50 Movies Like Rush Hour (1998) You Need to Watch Next
Updated August 2026
View Rush Hour details →Brett Ratner's 1998 action-comedy-crime buddy movie throws two mismatched cops together and lets their friction do the work. Hong Kong Inspector Lee arrives in Los Angeles to investigate a kidnapping, only to be paired with cocky LAPD detective James Carter, whose real assignment is to keep him out of the way. Refusing to stay sidelined, the two form an unlikely partnership and chase the case themselves. It's built for viewers who love martial-arts comedy and the chemistry of an odd-couple duo, blending kinetic fight choreography with fast, bickering banter. If you want breezy, good-humoured action that leans on its leads' contrasting styles, this is an easy, crowd-pleasing watch.
If you loved Rush Hour (1998) by Brett Ratner, here are 50 movies that share its content DNA. iRankMovies measures real similarity using cosine similarity across eight weighted dimensions — genre (50%), tone (12%), pace (10%), structure (8%), era (7%), theme (6%), audience (4%) and narrative perspective (3%) — not just the rating. The closest matches according to our analysis are Rush Hour 2, Rush Hour 3, Police Story. Every title is ranked by how closely it matches and backed by the iRank Score, a composite of IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and TMDb across 12,000+ analysed titles.
The Best Movies Similar to Rush Hour
Selected for their real similarity in content, these are the movies that share the most with Rush Hour in terms of theme, narrative tone, and cinematic style. Every recommendation goes beyond genre — we evaluate the type of conflict, pacing, dramatic context, and the experience they create for viewers.
Rush Hour 2
2001 · Brett Ratner
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 wh
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Rush Hour 3
2007 · Brett Ratner
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
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Police Story
1985 · Jackie Chan
Officer Chan Ka Kui manages to put a major Hong Kong drug dealer behind the bars practically alone, after a shooting and an impressive chase inside a slum. Now, he must protect the boss' secretary, Se
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Rumble in the Bronx
1995 · Stanley Tong Gwai-Lai
Keong comes from Hong Kong to visit New York for his uncle's wedding. His uncle runs a market in the Bronx and Keong offers to help out while Uncle is on his honeymoon. During his stay in the Bronx, K
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
The Green Hornet
2011 · Michel Gondry
Britt Reid, the heir to the largest newspaper fortune in Los Angeles, is a spoiled playboy who has been, thus far, happy to lead an aimless life. After his father dies, Britt meets Kato, a resourceful
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Beverly Hills Cop
1984 · Martin Brest
Fast-talking, quick-thinking Detroit street cop Axel Foley has bent more than a few rules and regs in his time, but when his best friend is murdered, he heads to sunny Beverly Hills to work the case l
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Drunken Master
1978 · Yuen Woo-Ping
After getting into trouble, a mischievous young man is sent to train under a brutal, but slovenly old beggar, who teaches him the secret of the Drunken Fist.
