Like a good many American filmgoers, I first became acquainted with Jet Li through the unholy debacle that was "Lethal Weapon 4" (that he was the best thing in the film also didn't hurt my memory any). I got curious enough from this to want go see "Romeo Must Die", a film that, for all its flaws, felt like a breath of fresh air after LW4. I thought that they stopped making action films like this in the mid-1980s.
Because I want to end on some high notes, let's get what didn't work out of the way. First, the ridiculous wire-fu on display. In and of itself, I don't have a problem with it as long as there's a rationale for why someone is able to do these feats (it's the inside of a computer program, the fighters have been enhanced with super powers, etc.). Any self-respecting martial artist could study most of the sequences in this film and tell you how about 40 to 60 percent is wire-fu enhanced. This actually a disservice to not only Li's skills, but also those of Russell Wong in the final battle. Second, one-sided development. The O'Day camp is fully realized in terms of dynamics, characterizations, and relationships, something noticably lacking on the Chu side of the block. The closest thing to any of the preceding elements mentioned is when Chu has his final meeting with the Collective. Finally, the X-Ray CGI. I'm a bit more forgiving on this one, as it is a bit of an experimental approach. But it still boils down to a case of "nice try, but without this stuff, we'd still get the idea". End of rant.
Now, what I did like about this film...first off, Jet Li. I remember a Cinescape review coming just short of accusing Li of having the non-acting skills of Van Damme (obviously, the reviewer needed to rewatch Van Damme's filmography to realize their error). He may not, to paraphrase from the aforementioned reviewer, have the goofy charm of Jackie Chan (what charm?) or the cool charisma of Chow Yun Fat (a close second in my HK actor list), but he has his own brand of quiet dignity, bringing to mind Bruce Lee and the early Clint Eastwood. His English is just barely passable, but he makes up for it with his expressions, his eyes, and, of course, his combat. That Li has been careful with picking which movies he wants to be involved with since this film, plus the above, will probably ensure a long life in the action genre.
Second, the O'Day side of the equation. The late Aaliyah as willful Trish O'Day is an extremely pleasant suprise, maintaining excellent chemistry with Li throughout and even getting involved in the combat in a novel fashion (to be described later). Delroy Lindo is in top form as Issac O'Day, an original gangster trying to cash in his chips before the game gets ugly...too late. Finally Isaiah Washington, as the ruthless Mac, brings just the right hint of danger to the proceedings that makes you suspect him from word one.
Finally, there are the fight sequences, some of the most original setups I have ever seen on any martial arts film. Anyone who feels like they've seen it all with the usual chop-sokey needs to see Li fight five guys upside down, use improvised weaponry and his impressive agility in a stairway/alleyway fight, play one of the funniest games of football ever put on film, dance a mambo of kung fu with Aaliyah (all because he can't hit a girl, mind you), and use a fire hose in a way that no action hero outside of Hong Kong has ever thought of. The only place where it breaks down is in his final fight with Wong, which relies too much on the wire-fu gimmickry. But nobody's perfect.
All in all, thinking about this film is making me anxious to see what he'll be doing with DMX in "Cradle 2 the Grave".
Because I want to end on some high notes, let's get what didn't work out of the way. First, the ridiculous wire-fu on display. In and of itself, I don't have a problem with it as long as there's a rationale for why someone is able to do these feats (it's the inside of a computer program, the fighters have been enhanced with super powers, etc.). Any self-respecting martial artist could study most of the sequences in this film and tell you how about 40 to 60 percent is wire-fu enhanced. This actually a disservice to not only Li's skills, but also those of Russell Wong in the final battle. Second, one-sided development. The O'Day camp is fully realized in terms of dynamics, characterizations, and relationships, something noticably lacking on the Chu side of the block. The closest thing to any of the preceding elements mentioned is when Chu has his final meeting with the Collective. Finally, the X-Ray CGI. I'm a bit more forgiving on this one, as it is a bit of an experimental approach. But it still boils down to a case of "nice try, but without this stuff, we'd still get the idea". End of rant.
Now, what I did like about this film...first off, Jet Li. I remember a Cinescape review coming just short of accusing Li of having the non-acting skills of Van Damme (obviously, the reviewer needed to rewatch Van Damme's filmography to realize their error). He may not, to paraphrase from the aforementioned reviewer, have the goofy charm of Jackie Chan (what charm?) or the cool charisma of Chow Yun Fat (a close second in my HK actor list), but he has his own brand of quiet dignity, bringing to mind Bruce Lee and the early Clint Eastwood. His English is just barely passable, but he makes up for it with his expressions, his eyes, and, of course, his combat. That Li has been careful with picking which movies he wants to be involved with since this film, plus the above, will probably ensure a long life in the action genre.
Second, the O'Day side of the equation. The late Aaliyah as willful Trish O'Day is an extremely pleasant suprise, maintaining excellent chemistry with Li throughout and even getting involved in the combat in a novel fashion (to be described later). Delroy Lindo is in top form as Issac O'Day, an original gangster trying to cash in his chips before the game gets ugly...too late. Finally Isaiah Washington, as the ruthless Mac, brings just the right hint of danger to the proceedings that makes you suspect him from word one.
Finally, there are the fight sequences, some of the most original setups I have ever seen on any martial arts film. Anyone who feels like they've seen it all with the usual chop-sokey needs to see Li fight five guys upside down, use improvised weaponry and his impressive agility in a stairway/alleyway fight, play one of the funniest games of football ever put on film, dance a mambo of kung fu with Aaliyah (all because he can't hit a girl, mind you), and use a fire hose in a way that no action hero outside of Hong Kong has ever thought of. The only place where it breaks down is in his final fight with Wong, which relies too much on the wire-fu gimmickry. But nobody's perfect.
All in all, thinking about this film is making me anxious to see what he'll be doing with DMX in "Cradle 2 the Grave".