RUSH HOUR 3 — * — Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan; rated PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity, slurs, torture, brief sex, brief partial nudity)

"Rush Hour 3" is easily the most unnecessary and least inspired movie "three-quel" so far this year.

What makes that such a strong statement is that moviehouses have already featured more than a few unsatisfying "thirds" as well as other similar cinematic servings this summer.

This action-comedy makes the previous two "Rush Hour" films look like masterpieces. Brett Ratner's direction and Jeff Nathanson's script are so by-the-numbers and so soulless that the whole project might as well have been called "Rush Job 3."

This time around, LAPD officer James Carter (Chris Tucker) and Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) are trying to stop the Chinese triads (mobs) from inciting violence in the United States and in Europe.

A triad-hired assassin nearly killed Lee's boss, Ambassador Han (Tzi Ma), who was just about to reveal the identity of the crime gang leaders.

Their pursuit of the gunman leads them to France, where they're also searching for a cabaret dancer named Genevieve (supermodel Noemie Lenoir), who may have shared the information with the ambassador.

However, Lee is keeping one thing from Carter: He knows who the would-be assassin is, and already spared his life once.

The film features the same noxious mix of racial humor, sexual innuendo and violent slapstick as its predecessors. A racially insensitive gag revisiting Abbott and Costello's "Who's on first?" routine is painful to watch.

And so is Tucker, who hasn't gotten any subtler or more quiet during his self-imposed "semi-retirement" (this is his first film in six years).

His co-star Chan doesn't embarrass himself too badly, but what veteran actor Max von Sydow and director-turned-actor Roman Polanski, who plays a French police inspector, saw in this — besides a quick paycheck — is anyone's guess.

"Rush Hour 3" is rated PG-13 for strong violent action (shootings, gunplay, martial-arts combat, swordplay, vehicular mayhem and violence against women), scattered profanity, crude sexual and bodily function humor (references), other suggestive language, slurs based on race and nationality, two scenes of torture and interrogation, brief sexual contact and brief partial female nudity (revealing dancer costumes). Running time: 91 minutes.

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E-mail: jeff@desnews.com