Hong Kong action superstar Jackie Chan teams up with loudmouth American comedian Chris Tucker for this blockbuster thriller that's essentially an east-meets-west buddy movie about two cops trying to deal with an international kidnapping. Director Brett Ratner allows plenty of time for character development between the spectacular set pieces, and Chan and Tucker's inspired double act elevates it above the norm. Equally adept at comic martial arts, Chaplin-esque gymnastic displays and near-superhuman stunts, Chan has never been more engaging, and Tucker's character is a likeably cocky foil, complete with machine-gun patter. Memorable moments include the pair singing a unique rendition of Edwin Starr's War and rolling over each other's backs to biff the villains.

When Hong Kong Inspector Lee is summoned to Los Angeles to investigate a kidnapping, the FBI doesn't want any outside help and assigns cocky LAPD Detective James Carter to distract Lee from the case. Not content to watch the action from the sidelines, Lee and Carter form an unlikely partnership and investigate the case themselves.