Rush Hour More

An under-appreciated reality about political figures, particularly American ones, is that they can influence Hollywood directly. The Birth of a Nation, for instance, had President Wilson screen it in The White House in 1915, and its legacy can still be felt. However, in recent years this influence has amped up. And nowhere is this more-apparent than the Rush Hour franchise. Specifically, the Rush Hour franchise currently. Bear with me, it’s going to get weird...

Donald Trump has had many adjectives to describe him: egotistical. Unforgettable. Brash. Insecure. These are but a few, but I never imagined he’d convince a studio to revive a dead franchise. That’s exactly what he did, however.

It was revealed that the Rush Hour movies, which had been dormant for roughly 20 years, would be getting another instalment thanks to Trump insisting Paramount green-light it. Paramount even managed to get the exact same creative team, including director Brett Ratner and actors Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. It’s a surprise, to be sure, but a pleasant one? Nope! In fact, given who’s involved, I wish the franchise remained dormant.

Let’s be honest: the Rush Hour movies were never critical darlings. The first one was the best-received, having the cleanest script, and even then it wasn’t fantastic. This isn’t accounting for Tucker and Chan having done better movies since, with Chan having also done better movies prior. Even within the franchise, I doubt many people have fondness for Rush Hour 3. (I don’t.)

So why bring this back? I’m sure there’s an audience for Tucker and Chan, but after two decades? And with Ratner directing, a man who has allegations of sexual misconduct? Are we ready for this? I have doubts.

This doesn’t appear to exist for genuine reasons. Paramount’s current CEO is the son of Larry Ellison, a billionaire who’s one of Trump’s biggest donors. This, therefore, feels less like a genuine movie and more like a favour. It’s possible there’s another story to tell, but I’m not convinced. This smells of quid-pro-quo antics, if I’m being honest.

I’m also dubious because of the director. Without delving too deeply, Ratner isn’t exactly high-calibre. He directed X-Men: The Last Stand following Bryan Singer’s departure, and it’s regarded as one of the worst entries in the X-Men franchise. Ratner’s filmography in general isn’t viewed fondly, the Rush Hour movies being prime examples. So to come back and revive a “dead” franchise? It’s suspicious.

Then, of course, there’s the leads’ ages. Jackie Chan is 71, while Chris Tucker is 54. Even though they aren’t “ancient”, they’re not exactly Spring Chickens. This isn’t to demean Chan’s legendary status as a stunt performer, even nowadays, but people become more limited as they age. And since the Rush Hour movies always felt like an excuse for Chan and Tucker to sell out, there’s a possibility of them phoning it in again.

Perhaps I’m being overly-judgemental. If I’ve learned anything about legacy sequels, of which this qualifies, it’s that they can be good. In some instances, like Top Gun: Maverick and Bad Boys for Life, they can even be superior to the original movies! It’s possible that, with time and distance, Rush Hour 4 could be the best entry. I’m unsure at this point, truthfully.

But I’m not getting my hopes up. I’m especially not getting my hopes up because this doesn’t appear to have been approved for any other reason than pleasing a figurehead. And that bugs me. It bugs me because I don’t trust Trump, and it bugs me because this franchise doesn’t have a great track-record. Most-importantly, it bugs me because it feels so unnecessary.

I’d much rather my first foray into criticizing Paramount came from a more thoughtful place. Like how its animation division’s run by John Lasseter, who was accused of inappropriate behaviour at Pixar. Or how its CEO made a stir with anti-DEI attitudes and harsh punishments for celebrities speaking up about Palestinians. Or how Trump wants them to merge with Warner Bros. All of these are more interesting and meatier than discussing Rush Hour 4, especially considering the franchise’s current reputation.

In fact, going by Paramount/Universal properties making a comeback, I’m more excited for the upcoming sequel to the late-90s Mummy movies. They weren’t exactly “great” either, being cheesy action serials. But at least there’s sincerity and heart there. Plus, Brendan Fraser’s returning, and Hollywood did him dirty for a while prior to The Whale. If any franchise is worthy of a legacy sequel, it’s that one.

Besides, why bring back the Rush Hour movies now? Yes, they have fans. But I doubt they were clamouring for another movie, especially with the diminishing returns of the first three entries. Going by personal experience, I barely remember Rush Hour 3 because of how uninspired it was. I remember shutting it off after 20 minutes, and I enjoyed the first two movies quite a bit! Considering it takes a lot for me to stop watching a movie, that’s saying something!

Honestly, this feels like too-little-too-late. I know I’m being overly-cynical, but I don’t see the appeal. Especially given the creative talent and the reason for its existence. I also don’t want to give credit to Donald Trump. But I guess we’ll find out more soon enough, assuming this isn’t a joke.