to Jackie Chan, and in searching out his previous films afterward, I've found that this is some of his weakest work, as far as the martial arts are concerned. The humor is fine, but not great, and the pace is exceptionally swift. I just cannot help my bias, but I find myself really enjoying Rush Hour 2 every time I watch it. Definitely not the best work of Jackie Chan, but a really pleasant action film all-around."

Book Review: Batman and Philosophy ed. by Mark D. White and Robert Arp (2008)

Batman and Philosophy is part of a series of books that bring philosophical considerations to pop culture (other books in the series include The Simpsons and Metallica), and is a much more interesting way to study philosophy than reading the original works of Heidegger, Kant, or most other philosophers (it seems that being able to write and philosophize are mutually exclusive). What beats the combination of entertainment and education? As I checked out this book, the librarian told me that I would never see Batman the same. He was right. My favorite essay in it was the first, which asked the question of why doesn’t Batman just kill the Joker? The simple answer is because Batman doesn’t kill anyone intentionally, but is this morally best considering all the death and destruction he could prevent by ending the Joker? Another question is if it is moral to take in orphan boys, put them in tights, and teach them how to be crime-fighters. Many of these are questions I hadn’t considered about Bruce Wayne, Batman, and other comic book heroes. However, there were several things that made me feel like some of the writers were intellectual lightweights, particularly many of them having naïve views of the state. While considering Batman’s vigilantism, one author said that his punishment was illegitimate. Is it really not legitimate since he doesn’t carry a badge? Isn’t one of the problems of Gotham City its police corruption? Another statement that I found silly was that “we don’t want everyone to have police powers.” On the face of it, I totally agree with this statement, but not its implication: that we want some to have police powers. Police are allowed to do things that if done by anyone else would land them in jail. We have to depend on the police to police themselves, which is obviously not the case in Gotham. The contention that Batman’s real enemy is anarchy (if we use its proper definition of no state or “no ruler”) is also ridiculous. Being that Gotham is not an anarchic city with a market for police protection, but an ineffective and corrupt statist system for which Gothamites are forced to pay by taxation, Batman’s real enemy might be the government that reinforces the status quo. This surely leaves Batman favorable in my mind to Superman, who “because of his love for his adopted country, Superman recognizes the authority of the state,” and had tried to assassinate Batman because the state told him to do so. It is because of these statements that I discount many philosophers who think they question everything, but neglect to question the authority of the state. Beyond that, this book contains some interesting and profound insights, and I would suggest it if you maintain both an interest in philosophy and Batman.

Finest Fights: Rush Hour 2 (2001)

Bringing you the best fight scenes available on YouTube, every Tuesday afternoon.

Enjoy two distinctly different fights from one of our favorite films, Rush Hour 2:

Movie Review: Rush Hour (1998)

Rush Hour 2 may be our sentimental favorite, but the original certainly has its strengths. For one, Jackie Chan's stunt work is far superior here than in the sequel. Though neither film really lets Chan's prowess completely loose (that is saved for less mainstream kung-fu fare, like First Strike and Who Am I?, where the story is tailored more specifically to showcasing action first and story second) in Rush Hour he has considerably more exciting and plentiful action scenes. You might consider this film (and its sequels, as well as other films made in the same buddy-cop-action genre, such as Shanghai Noon and Knights) a sort of primer for the uninitiated, and from here you can tackle his more straightforward kung-fu films if interested; there you will find Chan unshackled by the demands of Hollywood and its emphasis on dialogue. But the humor is brisk and lively in this one, though Chris Tucker is far more annoying here than in subsequent entries, spending his half of the screen time either yelling or reinforcing outrageous stereotypes, and quite often both simultaneously. The contrast between the high-pitched Tucker and the stoic determination of Chan is effective enough, though, and overall the film is extremely efficient storytelling. Recommended for Chan fans, but you might want to see First Strike or Who Am I? immediately afterwords if you want to really see what all the fuss is about.

