Rush Hour - Watch Order: Release Order
The Rush Hour trilogy is a straightforward buddy cop action-comedy series that pairs LAPD Detective James Carter with Hong Kong Police Inspector Lee for high-stakes international adventures. The films blend Jackie Chan's signature martial arts choreography with Chris Tucker's rapid-fire comedy, creating a successful formula that helped bridge Eastern and Western action cinema.
Since the trilogy follows a linear storyline with character development that carries forward through each installment, the release order matches the chronological story progression, taking Carter and Lee to different locations around the world.
Linear Timeline: Release Order = Story Order

Rush Hour
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.

Rush Hour 2
It's vacation time for Carter as he finds himself alongside Lee in Hong Kong wishing for more excitement. While Carter wants to party and meet the ladies, Lee is out to track down a Triad gang lord who may be responsible for killing two men at the American Embassy. Things get complicated as the pair stumble onto a counterfeiting plot. The boys are soon up to their necks in fist fights and life-threatening situations. A trip back to the U.S. may provide the answers about the bombing, the counterfeiting, and the true allegiance of sexy customs agent Isabella.

Rush Hour 3
After a botched assassination attempt, the mismatched duo finds themselves in Paris, struggling to retrieve a precious list of names, as the murderous crime syndicate's henchmen try their best to stop them. Once more, Lee and Carter must fight their way through dangerous gangsters; however, this time, the past has come back to haunt Lee. Will the boys get the job done once and for all?
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