 |  |
Review #513 of 365
Movie Review of War (2007) [R] 103 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $14.00
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 26 August 2007
Time: 5:40 pm
DVD Release Date: 1 January 2008 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
Directed by: Philip G. Atwell (50 Cent: The New Breed )
Written by: Lee Anthony Smith (debut) • Gregory J. Bradley (debut)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Jet Li (Fearless) • Jason Statham (Crank) • John Lone (Rush Hour 2) • Devon Aoki (Sin City) • Luis Guzmán (School for Scoundrels) • Saul Rubinek (Blackout ) • Ryo Ishibashi (The Grudge 2) • Nadine Velazquez ("My Name Is Earl") • Andrea Roth ("Rescue Me") • Terry Chen (Snakes on a Plane)
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Click here to see the spoiler points for War.
Which of these statements about the new action thriller War, starring Jet Li and Jason Statham is true?
(A) The title is terrible and non-befitting, they should have kept the original title, Rogue—or did they think people wouldn't know what that meant? (B) With Jet Li and Jason Statham, you know there's going to be some martial arts and cool action fight scenes, and there were plenty. (C) The director, Philip G. Atwell has never directed a major motion picture before; and, other than an episode of "The Shield", the only thing he has directed before War is music videos. (D) This is their debut as screenwriters for Lee Anthony Smith and Gregory J. Bradley. (E) All of the Above.
If you answered (E) All of the Above, they you win five points--hard to believe but true. Also, if you were like I was and thought that August was supposed to be the wasteland of the three summer months reserved for rather incidental films like, well, Skinwalkers and Daddy Day Camp think again too.
As usual, I prefer to know as little about films prior to seeing them as possible. I don't even like to know who's in them. All I knew about War was that Jet Li was back despite his last film being his final martial arts performance and Jason Statham was with him with no such disclaimer. I recall hearing something about "They killed his partner, now he wants revenge" or something like that. I don't pay attention to trailers usually unless they are absolutely amazing. Well, be prepared for one of the absolute best action thrillers of the year with two absolutely stunning twists (see the spoiler points if you absolutely cannot wait, but I would try and wait), a highly charged plot, and knock out performances from favorites Li and Statham. Then also tell three friends who love action thrillers like Die Hard and the Bourne films to make sure they see this film.
"… by far, the best action thriller of 2007."
The story, with no spoilers, is thus (and the beginning is seems very confusing and difficult to follow but do try, because it's very important to understanding everything that happens next)…
FBI Agents Jack Crawford (Jason Statham) and Tom Lone (Terry Chen) are assigned to the special gang unit to monitor activities between two organized crime groups in the greater San Francisco area called the Triads and the Yakuza. One is controlled by the powerful Japanese crime boss named Shiro (Ryo Ishibashi) who has never set foot on USA soil. The other is controlled by the immigrant Mr. Chang (John Lone) who fancies himself the most powerful man in San Francisco. A blood feud between these two has been going on for years. The film begins at the wharf where Crawford and Lone have been called in to investigate some criminal activity. There's gunfire. Crawford worries that a deadly assassin called Rogue is on the scene when he finds his signature, titanium gun shell casing. This discovery heightens his awareness, and he strives to protect his partner from certain danger. There's more gunfire, and then he engages whom he believes to be Rogue. There is a fight, and just as Crawford is about to meet his maker, Lone shows up in the nick of time and shoots him in the face. The assassin falls backwards off the pier into the bay. After three days of dredging for him, the body is never recovered. Life goes as usual for Lone and Crawford. They plan a family get together at Lone's mountain getaway cabin to barbeque steaks and watch a football game. Their wives and kids have become friends as well. Unfortunately, the Crawfords arrive to find the cabin burned down. Three bodies: a man, woman, and child are recovered, but too badly burned to identify. Crawford investigates and finds a titanium shell. He knows who's responsible for killing his partner and his partner's family instantly, and he vows to himself that he will get revenge. He will track down and kill Rogue if it's the last thing he does. The story then leaps ahead three years in time. Jack Crawford has long lost his partner and sort of kept to himself in the unit. He's been so determined to catch Rogue, he's lost his wife, and she worries he's going to lose his son too. But, how can he not avenge the death of not just his partner but his partner's family? Wouldn't his partner have done the same for him?
The war between the Triads and the Yakuzas escalates when Shiro decided to escalate things to the boiling point by stealing and selling off every artifact of the Chang Family. This is something most USAers won't quite know the full impact of without some history on the Chinese and Japanese family surnames. Unlike in the western world, in the eastern world, the family surname is incredibly important and unites seemingly unrelated people. If two people share a surname, they, unlike two people in the USA with the surname Smith, feel they share an immediate kinship. In ancient times, the family surnames were very few and represented the core families. Each powerful family established treasures associated with their families that were housed in museum-like buildings usually called a family temple. There are many still in existence and open to tourists in Japan and China today. Protecting these treasures and antiquities is all tied into the family honor. And, as is well understood by westerners by now, family honor is valued above all else in the east. So, even though none of the elements in the Chang family temple belonged to Mr. Chang or had anything to do with Chang, the very act of destroying and selling off the artifacts of the Chang Family temple would be as incredulous as destroying the grave sites of every Smith all over the USA. In other words, it would be a huge deal. Powerless to stop it, though, Chang learns that only two artifacts, some bronze horse statues, remain; and Shiro plans to sell them in the USA within the week. In the meantime, a new assassin has been doing some dirty work around San Francisco. Crawford is sure that Rogue is back after this long silence. Eventually, the two come together, when it is revealed that Rogue (Jet Li), once the favored assassin for Shiro, has jumped ship and now works for Mr. Chang. He has been working hard to prove he has no master but himself despite apparent decades of loyalty to Shiro. He executes plans to expertly endear himself to Chang and remove those previously loyal to him from his side. His first coup comes in the form of recovering the horses for Chang and then in alerting Chang to a probable FBI incursion at the warehouse (which he phoned in a tip to bring the FBI in the first place). Their bond of trust grows despite a feeling in Chang's mind that no man who changes loyalties can really ever be trusted. Crawford figures out that Rogue is back and working for Chang. At the warehouse, he's positive that this guy is Rogue. Unfortunately, his passport checks out, and the warehouse is clean. But, for the first time, he looks his arch nemesis straight in the face. It's not difficult to tell what's going through his mind. The time will come, he knows, when he will bring Rogue down.
Revealing any more in a non-spoiler review would be treasonous. So, that's the set up. Of course, it was distilled and there's a lot more going on and to come, of course. You have to see it to believe it.
Jet Li is back in the pure action mode after the ancient Chinese martial arts drama known as Fearless--which was one of 2006's most truly amazing, overlooked film. His acting skills drive him more now than his fighting skills—this remains an intriguing transition at which probably few knew he would be this successful. Jason Statham continues to establish himself as the next true action film figure also on the tail of a hot and overlooked film, 2006's Crank--it too, though not quite as good, is worthy of a DVD purchase or legal download. Together they make for formidable opponents and drive this intriguing, action-packed, super-charged action thriller.
"…astonishing plot turns, marvelous stunt work, and well-choreographed fights, gun battles, and traditional rooftop chases."
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring War (2007)
Cast Members
Jet Li
• Jason Statham • John LoneDevon Aoki
• Luis Guzmán • Saul RubinekRyo Ishibashi
• Nadine Velazquez • Andrea RothTerry Chen
Director
Philip G. Atwell
Writers
Lee Anthony Smith
• Gregory J. Bradley
1 comment:
Dang, Dude, you so right on the money with this! People got to see it! The twist! I'm still stupefied!
Post a Comment