Shanghai Noon takes place in 1890, before China was corrupted with guns, cunning businessmen and the ways of the Western World. Innocent Princess Pei Pei (Lucy Liu) is kidnapped and taken to the United States by her English speaking mentor and educator and held for a ransom of one hundred thousand gold pieces.

Distraught, the Chinese Imperial Court sends three of their best Imperial Guards and an interpreter with the required ransom to America. Chon Wang (Jackie Chan), who keenly follows the princess' interests, pleads to be sent with the Royal escort and through his uncle, the Royal Interpreter, the Royal Court allows it.

Tracking through the harsh terrain of the Nevada desert in a steam engine train, Chon Wang's uncle is shot by a gang of bandits who happen to raid and loot the train. Chon Wang thus starts his epic adventure across the American plains in pursuit of his uncle's killers and to rescue Princess Pei Pei and escort her back to China.

Through the rough Nevada terrain, Chon stumbles upon Crow warriors in pursuit of a Red Indian boy from a Sioux tribe. Chon is subsequently adopted into the Sioux family for saving the boys' life, and wed to the Chief's daughter, Falling Leaves (Brandon Merril). Chon embarks on his quest with his new bride, who ends up saving Chon's life more than once.

Chon meets up with Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson), the leader of the bandit gang who had slain his uncle. Roy, as it turns out, is a fumbling gun slinging buffoon, now cast out by his own gang. They form a kinship and a bad rep with the Sheriff, who now wants them dead.

The idea of Shanghai Noon first came to Jackie's mind (the Executive Producer) during the production of "Rush Hour". It is a hilarious action comedy, melding East and West, with the extreme physical action sequences trademark of Jackie's movies.

The set of Shanghai Noon is not an oversimplified Western studio either; rather it covers an expanse of locations as different as the leading characters. Right from the start we are treated to the Royal Courtyard where the Imperial Guards honored the Emperor in the Forbidden city. The Sioux village, the Chinese Railroad slave camp, the Western town and the steam engine train itself formed much of the setting for Chon's epic adventure.

Jackie and Owen form a good pairing complemented with a great blend of humor. Jackie, innocent to Western ways, and Owen, innocent to Western ways yet demanding to be teacher and mentor to Jackie in the ways of the Wild West, only to be outshone by a Sioux Indian.

The story is all too predictable. But the antics of the two leading comedians as well as Jackie's super action sequences riddled with humor is something to behold and laugh about for a good while.