Friday From the Archives: Editorial: Declination of the Arcades

Every Friday (or Wednesday when we're busy, like today) we celebrate the heritage of Code Redd Net by posting a retro-review from our considerable back catalogue of embarrassingly naive, but nonetheless entertaining and heartfelt, movie and game reviews. Please pardon the prose; most of these articles were written in our immediately post-pubescent years. Hopefully you find them as enjoyable as we do.

I find the title of this piece just as funny as you do, I'm sure. But I was reminded of this article, from our short-lived Editorial section, when I found myself playing Mrs. Pac-Man at an airport arcade. Arcades (true arcades) are difficult to find these days, and when you do find one they invariably disappoint. And if it was bad when I penned this editorial, it's only gotten much worse since then. My logic in this article is somewhat suspect, but the spirit is there, I can say that much. And just what the hell is "parallax scrolling"? Also, I want to play Metal Slug again.

"How many great games can you name that originated from arcades? Many, my friends, many. As a gamer who grew up playing Street Fighter II and Metal Slug in places like this, it's depressing to see such a tremendous decline. Why? Well, for one, I believe the power of the home console market is rapidly catching up technologically. In the old days (sound kinda old, don't I?) the arcades had awesome power and home consoles had parallax scrolling, and we liked it! Joking aside, consoles like the Genesis and SNES never could approach the power of the arcade. Now, though, it seems like the industry has caught up. People have realized that they no longer have to head to arcades to see something special. For instance, look at Time Crisis II. The game was a technical milestone when it came out, then about a year ago, it was released for PS2 with far superior graphics and a gund peripheral that matches the arcade unit perfectly. Arcade experiences are being brought home, and whether or not that's good or bad remains to be seen. As long as I still get arcade-style games like my Metal Slug X for PS1, I'll pipe down. Furthermore, what's with the price? Arcade cabinets cost a lot for the coin-op to buy and rent, but still, some of these prices are a little high. I can still play Metal Slug 2 (here I go again with Metal Slug, but it's a fine example) and beat it in under 4 dollars, which takes about 50-60 minutes to complete, while with some games I'll be lucky to get a good minute or so figuring out the controls at a rate of $1.50 a try. Sometimes, when I really get to thinking about it, I get the though of "maybe it's meant to be." Maybe arcades are as far along as they could possibly get, and all that's left for them to do is decline. And while I make this sound drastic, arcades will not disappear overnight. I just expect a slow decline in areas where the price is to high, and when home consoles inevitably pass by them, technologically speaking. Arcades have left their mark on the industry and it's sad to see them fall. Do the industry a favor; get off the couch, and go stand up and play some games for once. Darn tootin' kids!"

Wii Review: Quantum of Solace (2008)

The problems with the Quantum of Solace movie were generic: if we weren't told that Daniel Craig was playing James Bond, how could we tell? It was just another action movie, as far as I could tell, and the 007 license (to kill) was incidental. And this problem has been transplanted onto its ancillary products. The Wii version of Quantum of Solace is a solid enough first-person shooter, but as a 007 game, it lacks that distinctive Bond feel. Interestingly, QoS combines the story of the its namesake film with that of the previous (and far superior) entry, Casino Royale. In fact, far more time is devoted to the events of Royale than Solace; the first and last few levels function as bookends, and Royale is sandwiched in between. This is disorienting at first because the initial flashback is poorly indicated (especially, I imagine, for players who may not be familiar with the films), but things pick up fairly quickly. Most of the missions are conducted along traditional first-person shooter lines, although the vantage point switches to third-person once players duck behind cover. This is a neat feature that is tactically useful. However, I must mention that aiming in first-person on the Wii is often wonky. Even if your remote is carefully calibrated, precision aiming is usually difficult. Thankfully, though, precision shooting and stealth are not often called for, and that points us to another problem with this game: too many times the really neat stuff (stealth approaches, acrobatics, car chases) take place either entirely in cutscenes or, worse yet, completely offscreen. Split-screen multiplayer magnifies the same problems with aiming the Wii remote by considerably shrinking aiming area. Online multiplayer is decent enough (including a wonderful recreation of the classic Facility level from GoldenEye) but very few players are online at any given time. You could do worse for Wii, I suppose, but I would recommend sticking with the PS2 Bonds instead.

