Product Details

• Actors: Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, Lucy Liu, Brandon Merrill, Roger Yuan
• Format: PAL
• Language: German
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (140 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005NFMG

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Story? What story? All a movie like Shanghai Noon needs is the amazing stunt set pieces featuring kung fu superstar Jackie Chan and the drolly caffeinated ramblings of Owen Wilson (and to be sure, that's all it gets). It's a buddy comedy about Roy O'Bannon (Wilson), a minor, borderline incompetent desperado, and Chon Wang (Chan)--Roy thinks he hears (and scoffs at) the name "John Wayne"--a member of the Chinese Imperial Guard searching for a kidnapped princess (Lucy Liu). They become reluctant partners in the Old West (Roy, who considers Chon his sidekick, is hurt to discover that the bounty on Wang's head is more than his own), brawling, drinking, bathing, and bonding and in general having mildly amusing adventures together, while eluding a posse and other random enemies.

There's not a lot of focus to the plot or much motivation for characters to turn up where and when they do--just what was achieved by the much-discussed trek to Carson City, anyway? But Chan's inventively staged battle sequences (particularly an early one in which he uses flexible, resilient trees to best some Crow Indians) are predictable highlights. You'll wish there were more to some of them, but as with his many of other films, you'll want them on video to watch in slow-motion to see how he pulls them off. And in a potentially star- making role, Wilson's loquacious, hyper-self-conscious meanderings--he's funny even when his lines aren't--make him seem less like a character than a very amusing deconstruction of one. Chan and Wilson are entertaining together, even though they're both off in their own little worlds. Think of it as Butch Cassidy and the Shanghai Kid, and you won't be too far off. --David Kronke

From The New Yorker

An extremely likable Western adventure that features the home-brewed stunts of Jackie Chan and the extemporaneous comic riffing of Owen Wilson (who borrows a lot from Dignan, the character he portrayed and co-wrote in the cult classic "Bottle Rocket"). Taking in a Jackie Chan movie is a lot like being ringside at a boxing match: the audience bobs, weaves, and shouts with every punch. As a Chinese imperial guard in search of a kidnapped princess, Chan fights his way through all of the classic Western scenarios (the train robbery, the saloon, the showdown at the Spanish church), and Wilson fills the interludes with deadly earnest lectures on the fine points of the cowboy code. -Michael Agger
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Jackie Chan US Production Yet, May 5, 2001

By 

Brian Glass (Zanesville, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shanghai Noon (DVD)

Shanghai Noon is by far the best Jackie Chan movie made in the US. It is much more enjoyable than the over-rated Rush Hour. For me a large part of that is because I find Owen Wilson to be much more entertaining and amiable than the grating human cartoon, Chris Tucker. But even more than Tucker, the fight scenes are much closer to his Hong Kong films. Close but still not quite there. The action has all of Jackie's trademark acrobatics and fast editing. It seems to be slowed down a bit from Rumble In The Bronx, Supercop or any of his other HK films though.

There is a great deal of chemistry between Jackie and Owen and a lot of that has to do with Jackie's Mr Nice Guy persona. You can't help but feel he's everybody's friend. The relationship of the two characters reminded me a lot of the Robert DeNiro/Charles Grodin relationship in Midnight Run. Owen Wilson is the footloose rouge trying to get the stiff uptight Chan to relax and take life as it comes. This is a fun buddy film that I would highly recommend.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious and action-packed, Shanghai Noon is loads of fun!, June 8, 2002

By 

Priscilla Stafford (Yokohama, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shanghai Noon (DVD)

I had heard of "Shanghai Noon" when it had first come out, but didn't have much interest in it. But a few weeks ago I decided to try it out once and found it thoroughly entertaining!

