Rush Hour

I watch a lot of movies on TV, mostly ones I’ve already seen before. This past weekend I saw Rush Hour for the 987654321 time. The movie is about two cops named Detective Lee, a Hong Kong Detective, and Detective James Carter, LAPD. The two must join forces to catch the criminals and save an eleven-year-old Chinese girl of the Chinese consul. The difference between the two is that Agent Lee is a good cop, while Detective Carter is as bad as it gets. Many parts of the movie reminded me of Catullus’s “Amici et Inimici” poems. Detective Carter is cocky, street smart LAPD officer who prefers doing things his own way. His major flaw is that he thinks he’s a hotshot detective when he’s one of LAPD’s worst. After an attempt to arrest drug dealer goes wrong, Detective Carter is assigned by his boss to work for the FBI and be the “baby-sitter” of Agent Lee. This reminds me of Carmen 22. “homo est venustus et dicax et urbanus, idemque longe plurimos facit versus.” (That man is charming, and witty, and sophisticated, and the same man makes the most by far very many verses of poetry). All the characteristics used to describe Suffenus can be used to describe Detective Carter; he is charming, witty, and sophisticated. Both think they are good at a something, when truthfully they pretty much suck at it. Suffenus believes he’s a good poet, but Catullus ridicules him and shows otherwise. Detective Carter thinks he’s a good cop, when the entire LAPD department ridicule him for being a “baby-sitter” for the FBI. This movie also fits into Catullus’s theme of “Amici et Inimici” because many enemies don’t hurt each other physically, but more emotionally and mentally. That white guy who is a friend of the Chinese consul Soo Yung, advises him to give the kidnappers all the money they want. In the end, we find out that this White guy is a part of the kidnappers. This shows that one can afflict pain on his enemies without using physical force. Throughout the movie, there is a lot a ridiculing going on. This was the basis for Catullus’s “Amici et Inimici” poems. Detective Carter ridicules Agent Lee because of his accent and culture. The LAPD makes fun of Detective Carter. Detective Carter makes fun of his ex-partner beacuse she is a fema. Agent Lee accidentally makes fun a group of black people while playing pool. The FBI makes fun of the LAPD for being the worst police division in the nation.