"SHANGHAI NOON" has received a "SPECIAL EDITION" treatment from BUENA  VISTA HOME ENTERTAINMENT and while at first it may appear to be just a  "Jackie Chan" movie set in the Wild West, it's much more than that!  To begin with, it's certainly the best film that Chan has done since "THE BIG  BRAWL", another comedic/action period film.  The setup for the film seems pretty predictable and silly at first.  Although Chan is a member of the Chinese Imperial Guard, it's immediately obvious that he's clumsy like Jerry Lewis.  It's little surprise that his superiors want to get rid of  him.  So, when he's sent on a mission to the United States, we know that he's going to have many chances to prove himself before the film ends.
When we're introduced to Owen Wilson, playing a bumbling, good-hearted outlaw, we just "know" these two are going to meet up and join forces somehow.  While this is all predictable, it doesn't take anything away from the rest of the film!  The reason for this is because the film depends on chemistry, which there's plenty of here!  Unlike Chan's  "RUSH  HOUR", these two actors work well together, and never at anyone's expense.
 There are plenty of laughs, and director Tom Dey provides enough sweeping compositions and fast pacing to make the film feel like a "big" western!  This is evident from the first scene with Wilson.  Dey introduces us to Wilson's character in a segment that truly has the feel of an epic.  The music, use of space and more, create a sweeping atmosphere evoking memories of John Ford. 

The transfer is outstanding!  The 2.35:1 aspect ratio is intact with 16:9
enhancement! Again, Dey's utilizes this perspective brilliantly.  While
even a 1.33:1 ratio can bring about an epic feel(Lonesome Dove), in the
right hands a wide ratio like this can do so much to build atmosphere that
we were really impressed and hope to see many more films from this
director.  While colors tend to push the limits in saturation at times,
the clarity of the image is staggering!  There's just incredible detail in
almost every image!  No artifacts either! 

The DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1 sound is of "DEMONSTRATION QUALITY"!  The directional effects and fidelity engulf the viewer from the very beginning, and it doesn't let up at all throughout the film!  While the LFE(.1) channel is used sparingly, it takes on powerful proportions
whenever it comes and leaves the viewer wanting more.  It also perfectly
compliments one of composer Randy Edelman's finest scores! 

BUENA VISTA HOME ENTERTAINMENT has made sure there are tons of supplements on this dvd.  To begin with, Director Dey, Chan and Wilson provide a relaxed, but very funny "and" enlightening commentary track.  While it's basically screen-specific and Chan hasn't really mastered the English language, there are some entertaining stories told, and aspiring filmmakers will appreciate some of the obstacles that had to be overcome in the film's production.  Our favorite section:  Deleted scenes!  There are 7 of them, and while most of them were completely unnecessary, there's one that should've been left intact within the film! Unfortunately, these scenes aren't with 16:9 enhancement, and lack the flawless clarity of the rest of the film.  There are a bunch of mini-featurettes, but these self-serving without revealing much.  A music video is also included!