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'Shanghai Noon' is a western-comedy starring Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson. Chan is Chon Wang (sounds like John Wayne) and Wilson is Roy O'Bannon, a perfect name for the outlaw he is. Wang is in the USA because he has to save a princess, played by Lucy Liu. He and O'Bannon have to work together, why and how is not important at all.

What is important is the fun they have together, and therefore the fun we have while watching that. We have the usual Jackie Chan martial art and this time it is combined with the very funny Owen Wilson talking. For some reason I like him in almost every movie and here he gets at least one laugh in every scene. Try not to think too much and you must be able to enjoy this movie as much as I did.

I saw Shanghai Noon because I do like Jackie Chan, and the premise seemed like the film would be a winner. Although I didn't find Shanghai Noon particularly special, it was a fun movie and I would recommend it.

The plot is routine, with some of the ideas a tad forced. The film also feels 5 or so minutes too long, one or two scenes in the middle felt like they could have been shortened. Lucy Liu isn't given much to do either.

However, the film is beautifully shot and the scenery and sets are equally ravishing. There is also a rousing score from Randy Eldemann, a smart script with some amusing if not hilarious jokes and sharply choreographed fight scenes. Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson are both very good, and are a well matched double act.

Overall, not perfect, but fun and enjoyable. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Jackie Chan is a master martial artist and stuntman. Every film he stars in is an exercise in demonstrating his skill in different, creative ways. If you go to see this movie expecting anything different, you'll be sorely disappointed.

However, if you're a Chan fan, prepare to be amazed once again. It's not the same spectacle one would find in previous works such as Rumble in the Bronx, but impressive nevertheless. Furthermore, the plot that ties these action sequences together is better than can be found in most films of the same genre. The clash between far east and wild west cultures and cinematographic stereotypes is amusing enough to keep the film entertaining throughout, and Chan's own tongue-in-cheek sense of humor makes the piece that much more delightful to watch.

Don't look for this one at the next Academy Awards, but then that's not what Jackie Chan is all about, is it. If you want a couple of hours of mindless entertainment and spectacle, this is the one to see.

The film is developed in the Forbidden City , Being , 1881 , and begins when the Chinese princess (Luci Liu) is kidnapped by the villain Fong (Yuan) and asking for a rescue . A faithful servant named Wang (Jackie Chan) follows the tracks until Nevada, and along the way he teams up with a roguish gunfighter (Owen Wilson). Once in the West they will confront Indians , a treacherous sheriff (Xander Berkeley) and perfidious Chinese people.

The motion picture displays Western action , humor with tongue-in-cheek , spectacular struggles in Jackie Chan style and results to be pretty funny. Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson create an enjoyable and amusing couple . The highlights of the movie are the breathtaking movements executed by Jackie Chan himself , as he goes into action with his kicks , bounds and leaps . It's usual in Chan movies to form enjoyable duos , -in buddy movie style- , as male partner : Chris Tucker (Rush hour I, II and III) , as female: Jennifer Love Hewitt (The Tuxedo) and Claire Forlani (The medallion) and this one to pair off splendidly with Owen Wilson . Furthermore, Chan owns a funny horse, Jolly Jumper-alike from Lucky Luke series . The movie gets a glimmer cinematography and appropriate music score accompanying to action by Randy Edelman , composer along with Trevor Jones , of the classic soundtrack for ¨The last Mohican¨. The film was well directed by Tom Day and followed by a inferior sequel : ¨Shanghai knights¨ , set in 1887, London , where our two friends recover a valuable royal jewel robbed in the forbidden city.

When Princess Pei Pei (Lucy Liu) is kidnapped and taken to American by Lo Fong (Roger Yuan), the honour guard of The Forbidden City is dispatched to deliver the ransom and bring her back. Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) accompanies the guards on their journey and finds himself entangled with Indians, cowboys and the greedy attentions of train robber Roy O'Brannon (Owen Wilson).

This is essentially a mismatched buddy movie transferred to the American West and in that respect it is not exact an original plot, there aren't any great twists to grab you and a lot of the plot drivers are forced or predictable. However let's be honest - we're not hear for the plot! As with the Rush Hour movies, the plot is secondary to the comedy and the fight scenes. Here Owen Wilson provides the comedy as the laid back train robber while Jackie Chan provides the action and the comedy. The strength here is that this is a little unassuming film that will take you by surprise. The chemistry between Wilson and Chan is effortless and is as comfortable as the Chan/Tucker combo. Wilson's character is hilarious in a very easy way - he is clearly so out of place in the West and partially accepts it but also wants to be more than he is, as one of the bad guys put it "you're terrible. How have it made it this long?"

Chan again shows that he is the closest we have to a modern day Chaplin, he is as good at interacting with Wilson as he is with the physical comedy that is his trademark. One complaint is that, as with Rush Hour, we could probably have done with a few more fight scenes. However the comedy more than fills any voids that are between fights.

Other cast members are little more than excuses for the action. Roger Yuan and Xander Berkeley provide good baddies (Berkeley especially) but Lucy Liu is almost in her own little 'serious' movie and doesn't have much to do except be rescued (although she does show some of her "Charlie's Angels" potential in a fight scene towards the end).

Overall a gentle enjoyable comedy that is made all the more enjoyable by the ease by which it succeeds at making you laugh. Chan's fights are a little less impressive than other films but he excels in the comedy stakes. One very good thing is the customary outtakes at the end - unlike Rush Hour 2 they are NOT funnier than the rest of the film.