Lacks the necessary elements to give it the fun and adventurous nature of its predecessor.
Shanghai Knights (2003)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:144
Fresh:94
Rotten:50
Average Rating:6/10
Consensus: A silly, anachronistic mess, but the pairing of Chan and Wilson makes the movie fun.
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: In this entertaining sequel to SHANGHAI NOON, Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) and Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson) are reunited on an adventure that leads them to Great Britain. Upon hearing of his father's... In this entertaining sequel to SHANGHAI NOON, Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) and Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson) are reunited on an adventure that leads them to Great Britain. Upon hearing of his father's murder in China at the hands of Englishman Lord Rathbone (Aidan Gillen), Wang leaves his law-enforcing life in Nevada and heads east. In New York City, he tracks down Roy, who now works as a waiter/gigolo. After a close encounter with New York's finest, Wang and Roy travel to London, where they team up with Wang's sister, Lin (Fann Wong), also out to avenge their father's death. Their search uncovers a plot to assassinate the royal family and brings them into contact with many touchstones of turn-of-the-20th-century British culture. A fitting follow-up to Chan and Wilson's first pairing, SHANGHAI KNIGHTS takes the fish-out-of-water element of the original and doubles it, as both Wang and Roy navigate the highs and lows of Victorian London. Chan, as always, astounds with a series of acrobatic fight sequences that involves unusual accessories such as revolving doors, fruit stands, and Chinese vases. And Wilson once again aptly fills the role of the wisecracking opportunist with a conscience who has a wry quip for every occasion. Meanwhile, Fann Wong is luminous as Wang's high-kicking sister; Aidan Gillen sneers superbly as the scheming Rathbone, and Hong Kong legend Donnie Yen makes the most of his small role as Rathbone's co-conspirator. In addition to incorporating Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charlie Chaplin, and Jack the Ripper into the story, David Dobkin's amusing film also features knowing nods to SINGING IN THE RAIN and the Harold Lloyd classic SAFETY LAST. [More]
Starring: Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, Fann Wong, Aidan Gillen
Starring: Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, Fann Wong, Aidan Gillen, Tom Fisher, Donnie Yen, Aaron Johnson, Gemma Jones
Director: David Dobkin
Director: David Dobkin
Screenwriter: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
Producer: Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, Jonathan Glickman
Composer: Randy Edelman
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Reviews for Shanghai Knights
An action-comedy sequel so indefatigably preposterous and farklemt -- as they say in certain Upper West Side saloons -- that it actually improves on the original.
It’s a cheerfully goofy movie that doesn’t have a mean-spirited bone in its body.
Suffers from a nearly fatal case of sequelitis...stumbles more often than it flies.
Shanghai Noon was fun and Shanghai Knights is more of the same -- just not as much fun.
Hilariously tongue-in-cheek and packed with comical homages to everything from the Keystone Kops and Harry Houdini to The Beatles and Taxi Driver.
...as far as mindless entertainment goes, you really could do a lot worse.
Jackie's truly inspired choreography constructs a simply magical umbrella bout that plays tongue in cheek homage to "Singin' in the Rain."
Sets up its next episode for a Hollywood setting, but if it continues down this path we may be in for a Shanghai Surprise.
The story just rambles along, picking up more or less where the original left off as if the filmmakers thought the original would have been twice as funny if it had been four hours long.
The jokes and gymnastics don't fly fast and furiously enough to catch audiences off-guard.
Given a more credible narrative that cared a little about the characters, Shanghai Knights could have been solid entertainment. As it is, it ranks no higher than a passable diversion.
A modicum of empowerment has been afforded to the film’s token femme fatale but Wilson’s jokes still work on a success ratio of 1-to-20.
If [Chan's Singin' in the Rain routine] doesn't put a smile on your face and a song in your heart, you may be in need of a medical checkup.
Hooray for Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson! In Shanghai Knights, they emerge again as one of filmdom's most watchable duos.
Grating. That's the best word to describe this flat follow-up to Shanghai Noon.
...less than a full-fledged movie ... but it is an entertaining way to pass a couple of idle hours.
Propelled by potent chemistry between Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson, Shanghai Knights proves that, sometimes, bigger actually can be better.
It's the stronger supporting players and script that make Knights a more palatable hybrid than Noon.
Latest News for Shanghai Knights
July 13, 2006:
Box Office Preview: Dupree and Little Man Bust Into Your Home
A pair of new star-driven comedies will try to steal away some treasure from the record-breaking hit Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest in a laugh-filled battle for the... More...
August 15, 2002:
Nothing shocking, but just the kind of chemistry that made the last installment work just right. ![]()
More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Shanghai Knights at Rotten Tomatoes
- Shanghai Knights at IGN
- Shanghai Knights at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

