Rush Hour

RUSH HOUR --------- by Ross LaManna and Jim Kouf Story by Ross LaManna FADE IN: EXT. HONG KONG -- NIGHT We're in a HELICOPTER POV flying over Hong Kong's dazzling skyline. SUPER - HONG KONG - JUNE 30, 1997 FADE UP the sound of a RADIO NEWSCAST as we continue to fly over luxury, high rise condos, gleaming corporate headquarters, and busy freeways. NEWS ANNOUNCER (British accent) ...and now, in something less than three hours, what was once known as the Asian pearl of the British Empire will revert forever to The People's Republic of China... Suddenly, we break out of the lights of the city and FLY LOW over the dark harbor. The newscaster's voice blends with the WHUMP WHUMP of the chopper. CUT TO: INT. A WAREHOUSE-NIGHT We're CLOSE on a huge gleaming DRAGON made of tin. The dragon seems to float effortlessly across a concrete warehouse floor. PULL BACK until we see that it's riding on a fork lift toward a SHIP docked at the warehouse. As the dragon moves, we see it pass PRICELESS CHINESE ART OBJECTS including ceramics, glass paintings, and huge statues. CHINESE MEN move quickly as they load this precious cargo into the hold of the ship. INT. THE HOLD-NIGHT The dragon is now descending right on top of us as it's lowered by A CRANE. A Chinese man carrying an AUTOMATIC WEAPON looks up at the dragon as he walks by. We hold on the dragon. Suddenly, A MAN'S FACE appears in the dragon's mouth. This is LEE, dressed all in black.