GOOD (IF NOT TERRIBLY LOGICAL) FUN.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic

'SHANGHAI KNIGHTS'' is a sequel that no one really demanded, but since they went to the trouble of creating it, the filmmakers accomplished the rather modest goal of constructing a movie that's a distinct improvement over its predecessor.

Essentially a two-hour Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck cartoon, only without the same rigorous character development, ``Knights'' plays to the strengths of its likable leads - Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson - and has the good sense to keep dispensable things (story, logic) from getting in their way. Few fans will complain.

The movie is set in the late 19th century, and its action takes place in the far-flung locales of China, the Old West, New York and London. Each location has the authenticity of a theme park ride - tidy, shiny, safe and not remotely believable. But authenticity doesn't seem to be an ambition for a movie that gleefully lumps together Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Gene Kelly, the Who, Jack the Ripper, ``A Hard Day's Night'' and Charlie Chaplin in an anything-goes approach to entertainment.

After a violent opening kung-fu and knife fight that seems a bit out of place in its gruesome tone, ``Shanghai Knights'' reteams its two heroes - the sincere street fighter Chon ``John Wayne'' Wang (Chan) and surfer dude Roy O'Bannon (Wilson). The two travel from New York to London to hook up with Chon's ``Crouching Tiger'' sister, Lin (Fann Wong), to avenge the murder of Chon's father. This sets up a vintage fish-out-of-water situation with Roy putting down England's weather and food at every turn and constantly reminding the Brits that they lost the Revolution.

Chan's Chon, meanwhile, spends the whole movie performing the kinds of choreographed action stunts that are, by turns, wonderfully inventive and wholly repetitive. There is some inspired comedic ballet here, including one scene where Chan dispatches a bunch of Keystone Kops in a revolving glass door and another where Chan makes like Gene Kelly, using umbrellas as his weapon of choice while ``Singin' in the Rain'' plays on the soundtrack.

The Kelly homage is easily the best thing Chan has done in a Hollywood movie, and for that director David Dobkin (taking over from ``Shanghai Noon's'' Tom Dey) deserves a tip of the hat. Dobkin has also coaxed Wilson's most tolerable performance as a leading man, one that indicates that the actor's boyish self-regard can be of some use in the right hands.

The end result is cornball fun, a PG-13 version of the kind of old- fashioned family films that Disney cranked out in the 1960s and '70s. It's as stupid as ``The Love Bug,'' but you'll leave with a smile on your face.

SHANGHAI KNIGHTS - Three stars

(PG-13: action violence, language, sexual content)

Starring: Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson.

Director: David Dobkin.

Running time: 1 hr. 54 min.

Playing: Wide release.

In a nutshell: Better than ``Shanghai Noon,'' which rates a thank you if nothing else.

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Fann Wong, Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson travel to Victorian England for royal high jinks in ``Shanghai Knights.''