In common: Action · Comedy
Baywatch
2017 · Seth Gordon
Devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon butts heads with a brash new recruit. Together, they uncover a local criminal plot that threatens the future of the Bay.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Bad Boys II
2003 · Michael Bay
Detectives Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowrey of the Miami Narcotics Task Force are tasked with stopping the flow of the drug Ecstasy into Miami. They track the drugs to the whacked-out Cuban drug lord Jo
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
21 Jump Street
2012 · Phil Lord
When cops Schmidt and Jenko join the secret Jump Street unit, they use their youthful appearances to go undercover as high school students. They trade in their guns and badges for backpacks, and set o
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
The A-Team
2010 · Joe Carnahan
A man who loves when a plan comes together, Col. Hannibal Smith leads a close-knit team of elite operatives and Iraq War veterans. Framed for a crime they didn't commit, Smith and his men, Capt. H.M.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Miss Congeniality
2000 · Donald Petrie
When the local FBI office receives a letter from a terrorist known only as 'The Citizen', it's quickly determined that he's planning his next act at the Miss America beauty pageant. Because tough-as-n
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
22 Jump Street
2014 · Phil Lord
After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt and Jenko when they go deep undercover at a local college. But when Jenko meets a kindred spirit on th
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Army of Thieves
2021 · Matthias Schweighöfer
A mysterious woman recruits bank teller Ludwig Dieter to lead a group of aspiring thieves on a top-secret heist during the early stages of the zombie apocalypse.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Johnny English Reborn
2011 · Oliver Parker
The most prominent heads of state in the world begin gathering for a conference that could have a major impact on global politics. When MI-7 receives word that the Chinese premier has become the targe
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Deep Cover
2025 · Tom Kingsley
Kat is an improv comedy teacher beginning to question if she’s missed her shot at success. When an undercover cop offers her the role of a lifetime, she recruits two of her students to infiltrate Lond
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
2 Guns
2013 · Baltasar Kormákur
A DEA agent and an undercover Naval Intelligence officer who have been tasked with investigating one another find they have been set up by the mob -- the very organization the two men believe they hav
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Unleashed
2005 · Louis Leterrier
Raised as a slave, Danny is used to fighting for his survival. In fact, his "master," Bart, thinks of him as a pet and goes as far as leashing him with a collar so they can make money in fight clubs,
In common: Action · Crime
Money Train
1995 · Joseph Ruben
When a vengeful New York transit cop decides to steal a trainload of subway fares, his foster brother—a fellow cop—tries to protect him.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Pineapple Express
2008 · David Gordon Green
A stoner and his dealer are forced to go on the run from the police after the pothead witnesses a cop commit a murder.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
2024 · Mark Molloy
Forty years after his unforgettable first case in Beverly Hills, Detroit cop Axel Foley returns to do what he does best: solve crimes and cause chaos.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Pain & Gain
2013 · Michael Bay
Daniel Lugo, manager of the Sun Gym in 1990s Miami, decides that there is only one way to achieve his version of the American dream: extortion. To achieve his goal, he recruits musclemen Paul and Adri
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
2011 · John Whitesell
FBI agent Malcolm Turner and his 17-year-old son Trent go undercover at an all-girls performing arts school after Trent witnesses a murder. Posing as Big Momma and Charmaine, they must find the murder
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist
2002 · Steve Oedekerk
A movie within a movie, created to spoof the martial arts genre. Writer/director Steve Oedekerk uses contemporary characters and splices them into a 1970s kung-fu film, weaving the new and old togethe
In common: Action · Comedy
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
2024 · Adil El Arbi
After their late former Captain is framed, Lowrey and Burnett try to clear his name, only to end up on the run themselves.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
The Naked Gun
2025 · Akiva Schaffer
Only one man has the particular set of skills... to lead Police Squad and save the world: Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. Following in his father's footsteps, he must solve a murder case to prevent Police Squad
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Big Stan
2007 · Rob Schneider
A weak con man panics when he learns he's going to prison for fraud. He hires a mysterious martial arts guru who helps transform him into a martial arts expert who can fight off inmates who want to hu
In common: Comedy · Crime
The Legend of Drunken Master
1994 · Lau Kar-Leung
Returning home with his father after a shopping expedition, Wong Fei-Hong is unwittingly caught up in the battle between foreigners who wish to export ancient Chinese artifacts and loyalists who don't
In common: Action · Comedy
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
2022 · Tom Gormican
Creatively unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, Nick Cage must accept a $1 million offer to attend the birthday of a dangerous superfan. Things take a wildly unexpected turn when Cage is recruited b
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
48 Hrs.
1982 · Walter Hill
A hard-nosed cop reluctantly teams up with a wise-cracking criminal temporarily paroled to him, in order to track down a killer.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
2003 · Quentin Tarantino
An assassin is shot by her ruthless employer, Bill, and other members of their assassination circle – but she lives to plot her vengeance.
