“Shanghai Noon”–and Wilson in particular–has already been a hit with preview audiences. Disney was confident enough about the movie to move its release date up to Memorial Day, where it will try its luck against Tom Cruise and “M:I-2.” Early in the movie, a Chinese princess (Lucy Liu) is kidnapped by traitors and whisked to the Wild West. An imperial guard (Jackie Chan) attempts to rescue her with some help from the bumbling O’Bannon. “Noon” can be quite clunky and derivative. Still, it’s goodhearted fun, and Wilson is such a blast of fresh air that he makes the saloon doors swing.
Not so long ago, Wilson resisted acting. In the mid-’90s, he and a buddy from the University of Texas, the director Wes Anderson, co-wrote an adorable, if little-seen, caper comedy called “Bottle Rocket.” Wilson starred in the movie with his brother Luke, but only after much prodding. “My fear, I guess, was what actually happened–that people would walk out in droves and that it would feel like a personal rejection.” Wilson and Anderson still work together–they also co-wrote another priceless, small-budget movie, the prep-school comedy “Rushmore”–even as Wilson builds a quirky career in blockbusters. The actor now lives in Los Angeles, and has dated Sheryl Crow for two years. As a result of the “Shanghai” previews, Wilson’s stock is up in Hollywood, and he’s being offered a lot more scripts. He still avoids seeing his own movies, though: “I get uncomfortable watching myself.” It’s too bad. There are many times when he’s the only thing worth watching.
