Plot: What’s it about?
Jimmy Tong (Jackie Chan) is a taxi driver with great ambition, although he is never able to turn his ambition into results. Even when he tries to ask out a woman he likes, he feels awkward and says all the wrong things. He also reads books about how to impress people and move up in the world, but results are still minimal. Tong is able to drive his taxi however, so fast and efficient that he attracts the attention of some important folks. A woman named Steena (Debi Mazar) enters his cab and says she is in a rush, so if he gets her to the destination before she finishes her make-up, she will double the meter. Of course, Jimmy is prepared to collect the extra funds and uses all of his skills, not to mention connections, to get her there in time. She is impressed and tells him to report back for a new job, driving for a special agent. The agent is Clark Devlin (Jason Isaacs), a smooth operator who seems to be everything Tong wants to be, suave, sophisticated, and of course, wealthy beyond all imagination. So Tong works for Devlin for a while and the two become friends, but then an accident lands Devlin in the hospital. Just as passed out at the scene however, he told Tong to find a man named Walter Strider. Tong is reluctant, but he puts on Devlin’s tuxedo and discovers that the suit has more to it than meets the eye…
I am always glad to see Jackie Chan in new movies, but its his work in Hollywood has been less than impressive. The filmmakers have held Chan back and allowed his costars to outshine him, not to mention using more computer special effects than practical stunts, which further limits Chan’s best abilities. The Tuxedo is more than Rush Hour or Shanghai Noon, but Chan isn’t allowed to cut loose and that’s a shame. The storyline is solid and seems like a good match for Chan, since it has action, comedy, and even some romance, all of which Jackie handles with ease. He is a blast to watch as usual, but the filmmakers use too much in the way of digital special effects, when they should just let Jackie work his special kind of magic. In the few scenes when he does what he does best, this movie is terrific, but then it slows down when the computer wizards are called in. I have to admit though, I had a good time with The Tuxedo, even though Jackie wasn’t set loose to make this a much more active, enjoyable picture. The fight scenes are solid, Jackie’s physical comedy is great, and the visuals are excellent, with some really nice cinematography. I do wish Chan’s skills were better used, but this was a lot better than I had expected. As such, I recommend The Tuxedo as a rental to fans of action-comedies and of course, fans of Jackie.
As frequent readers know, Jackie Chan is my favorite active cinematic worker, though his recent American pictures haven’t been too dynamic. Yes, movies like Shanghai Noon and Rush Hour have made a ton of money at the box office, but for fans of Chan, its like watching him with one hand tied behind his back. He has to work with an annoying sidekick, has to work within the Hollywood stunt system, and isn’t able to get the kind of full on action he is capable of, even though it is just fun to watch him in action, to be sure. In The Tuxedo, he still has a sidekick, but its a woman, which allows the kind of action, romance, and comedy we’re after. Chan works with a female sidekick often in his Asian pictures and he seems to work better in this environment, as he doesn’t have some loudmouth at his side, but instead a beautiful woman. I think Chan is a lot of fun to watch in this movie, as he seems more comfortable than in previous American projects. This isn’t his best work ever, but I do think it is his best work in Hollywood. Other films with Chan include Rumble in the Bronx, Project A, City Hunter, Drunken Master, and Mr. Nice Guy. The cast also includes Jennifer Love Hewitt (Can’t Hardly Wait, Heartbreakers), Jason Isaacs (The Patriot, Windtalkers), and Debi Mazar (Meet Wally Sparks, The Insider).
Video: How does it look?
The Tuxedo is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. In the usual Dreamworks tradition, we have an image that is clean, sharp, and free from serious defects. The print is nearly pristine, so grain is never a problem and debris is absent, save a couple of minor, almost invisible nicks in a couple scenes. I found the contrast to be superb here, with crisp and refined black levels that provide ample detail. The black hues are simply awesome here, with no softness in the contrast at all, very good work indeed. No complaints with the colors either, as hues look bright and vivid, especially the reds, which shine here. This is simply a dynamic visual effort from Dreamworks, which is only a shade below reference level.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio here is quite good, but isn’t as bold and dynamic as I expected, given the action driven material involved. This comes as a surprise to be sure, especially since Dreamworks has included both Dolby Digital & DTS soundtracks. The action scenes have some spark, but not the kind of impact we get with most action picture mixes. The speakers get used a lot, but it lacks the power and creative presence we’ve come to expect. But since the elements sound solid, I can’t complain too much. I just would have liked more drive in some scenes, instead of a very good, but restrained presentation. The music sounds excellent however, using all the speakers to immerse the audience in its atmosphere. No flaws with dialogue either, as vocals are clean and crisp, with no volume problems to mention. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround option, a French language track, and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The best of the extras here is almost a dozen deleted & extended scenes, though the blooper reel is also a terrific inclusion. I was kind of let down with minimal action in the deleted scenes, but it is still cool to see some material that was excised. A behind the scenes featurette from HBO is also found here, but it is pure promotional fluff. This disc also includes some talent files, production notes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
