AfroAsian Brotherhood: Queer Masculinities in the Rush Hour Trilogy and The Karate Kid

This article examines the representations of AfroAsian brotherhood and its cultural significance in the Rush Hour Trilogy (1998, 2001, 2007). The plots revolve around the comedy between Lee, a Hong Kong police played by Jacky Chan and his partner, Carter, an LA police officer played by Chris Tucker. Although the movies are different from each other in terms of setting, they all feature the bonding of AfroAsian brotherhood and racilisation of masculinities. This article studies the gazes projected onto the characters to interrogate the cross-racial bromance. It is an inquiry into the dynamics of the relational masculinities of the protagonists. By looking at the mise-en-scène and characterisation of the selected movies, the article presents itself as a novel way to understand the cultural significance of the blockbusters. It is an attempt to study racialized bromance in Hollywood cinematic representations in seeing AfroAsian bonds.