PS2 Review: NBA Live 06 (2005)

I bought NBA Live 06 some time ago for $1 at a local used game store, and I did so just so I could enjoy its slam dunk contest. Though this mode has problems (wacky judging, that annoying shot clock, difficult learning curve) it's the only one that comes anywhere close to approximating the excitement and creativity of the dunk contest: other notable, but insuperior, examples include the inimitable Bird vs. Jordan and the more recent NBA 2k11 and 12. The dunk contest alone is worth a dollar, but I was also treated to a serviceable three-point shootout (made somewhat ridiculous and fun because players and computers alike consistently score in the high 20s) as well as the rest of All-Star Weekend. But the real surprise was the inclusion of the classic NBA Live 95. This classic sports game is modified from the Genesis version to erase unlicensed player names; though they can be recognized by their attributes and positions, it isn't quite the same. Still, this is a wonderful bonus feature, the kind that I wished would be more common. And the rest of Live 06 is a pretty decent basketball simulation too, way better than the any next-gen version of NBA Live/Elite, which took a nosedive right after 06.

You can pick this one up on Amazon for $.01

Finest Fights: Transporter 2 (2005) and The Expendables (2010)

Bringing you the best fight scenes available on YouTube, every Tuesday afternoon.

This week is a Jason Statham double header. First up, the adorable Transporter 2, as Statham lays waste to some thugs in a garage:




And just for fun, here is Statham cleaning house on a rec league basketball team from The Expendables:

Dreamcast Review - Crazy Taxi 2 (2001)

As good as the original is, it seems as something is missing when going back after playing Crazy Taxi 2. Of course, that of which I'm speaking is the Crazy Hop - the ability to make your cab jump in the air, high enough to clear trucks, gaps, etc. It brings a whole new dimension to the already solid formula of transporting fares very quickly whilst dodging traffic and drifting around corners. The opportunities this creates for diverse challenges in the Crazy Pyramid scheme create a replay value which will provide plenty of return for your video game dollar. The drawbacks to this game, however, are that the directional arrow that guides you is a little trippy and takes some getting used to and the lack of B.D. Joe. Bottom line: this game is a Dreamcast exclusive, so if you have one, this is a must own for your DC collection.

Special Wednesday Edition From the Archives: Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 (2002)

Every Friday (or Wednesday when we're busy, like today) we celebrate the heritage of Code Redd Net by posting a retro-review from our considerable back catalogue of embarrassingly naive, but nonetheless entertaining and heartfelt, movie and game reviews. Please pardon the prose; most of these articles were written in our immediately post-pubescent years. Hopefully you find them as enjoyable as we do.

The following is actually ChickenMan's original review, culled from the archives before the original site went down in 2009 and before I had an opportunity to post my own thoughts. He makes many fine points below. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 is still the perfect racing game and the only one I truly love. It is, indeed, "hot and spicy chicken."


"I love this game! I absolutely can’t find anything serious that I don’t like about it and you can’t say that with every game. It has loads to play from event trees and unlocking cars. Sometimes with games it seems like a chore to completely and totally beat the game while not having the most fun possible. But with this game you pass the time having lots of fun with it. It has 49 cars to choose from so you can fit your taste and style. It has many tracks to master, lots of cool music, and a very good pre-sequence video. Anybody who loves speed or cars can enjoy this game; what’s not to love? Maybe hitting spike strips, but you get over it, eventually. One thing I would request is the classic Lamborghini Diablo SV from the original Hot Pursuit. HP2 is hot and spicy chicken. Play it."

Finest Fights: Who Am I? (1998)

Bringing you the best fight scenes available on YouTube, every Tuesday afternoon.

This week we bring you another excellent Jackie Chan encounter:

Friday From the Archives: Spider-Man (PS2, 2002)

Every Friday we celebrate the heritage of Code Redd Net by posting a retro-review from our considerable back catalogue of embarrassingly naive, but nonetheless entertaining and heartfelt, movie and game reviews. Please pardon the prose; most of these articles were written in our immediately post-pubescent years. Hopefully you'll find them as enjoyable as we do.

