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"I'm getting too old for this shit!" complained Sgt X Murtaugh (Danny Glover) in 'Lethal Weapon'. That was 1987. 20 years later the buddy cop movie shows no signs of going into retirement — 'Rush Hour 3' continues the tradition of chopsocky action, motormouth dialogue and implausible stunts that's worked so well for Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker.

"Chris and Jackie don’t understand each other, and they’re from two completely different cultures," says Brett Ratner who has directed all three in the series.

"Even with the first movie, literally, when one of them walked out of the room, the other guy would say: 'I don’t understand what he just said.' And they both have a lot of fun with that.

"They’re a great team; they really complement each other, and I love watching them. When you watch these movies, you say: 'Wow, they must have had so much fun making them.' And it's really true."

Prior to his introduction to American audiences, Chan had already enjoyed a thriving career in the Hong Kong film industry that continues on a parallel track with his American successes. But while his Asian fans look forward to the next 'Police Story', everywhere else he goes he hears only one thing: "As soon as I get through immigration, I hear: 'Jackie, when is the next Rush Hour coming out?'" says Chan.

"It never gets boring," adds Tucker, who hasn’t appeared in a film since 2001's second instalment.

"Once we get together, we make each other laugh so much, and we’re friends in real life, so the comedy comes out of situations we’re in. I’ve been a big fan of Jackie’s since before we started doing these movies. I’m always excited when I go to the set and see him. We’re a good team, always creating new stuff to do together, and that’s the fun of these movies."

Much like the actors, their characters have grown closer throughout the progression of the three films.

"In the first movie, they became partners," figures Ratner. "In the second film, they became friends. In this film, they really do become brothers."

Adds returning screenwriter Jeff Nathanson: "None of us wanted to do a carbon copy sequel. We like to stay true to the characters and the growth of their friendship, but we really look at this as a stand-alone film."

In the first 'Rush Hour', Lee was the Hong Kong cop out of his element. In the second film, Carter had to negotiate Hong Kong. 'Rush Hour 3' takes them to Paris, where both are out of sorts.

Taking place six years after Carter and Lee boarded a plane bound for New York at the conclusion of part two, we find Carter, still a cop with the LAPD, now working the streets as a traffic officer. Meanwhile Ambassador Han (the big cheese whose daughter was kidnapped in the first film) gets on the wrong side of the ubiquitous Triad crime ring — prompting his chief inspector (Lee) to lay chase.

Of course he stumbles across Carter (and Han's now grown-up daughter) in the process and after a couple of ridiculously choreographed showdowns with ninjas, samurais and anybody else who knows a little martial arts, the two cops find themselves in Paris, surrounded by film veterans: actor Max von Sydow (as French Foreign Minister) and director Roman Polanski (French Police Inspector).

"This is one of those obnoxious French characters that we sometimes meet at the airport," explains the acclaimed director of such films as 'The Pianist' and 'Rosemary's Baby', who happens to be a fan of the first two 'Rush Hour' films.

"I get beautifully punched by Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. It was quick but very amusing. We had a lot of fun."

But why go to Paris if you can't use the usual landmarks — i.e. the Eiffel Tower — in some over-the-top stunts? So there's plenty of high-flying acrobatics — all performed by Chan himself, of course.

But more than simply stunts, both the action and the comedy of 'Rush Hour 3' emerge from the personalities at its core.

"'Rush Hour' works," says Ratner, "because these two characters don’t understand each other, and they’re from completely different cultures, but they’re brothers. That’s what makes their dynamic so interesting, but when chemistry and camaraderie like that are there, it’s undeniable. It’s up on screen.

"When I have the camera on them, I’m excited watching them."

The hope, of course, is that the audience shares that excitement…