Shanghai Knights (PG-13, 2003)

common sense media says

This buddy movie is for teens and up.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has some raunchy humor, including scenes in brothels. There's a nude pillow fight (nothing shown), and there are some brief sexual situations. Roy, who happily makes a living having sex with women for money at the beginning of the film, turns down an offer to have sex when he falls in love with Lin, even though he doesn't know how she feels about him. Characters smoke and drink with a lot of enjoyment. They also cheat, lie, and steal without any remorse. As with all Chan movies, there is a lot of action violence and peril, but only the bad guys get seriously hurt.

Violence: Action violence, peril, characters killed
Sex: Comic sexual situations including prostitution
Language: Crude language
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Drinking and smoking favorably portrayed

More on Shanghai Knights

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the puzzle box Wang's father sent him, and why it was important to show patience before receiving the message. Why was that particular message so important to him? They may want to find out more about Charlie Chaplin, Jack the Ripper, Queen Victoria, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his famous creations, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

What's the story?

What's the story?
Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson reprise their roles as serious Chinese Imperial Guard turned sheriff Chon Wang and amiable bandit turned waiter/gigolo Roy O'Bannon. In the first film, the princess and the treasure the heroes won at the happy end are swiftly dispatched and Roy and Chon are off to London to avenge the murder of Chon's father and retrieve the great seal stolen from the emperor of China. They arrive just as the celebration of Queen Victoria's 50 years on the throne is about to begin. Chon's sister Lin (Fann Wong) is in jail for attempting to kill Rathbone (Aiden Gillen), the Queen's cousin. Our heroes have to get Lin out of jail, get back the seal, and stop the plots to kill off the nine people between Rathbone and the crown and usurp the emperor of China. Their adventures include comedic encounters with policemen, prostitutes, Jack the Ripper, a street urchin/pickpocket, a newfangled contraption called the automobile, and Stonehenge.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
There are no surprises in SHANGHAI KNIGHTS, but that's only because it delivers exactly what we expect: a cheerfully anachronistic buddy/action/comedy movie starring Chan and Wilson. Every few minutes it throws in either a classic pop standard, an impossibly agile fight scene, some offbeat surfer cowboy comments, some fish out of water humor, or some combination of all of them. In other words, it's pretty much just like the first movie, except that it's set in London.

The action scenes are ably staged, especially a marvelous battle with Keystone Cops-style policemen in a revolving door, a fight in a fruit market, and some masterful acrobatics with that most British of props, the umbrella. The comedy is more uneven, though Wilson's way with a line is always deliciously offbeat. Wong has a dazzling smile and a lethal kick, always a good combination to have on hand.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Director: David Dobkin
Cast: Fann Wong, Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 114 minutes
Theatrical release: February 7, 2003
DVD release: July 15, 2003
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: action violence and sexual content

This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13

Most useful reviews by all members

LoveOwenWilson
teen, 15 years old
 
teens
LOL @ Owen Wilson!! love him!

Ashnak
adult
 
Very Odd
This is a good action movie. Don't expect much of a plot, but minorly entertaining if you like Jackie Chan.

calfan
adult
 
entertaining movie
good stunts

anna312
teen, 15 years old
 
edgyer than the first one but still funny stuff
not as good as the first one, but still pretty funny. it was also edgyer than the first one. for instance in " Roy's dream" a girl licks his face. he is also surrounded by pretty girls. and roy wants chon to get money by sleeping with girls. the language is about the same as the first and so is the violence ( which is not very bad at all) also characters stick together throughout the whole film. so if you have a mature ten year old i think ok

chargnar
teen, 15 years old
 
Hilarious
For older teens only

An independent voice for families
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About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age