I haven't played this game for years, but many of the comments below still ring true for me. I do think this game is a substantial upgrade from the original PS1 titles, although I do enjoy the more comic book flavor of the older games as opposed to this movie-based style of this and Spider-Man 2, though that may simply be attributable to fact that I don't like any of the Toby Maguire films. I may have to YouTube this Green Goblin cheat, because I recall nothing like that.

"Spider-Man the movie game improves upon the previous Spidey games in so many ways. The first titles were fantastic, but this game captures the sense of being Spider-Man so much better. Much more of the action takes place above the stunning recreation of NYC. Aerial battles are terrific, and the camera has improved greatly. Now, you can lock onto villains, making it much less of a headache this time around. One of the biggest improvements has to be the replay value. Golden Spiders are hidden throughout the level to find, and some exclusively on certain difficulty levels. Plus, the cheats are great, but perhaps the Green Goblin cheat tops them all. A stunning game."

Movie Review: War (2007)

What a lost opportunity. Here you have two of the best (and most fun) action heroes in around, and you pump out this kind of drivel? Action movies starring either one of these two are simple to execute, really: first, you need a (generally dumb) premise that calls for maximum kung fu and minimum logic; and second, you step aside and let the choreographers get down to business and let the performers cut a rug with their immense skill. Not at all difficult, and yet War manages to mess around with the formula to very disappointing results. The idea of the film is a decent enough start, and more than apt for the genre at hand: Jet Li plays an assassin named Rogue, and Jason Statham plays the family-oriented FBI agent sent to track him down after he murders one of Statham's buddies. Unfortunately, this idea is only extrapolated in lots and lots of shootouts. And while I'm not against a good shootout, I did expect to see some of the martial arts prowess Li and (to a lesser extent) Statham are famous for. Except for a sword fight near the end of the film, the physical action is at a minimum, and the only excitement is lost by a mass of CGI explosions and wonky car chases. At no time does the film seem interested in the abilities of either Li and Statham. Skip this and watch The One instead.

Finest Fights: Jackie Chan's First Strike (1996)

Bringing you the best fight scenes available on YouTube, every Tuesday afternoon.

We start this series off with one of our personal favorites, Jackie Chan's electfying "ladder fight" from First Strike:

PS2 Review: Driv3r (2004)

Don't let the title fool you; Driv3r is as ludicrous as it sounds, but it's the good kind of ludicrous, the same kind of ludicrous we celebrate in a cheesy action picture. In other words, Driv3r has just the right mix of good and bad, and deliciously bad. In this game you play as Tanner, an undercover cop in Miami who has to infiltrate a band of thieves who smuggle expensive cars across the world. You become their getaway driver, and all manner of high-speed chaos ensues. These car chases (what the Driver series is famous for, really) are wonderfully absurd and suitably fast, although in many instances they are extremely difficult, requiring such precision as to be positively infuriating at times. Each vehicle handles appropriately, from the bulky 18-wheelers to the nimble (but overly touchy, in my estimation) motorcycles. Speedboats add some variety to the game, although they handle too much like the aforementioned trucks. For the first time in the series, gunplay becomes a significant factor, and although a variety of weapons is available, shooting is slow and awkward to control. In fact, all ventures on foot in Driv3r suffer from the same poor controls and stiff animations, which brings me back to my initial point: in any other game, these would be major problems, crippling even, but in this game it's part of the charm. The bad animations and poor controls work together with the totally insane police force and the numerous (and often hilarious) glitches to make for a world in which the most bizarre things happen. Playing Take a Ride (Driv3r's sandbox mode) is an exercise in possibility, and the craziness that always ensues can be meticulously edited by the excellent Replay Editor (take a gander at the attached video below for proof of its depth). So long as you don't look for a totally functional, seamless experience, Driv3r might be the refreshingly weird and broken game you've been looking for.