In common: Action · Crime
Kiss of the Dragon
2001 · Chris Nahon
Liu Jian, an elite Chinese police officer, comes to Paris to arrest a Chinese drug lord. When Jian is betrayed by a French officer and framed for murder, he must go into hiding and find new allies.
In common: Action · Crime
Romeo Must Die
2000 · Andrzej Bartkowiak
Two warring gang families (one African-American, the other Chinese) maneuver for bragging rights to the Oakland, California, docks. Hang Sing and Trish O'Day uncover a trail of deceit that leaves most
In common: Action · Crime
Kung Fu Hustle
2004 · Stephen Chow
It's the 1940s, and the notorious Axe Gang terrorizes Shanghai. Small-time criminals Sing and Bone hope to join, but they only manage to make lots of very dangerous enemies. Fortunately for them, kung
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Hot Fuzz
2007 · Edgar Wright
Former London constable Nicholas Angel finds it difficult to adapt to his new assignment in the sleepy British village of Sandford. Not only does he miss the excitement of the big city, but he also ha
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Blue Streak
1999 · Les Mayfield
Miles Logan is a jewel thief who just hit the big time by stealing a huge diamond. However, after two years in jail, he comes to find out that he hid the diamond in a police building that was being bu
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Beverly Hills Cop II
1987 · Tony Scott
Axel Foley returns to the land of sunshine and palm trees to investigate the near-fatal shooting of police Captain Andrew Bogomil. With the help of Sgt. Taggart and Det. Rosewood, they soon uncover th
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
The Heat
2013 · Paul Feig
Uptight and straight-laced, FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn is a methodical investigator with a reputation for excellence--and hyper-arrogance. Shannon Mullins, one of Boston P.D.'s "finest," is foul-
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Red Heat
1988 · Walter Hill
A tough Russian policeman is forced to partner up with a cocky Chicago police detective when he is sent to Chicago to apprehend a Georgian drug lord who killed his partner and fled the country.
In common: Action · Crime
Police Story 4: First Strike
1996 · Stanley Tong Gwai-Lai
Hong Kong cop Chan Ka-Kui returns, working with Interpol to track down and arrest an illegal weapons dealer. Chan later realizes that things are not as simple as they appear and soon finds himself to
In common: Action · Comedy
Spy
2015 · Paul Feig
A desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Skiptrace
2016 · Renny Harlin
A detective from Hong Kong teams up with an American gambler to battle against a notorious Chinese criminal.
In common: Action · Comedy
Taxi
1998 · Gérard Pirès
In Marseilles a skilled pizza delivery boy Daniel who drives a scooter finally has his dreams come true. He gets a taxi license. Caught by the police for a huge speed infraction, he will help Emilien,
In common: Action · Comedy
Master Z: Ip Man Legacy
2018 · Yuen Woo-Ping
Following his defeat by Master Ip, Cheung Tin Chi tries to make a life with his young son in Hong Kong, waiting tables at a bar that caters to expats. But it's not long before the mix of foreigners, m
In common: Action · Crime
Shaolin Soccer
2001 · Stephen Chow
A young Shaolin follower reunites with his discouraged brothers to form a soccer team using their martial art skills to their advantage.
In common: Action · Comedy
Ocean's Eight
2018 · Gary Ross
Debbie Ocean, a criminal mastermind, gathers a crew of female thieves to pull off the heist of the century at New York's annual Met Gala.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Red Notice
2021 · Rawson Marshall Thurber
An Interpol-issued Red Notice is a global alert to hunt and capture the world's most wanted. But when a daring heist brings together the FBI's top profiler and two rival criminals, there's no telling
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
The Nice Guys
2016 · Shane Black
A private eye investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
2004 · Quentin Tarantino
The Bride unwaveringly continues on her roaring rampage of revenge against the band of assassins who had tried to kill her and her unborn child. She visits each of her former associates one-by-one, ch
In common: Action · Crime
The Gentlemen
2020 · Guy Ritchie
American expat Mickey Pearson has built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he’s looking to cash out of the business forever it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and
In common: Action · Comedy · Crime
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