September 20, 1998 -- Jackie Chan has been one of the top stars in world cinema for years, but he's had trouble getting similar box office results in the U.S. "Rush Hour," just might do the trick.

Some of Chan's recent films, "Rumble in the Bronx," "Mr. Nice Guy" and "First Strike," have not done well at the box office. Those badly-dubbed Hong Kong films with hard-to-follow plots evidently weren't suited to American tastes.

"Rush Hour," starring Chan and Chris Tucker ("The Fifth Element") as a couple of mismatched cops on the trail of a kidnapper, is more of an American film. Although it features plenty of Chan's mind-boggling physical agility, it really showcases the comic abilities of both men.

This film reminded me a little of "Beverly Hills Cop," in that there is plenty of action, but it is really more of a comedy. While Tucker does have that annoying high voice, at least it was more tolerable than his over-the-top performance in "The Fifth Element." Chan shows a very assured low-key comic presence that is a nice counterpoint to Tucker's hyperactivity.

The plot has to do with the kidnapping of the daughter of a high-level Chinese diplomat. A detective, played by Tucker, is assigned to accompany a Hong Kong detective, played by Chan, to keep him from interfering in the case. Nobody believes these guys will stay out of the case and everybody knows these guys will solve it. The fun is seeing the way they solve it and how they react to each other, and it is a lot of fun. It rates a B.

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