Princess Pei Pei (Lucy Liu) decides to leave the Forbidden City of China to go off to America. But when she arrives in Carson City with her English teacher, she realizes she has been in fact kidnapped, master minded by a traitor, Lo Fong (Roger Yuan). It's up to the Chinese Imperial Guards to save her. One Imperial Guard, Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) is separated from his fellow mates and is stuck in the West without a clue where Carson City is! He ties up with Indians for a while, marrying the beautiful Indian princess, Falling Leaves (Brandon Merrill) then gradually teams up with 'not quite your average outlaw' Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson). With the Marshall Nathan Van Cleef (Xander Berkeley) on their tale, will they ever save the princess?

PLOT: The plot of the story is average if not very original. But the acting, action, and humor makes "Shanghai Noon" to be a five-star great movie!

ACTING: Though most people may not believe it, this is my first Jackie Chan movie to watch. Throughout the whole movie he has this sort of wise yet innocent manner about it since he has no clue how to act in the west. Lucy Liu does not come out that much in the movie yet she has her moments. She's so regal that she's great for the part of the princess in captive. Brandon Merrill, a real-life rodeo champion, is very cool as another princess with lots of guts, getting Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson out of trouble. But I must say, Owen Wilson of Roy O'Bannon steals the whole film. He's just so into his part that you can't believe he's only acting!

ACTION: As all Jackie Chan movies are, "Shanghai Noon" is action packed. Because it's a movie how 'East meets West', it has both kung fu and gun fighting. Chan gets to use antlers, a horshoe whip, his pony-tail, and other ingenious weapons while the character of Roy gets to use his 'skills?' as a gunfighter. Lots of great scenes but my favorites are: the bar fight scene, the two Roy O'Bannon versus the Marshall 'stand-offs', and Jackie Chan versus Lo Fong.

HUMOR: The whole movie is filled with lots of one-liners you just naturally memorize and subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) humor. Most of the humor is given off to perfection by Owen Wilson though Jackie Chan has his moments. Here are a few of my favorite lines:

Roy O'Bannon: My name's Roy O'Bannon.
Chon Wang: Chon Wang.
Roy O'Bannon: "John Wayne"? That's a terrible cowboy name! That's not going to work. And neither is the ponytail.

Roy O'Bannon: We're men, not pinatas!

Roy O'Bannon: On the count of three. 1... 2... 2 1/2... 2 and 7/8... 3!

Roy O'Bannon: I may not know karate, but I know crazy.

And basically the whole movie is simply hilarious. There's some bloopers at the end of th movie that is just funny! I especially love the one when Jackie Chan is 'fixing' Owen Wilson's shoulder! The music is very cool also, not at all the normal 'western type' of music you would listen to in a typical western movie, but of course, "Shanghai Noon" is NOT a typical western movie. I highly recommend it for anyone how wants a good laugh and some great action/adventure.

PG-13 RATING: The movie is rated PG-13 because of language and some scenes. Best for older teenagers and adults.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, Original, & Exciting!, October 7, 2000

By 

"thematrixcocoleefan" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shanghai Noon (DVD)

Shanghai Noon is definitely one of my favorites from Jackie Chan. Although I love most of his movies, this one had a different style that made me laugh even louder. The wild west is just something he hadn't incorporated in this movies yet...and finally he did! I'll say it again and again, "I STILL can't believe he does his own stunts! " He is absolutely amazing! Especially in the scene when Jackie and the bandits are on the train and fighting and jumping from cart to cart. It's exciting just watching Jackie take that leap (because you know it's real...it's not any special effects...not the blue screen dubbed background). My favorite scene was when Jackie was being chased by the native tribal dudes. The flying axes really get your attention! Your heart races as you watch Jackie execute each move with flawless conviction. I also enjoy and appreciate how this movie (among other Jackie Chan/Chow Yun Fat/Jet Li flicks) is slowly bringing Chinese culture into the American mainstream. Just the use of mandarin in an American theater is a step up for the Asians. Lucy Liu and Owen Wilson also did a fine job. You'll really enjoy the out-takes at the end of the film. (One of Jackie's trademarks)