“People can jump on Game Pass, download the game, and basically use it as a demo but then they could just keep playing. “But in a way, the shadow drop worked almost better than we could have imagined because any fear about, ‘Tango is not doing a horror game’ or ‘What is rhythm action? I don’t get it,'” said Johanas. Tango Gameworks was only previously known for The Evil Within, The Evil Within 2, and Ghostwire: Tokyo, all of which are in the horror genre, something Hi-Fi Rush could not be further from. Johanas also expressed fear over having to explain the game, which could have potentially hurt its chances. And eventually it was narrowed down to this shadow drop.” “So they developed a strategy basically launch first and then promotion. The bottomline is that while it won't exactly leave you feeling refreshed, it won't leave you feeling like you've totally wasted your time, either.“We have a rare opportunity here for something kind of unique that works around what’s in the game already and what people are saying about the game,” said Johanas. Even though I found a lot wrong with it, I still found myself entertained. By no means a classic, at least Rush Hour 2 is a light, brisk, and somewhat frisky minor matinee diversion. While still not a superb martial arts action comedy (I suggest Chan's Project A series for some truly astonishing kung fu comedy), Rush Hour 2 is heads and shoulders above the summer's other martial arts entry, the dismally mundane Kiss of the Dragon. And there's a rather nice scuffle in a massage parlor that utilizes Jackie's agile gymnastic prowess to full effect (not to mention his physical comedic timing with Tucker, which, during this particular scene is damn near perfect). On the stunt/action front, RH2 pays homage to the classic bamboo scaffolding stunts that have populated many an HK kung fu classic from vintage Chan to latter day Li, et al. I will say that from my recollection of the initial Rush Hour flick, the sequel kicks the stunt quotient up several notches. They're just way too few and way too far between. This is not to say that RH2 is completely devoid of killer action sequences, because it's not. Those looking for classic JC moves should drag out that old worn out copy of Drunken Master (the original 1974 version, mind you, although Drunken Master 2 will work in a pinch). True to American martial arts film protocol, the hot, badass bad girl is drastically underutilized and when she's finally subdued by the heroes, it's a lackluster, cop-out of a battle. I mean she has that evil bitch scowl down pat, she brandishes a pistol with verve, and she kicks a mean ass, to boot. On the surface the addition of Zhang Ziyi as the dastardly Hu Li seems like a perfect fit. In the baddie department, the oft-neglected John Lone turns in a nice performance (despite the cliched nature of his character) as the triad leader Ricky Tan. Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 2 The obvious natural chemistry between Chan and Tucker alleviates some of this, but not enough to make it even passably palatable. Call me a prude, but the polar-opposites-teaming-up schitck is as old as it comes, and when you toss in copious amounts of racial humor (all Asians look alike/all black people look alike) it becomes tiresome and cliched beyond reproach. For those familiar with the first film (and even those who aren't), the pair represent the classic odd couple: Lee is quiet, almost taciturn Carter is a loose cannon with a non-stop mouth. And when they end up in Vegas on the trail of the culprits, well, let's just say that they aren't there for the gambling and nekkid women floorshows. Naturally, the two become involved in a counterfeit money-laundering caper, which puts a serious kink in Carter's vacation itinerary. Albeit this time around Detective James Carter (Tucker) is on vacation visiting his old pal Chief Inspector Lee (Chan) in Hong Kong. In terms of story, RH2 is pretty much a retread of the first film. And the abrasively annoying humor and intermittent action just keeps moving along at a breakneck pace for the next 79 minutes (the flick is a modest 89 minutes total running time, a rarity in this overblown summer blockbuster market). Such is how Brett Ratner's sequel to the highly successful Rush Hour begins. Alas, this serene image is jarred by a massive explosion followed by Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker butcherin' The Beach Boys mobile-karaoke style (they're singin' along to a CD in the car). At any rate, said sweeping shot of HK – camera swooping up over Victoria Peak then dipping down into the heart of the isle to reveal the skyscrapers, rickshaws, and junk littered throughout the various bays – is what we get for the opening of RH2.
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