This Review Reveals Minor Details About the Plot.
Fractured History
Plot Overview
In 1887 Chon Wang [pronounced ‘John
Wayne’] (Jackie Chan,) sheriff of Carson City, Nevada, receives
word from his sister Chon Lin (Fann Wong) in China that Boxers have
stolen the Imperial Seal having killed their father (Kim S. Chan)
in whose hereditary care it had been kept for twelve generations.
Having promised to get it back, she has gone to London to retrieve
it and exact vengeance on Lord Nelson Rathbone (Aidan Gillen) whose
royal intrigue put the Boxers up to it. She needs help. To afford
steamship passage, Wang hoofs it to New York to get his share
of the fortune his partner Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson) was keeping
for him, but Roy has squandered it on unwise investments while
living the life of a degenerate (“I'm a thirty-year-old
waiter/gigolo.”) According to writer William Speidel, “Over
360,000 young men had died as a result of the Civil War, and there
were war widows until they ran out your ears” (107.) Showing
the same acumen in love as he had in business, Roy joins Wang in his
quest and departs with him for an England that supposedly is
“ass-soup, a lot of pretty girls there.” When he meets
Wang's sister, though, his priorities change.
Ideology
This movie showcases an unlikely pair of buddies along the lines of, (Eccl. 4:9-12) “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Chon Wang and Roy O'Bannon receive “a good reward for their labour” in recognition from the queen, for which they can pat each other on the back.
“If they fall, the one will lift up his fellow,” as we see Roy clothesline the last standing member of the Fleet Street Gang after Wang took care of the rest.
“But woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” Lin alone in London was captured in her mission, and the tabloids dubbed her, “Loony Lin.”
“Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how
can one be warm alone?” Two debutantes (Anna Louise Plowman
& Georgina Chapman) having succumbed to the waiter's charms, give
him the keys to their rooms, but how could Roy service the two of
them? He gave one key to Wang and told him to go get cleaned up and
await his opportunity. Roy also had a receptionist on the take to
warn him when their bigwig father shows up: “Roy, you've
got trouble.”
“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Wang was opposed to Roy and Lin connecting up, but both working on him might bring him around. And the three of them as a team are a force to be reckoned with.
Production Values
“” (2003) was a sequel to the film, “Shanghai Noon.” It was directed by David Dobkin. Its characters were developed by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. It stars Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson and Fann Wong. The cast also includes Aidan Gillen, Donnie Yen, Aaron Johnson, and Tom Fisher. Chan's martial arts skills are aging gracefully. He's downright balletic in this flick, and he has great chemistry with Wilson. Wilson is good, but his humor does get tedious after a while. Fann Wong does her own fighting stunts. The rest of the actors seem to be largely overshadowed by all the action.
MPAA rated it PG–13 for action violence and sexual content. Spectacular and atmospheric cinematography was done by Adrian Biddle, and music was by Randy Edelman. The production set was perfection, a dream London. It has a runtime of 1 hour, 54 minutes.
Review Conclusion w/a Christian's Recommendation
SK mocks sophistication on multiple levels while elevating fighting to an art form. The musical selections let us know the movie's originators knew what they were about. All that remains is for us to go along with it or make another selection. I found it quite entertaining.
Movie Ratings
Action factor: Well done action flick. Suitability for Children: Suitable for children 13+ years with guidance. Special effects: Well done special effects. Video Occasion: Good for Groups. Suspense: Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Overall movie rating: Four stars out of five.
Works Cited
Scripture quoted from the King James Version. Pub. 1611, rev. 1769. Software, print.
Speidel, William C. SONS of the PROFITS, or, There's No Business Like Grow Business! The Seattle Story, 1851–1901. Seattle: Nettle Creek Publishing Co., 1967. Print.
bibles.n7nz.org