Chon
Wang (which not so coincidentally sounds like John Wayne) is an
Imperial Guard in China, sworn to protect the Emperor and his family.
Princess Pei Pei is kidnapped and Chon joins the mission to travel to
America and get her back. While in Nevada, Chon and the gang are on a
train which is held up by a gang of bandits. A scuffle ensues, which
results in Chon and Roy, the head of the bandits, on their own with
one in pursuit of the princess and the other in pursuit of some gold
sent to pay off her ransom. Through misfortune the two are forced to
pair together and merge their pursuits.
SHANGHAI
NOON (a play on the classic Western title HIGH NOON) is basically a
spoof of two genres, the Western and the Hong Kong action flick.
During the course of the narrative, there's the typical gratuitous
barfights, horse-punching, showdowns and the usual Western cliches.
Albeit a pedestrian endeavor, with a retread script and standard
direction, it must be said that SHANGHAI NOON definitely delivers on
entertainment, as the two stars carry the film with their own special
blend of quirky charm that breathes life into tired lungs. Despite
starring the world's #2 action star, it's the performance by Owen
Wilson that steals the show, with an anachronistically goofy
portrayal of Roy the bandit. There'es not as much fighting as you'd
expect in a Jackie Chan movie, with much more emphasis on the comedy,
which is pleasant even if it's not laugh-out-loud funny. As long as
you aren't expecting to see a good movie, you'll probably enjoy
watching the two leads play off each other so much you'll leave the
theater thinking it was time and money well-spent.
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