Spoiler Points for War (2007)

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Spoiler

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Spoiler Points for War (2007) [R] 103 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $14.00
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)

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Click here if you would prefer to read the non-spoiler review of War.

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Seriously, this is a spoiler. The big twists—yes two—will be revealed. Do not read this if you do not want to have the twists spoiled. Do not read this and then spoil the film for others.

All right…so pay attention to the actions of Rogue. You will see a humane side to him that one would not expect from a cold-blooded assassin. It's got to bug you as to what is driving him to set the two arch rivals against each other. What beef does he have with them? He says a couple of times that he serves no master. And yet, supposedly he's beholden to Shiro. As far as Shiro and Chang both know, he is working for them, though both doubt his loyalty. Well, there's a very good reason for this. As it turns out, when the assassin was sent to kill Tom Lone and his family, he failed. He killed Tom's wife and daughter, but Tom killed him before he could be killed himself. Quick thinking and rage propelled him to conceive, perhaps, the most expertly executed revenge plot ever masterminded (post others if you think there are others that have been better throughout the history of literature and film). He put his wedding ring on the finger of the assassin, claimed all artifacts that could have indicated the body found would not be thought to be his, and set the place on fire to destroy as much evidence as possible. Then he cleverly assumed the identity of the assassin. As nobody knew who Rogue was or if he even really existed, the switch was nearly effortless. All he needed was to contact one of the many plastic surgeons utilized by these high profile criminals to alter his appearance and Tom Lone becomes…voila…Jet Li err Rogue. Of course, the doctor doesn't know he's changing a former FBI agent into a new man, he assumes he's changing a criminal into a new criminal. Fascinating. Then, he worms his way into Chang's favor while maintaining previous favor with Shiro. Only an insider into the minds of both men would be able to pull the stunts he pulls all of which are designed to ultimately bring them both down for it is their War that got his family killed. In effect, ironically, the former mysterious assassin becomes a superhero. In the end, his actions lead to the deaths of Shiro and Chang while sparing Chang's wife and daughter, a respect his family was not afforded, and Shiro's daughter. Chang's wife gets one of the coveted Chang horses as recompense and a note that she should begin a new life. Shiro's daughter gets his head in a box and a note that she too should begin a new life. The New Rogue gets the other horse to use as seed money as he's seen driving off in his amazing sports car with the look for a sequel in his eyes.

Of course, that's not the final twist. The final twist was a very startling and sad revelation. It turned out that Jack Crawford, note that only Tom's family was attacked by Shiro and not Crawford's for some reason when both were equally involved in the thwarting the activities of Shiro's gang, was actually working for Shiro. He'd been in Shiro's gang forever. And, it was he who sat back and watched knowing that Shiro was going to send a message to his partner to stay out of his business. He did not, apparently, think that would mean sending an assassin to Tom's home. Nonetheless, this betrayal was a bitter pill for the new Tom Lone turned Rogue to discover.

Please feel free to post your comments and reactions to the film below. Also note what you think of a the obvious sequel-indicating ending, and what you'd like to see in a follow up?