"The nature of Rush has always been musicianship first", comments Geddy Lee in the documentary that accompanies Rush in Rio. It's an apt summation of both the band and this, their first made-for-DVD concert release. Fans will know already about the Canadian power trio's legendary musical craftsmanship, and so will be delighted to learn that the same meticulous care has been extended to this two-disc set, a record of their first ever visit to Brazil, and especially the climactic concert of the Vapor Trails tour, in which Messrs. Lee, Lifeson and Peart played to an ecstatic audience of 60,000 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on November 23rd, 2002.

The first disc clocks in at just under three hours and presents the gig itself in non-anamorphic widescreen filmed by 22 cameras, and recorded in stunning clarity in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. The result of such comprehensive coverage captures the stadium atmosphere ideally: the Brazilian fans cheering lustily, like an enthusiastic football crowd whose favourite team has won for the first time in years; the massive video screen; the even bigger light and pyrotechnic effects; and Geddy Lee's washing machines, of course. Kicking off with the crowd-pleasing "Tom Sawyer" (but then, everything pleases this crowd), Rush reach back into every phase of their catalogue to provide a bravado demonstration of musicianship infused with apparently limitless energy, not to mention enjoyment: just watch them grinning as the audience goes wild for "YYZ". Things really hot up in the second half, when fire-breathing dragons announce "One Little Victory", followed by the big surprise of the night: the Lee-Lifeson acoustic rendition of "Resist", following right after Neil Peart's storming drum solo "O Baterista".

Disc 2 contains The Boys in Brazil, a lengthy fly-on-the-wall look at the band's Brazilian trip, from fans at the airport, through Alex Lifeson clowning around in his hotel room, to various rehearsals and soundchecks. Retrospective interviews with the trio are interspersed throughout. It's hardly groundbreaking as rockumentaries go, but for fans it's a rare chance to peak behind the scenes at a band who value their privacy. Three tracks can also be found here in multi-angle versions: select any one of four mini-screen options to view "YYZ", "O Baterista" and "La Villa Strangiato" from different perspectives. In addition, there are two Easter eggs: the 1975 promo for "Anthem" and the "By-Tor" animation used during the concert. Rush fans everywhere will soon be wondering how they lived so long without this splendid two-disc set. "We will pay the price, but we will not count the cost." --Mark Walker

Stupendous performance at an equally marvellous Maracana Stadium on the 23rd November,2002 at Rio , Brazil . Track listing includes: Tom Sawyer, Distant Early Warning, New World Man and many more.

The plot line may sound familiar: two mismatched cops are assigned as reluctant partners to solve a crime. Culturally they are complete opposites, and they quickly realise they can't stand each other. One (Jackie Chan) believes in doing things by the book. He is a man with integrity and nerves of steel. The other (Chris Tucker) is an amiable rebel who can't stand authority figures. He's a man who has to do everything on his own, much to the displeasure of his superior officer, who in turn thinks this cop is a loose cannon but tolerates him because he gets the job done. Directed by Brett Ratner, Rush Hour doesn't break any new ground in terms of story, stunts, or direction. It rehashes just about every "buddy" movie ever made--in fact, it makes films such as Tango and Cash seem utterly original and clever by comparison. So, why did this uninspired movie make over $120 million at the box office? Was the whole world suffering from temporary insanity? Hardly. The explanation for the success of Rush Hour is quite simple: chemistry. The casting of veteran action maestro Jackie Chan with the charming and often hilarious Chris Tucker was a serendipitous stroke of genius. Fans of Jackie Chan may be slightly disappointed by the lack of action set-pieces that emphasise his kung-fu craft. On the other hand, those who know the history of this seasoned Hong Kong actor will be able to appreciate that Rush Hour was the mainstream breakthrough that Chan had deserved for years. Coupled with the charismatic scene-stealer Tucker, Chan gets to flex his comic muscles to great effect. From their first scenes together to the trademark Chan outtakes during the end credits, their ability to play off of one another is a joy to behold, and this mischievous interaction is what saves the film from slipping into the depths of pitiful mediocrity. --Jeremy Storey

Rush Hour 2 retains the appeal of its popular predecessor, so fans will enjoy the antics of the returning stars, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. The action--and there's plenty of it--starts in Hong Kong, where Detective Lee (Chan) and his LA counterpart Detective Carter (Tucker) are attempting a vacation, only to get assigned to sleuth a counterfeiting scheme involving a Triad kingpin (John Lone), his lethal henchwoman (Zhang Ziyi, from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and an American billionaire (Alan King). Director Brett Ratner simply lets his stars strut their stuff, so it hardly matters that the plot is disposable, or that his direction is so bland he may well have directed the film from a phone in a Jacuzzi.

At its best, Rush Hour 2 compares favourably to Chan's glossiest Hong Kong hits, and when the action moves to Las Vegas (where Don Cheadle makes an unbilled cameo), the film goes into high-pitched hyper-drive, riding an easy wave of ambitious stunt-work and broad, derivative humour. However, echoes of Beverly Hills Cop are easy to see and stale ideas (including a comedic highlight for Jeremy Piven as a gay clothier) are made even more aggravating by dialogue that's almost Neanderthal in its embrace of retro-racial stereotypes. Of course, that's what makes Rush Hour 2 a palatable dish of mainstream comedy: it insults and comforts the viewer at the same time, and while some may find Tucker's relentless hamming unbearable, those who enjoyed Rush Hour are sure to appreciate another dose of Chan-Tucker lunacy. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com