Western Movie Review - Shanghai Noon

by Jenny
(United States)

They Will Make You Laugh

Shanghai Noon is total laugh riot. It’s brilliant in comedy, story, script and action. Wilson and Chan absolutely will ride your funny bone while keeping the true western style alive. After Red Sun (1971), Shanghai Noon is film-makers' another attempt to mix east with west, although in a comic manner this time.


I want to make it clear in my western movie review that I am not a big fan of Jackie Chan movies, but I am a huge Owen Wilson admirer. So when my husband brought home Shanghai Noon for our family movie night, I decided to give it a chance. I am surprised to say that Shanghai Noon is now one of my favorite movies of all time! I can watch it over and over, and laugh every time!


The plot is based around Chinese Princess Pei-Pei (played by Lucy Liu) and an imperial guard, appropriately named Chon Wang, played by Jackie Chan. After Pei-Pei is unknowingly kidnapped, Chon Wang is sent to the United States with hopes of rescuing her. Roy O’Bannon, played hilariously by Owen Wilson, and his gang rob the wagon that Wang is riding on. Unfortunately for O’Bannon, his gang turns against him and leaves him for dead. From here starts a chain of humorous comic actions. The movie is full of every adventurous event you can think of in a western movie, be it an Indian marriage, bar brawls, outlaw run or jail breaking. They have done it all and in a wonderfully amusing way.


After escaping from jail, the two realize that they may make a good team. The unlikely duo become wanted men and spends the remainder of the movie in pursuit of rescuing the Princess. O’Bannon’s lack of common sense gets the pair into perilous circumstances, and it is up to Wang bail out the two of a kind. After various scraps and pickles, Princess Pei-Pei is rescued, and the movie concludes with the presumption that Wang and the Princess will end up together, and O’Bannon and Falling Leaves in a lip-lock. Final scenes show the once-outlaws Wang and O’Bannon as sheriffs chasing wagon train robbers.


As with any Jackie Chan movie, the fighting scenes are well choreographed and entertaining. Owen Wilson’s dry sense of humor makes laugh-out-loud moments throughout the movie. Wilson plays the part of self-important O’Bannon to perfection. O’Bannon tries so hard to be an outlaw, but he really a good guy at heart, and Wilson portrays O’Bannon in a way that you feel sorry for him even though he tries his absolute best to be an “outlaw.” Jackie Chan has perfected the character that is blissfully ignorant, yet strong in morals.


I recommend this movie to anyone, especially those who love to laugh. The jokes are consistent throughout the movie, and each time you watch it, you will find more things to laugh at. Although it is a comedy, the plot is dominant and doesn’t get lost in the pursuit of humor. The action and fight scenes, though extremely entertaining, are not overly violent and the whole family can enjoy this movie. Overall, I give this movie five stars!