Hey folks, Harry here. It's a Jet Li movie. I could care less what anyone says, I'm there. However, in this case, the reviewer dug the hell out of it, so again I say... I'm there.
Harry,
R-Man here. The last review I sent you was Rules of Engagement which you were cool enough to post, I hope you're kind enough to do the same for a movie I saw at a free screening at Mann's Chinese Theater last night: Romeo Must Die.
So Iast week I get an invitation to see Romeo Must Die, it's taking place in Hollywood's Famous Mann's Chinese Theater. I say cool and boom, it's Tuesday night and I'm standing in line - well it really wasn't a line, more like a disorganized cattle herd but somehow I got in early and got a good seat.
Mann's Chinese Theater… it's been in Hollywood for a long time - you'd think they'd adjust, update or replace their speakers. The sound was horrible in that place, sort of reminded me of a United Artists theater in downtown Philadelphia on Chestnut St. where the sound bounced and echoed off the walls making it almost impossible to understand a damn word the actors were saying. Cheapass, loser, slum lord, bastards - But I digress….
THE MOVIE
(minor spoilers)
Oh my God.
Joel Silver (who also produced the Matrix) is doing his job well. Let's just say that this was the most funnest (is that a word? No) movie I've seen in a while. Totally cool, brutal, violent, funny and there's even a little (just a little) boobie action (2 hot Asian chicks dancing and getting really close to each other). I had a great time and judging from the applause, screams and "woooooss!!!" from the crowd the movie as a whole was very entertaining.
A twist on the play Romeo & Juliet (no one has those names), two crime organizations, African American and Chinese, both run by older men with grown children, are in a race to snap up the deeps to waterfront property in the city. Apparently, these two organizations are having a "war", even though they never quite explain what the "war" is about and why. Oh well. When the youngest son of the Chinese mobster, a trouble-making brat, is killed tempers flare and an effort is made to contain any fallout, however…
Jet Li, the brother of the slain mobster's son, is in a Chinese jail when word reaches him. When he looks up at us, you know the pain is coming. Jet breaks of jail - and let me bring up this effect the filmmakers used - total crowd-pleaser digital effect that maximizes the brutality of martial arts fighting. I'm so tempted to reveal it, but no doubt some of you already know about it or someone else will review it and describe it, but I'll keep it a secret, it's used perfectly and only three times during the movie. So Jet busts out of jail, comes to America to honor his brother and to find out who killed him and why.
Part gang warfare and part revenge story, the movie moves along and has some very funny moments. Jet Li does and says some very funny things as he meets with the Chinese mobsters and as he mixes it up with the African American mobsters.
I want to give a blow by blow recap of the movie but I think that would take away from some of the fun. This is a fun movie. Although there is a lot of wire work during the fight scenes - it's stylish, fun and the concept of what they are trying to do is cool and you just go with it. Sure it defies Newton's Laws of Gravity, but what the hell! Go with it, sit back and have fun - it's violence damn-it!!! With the way those loser mommies and daddies are complaining about violence in TV and Film, be happy that the studio had the balls to make this. No, it's not a gore fest, but it sure gets the blood pumping.
Romeo and Juliet… ummmmm not really. Jet and Allieah's (sp) interaction is cute. You believe there's an attraction but when you pin it down, he's got, what? 15 - 20 years on her. Watching them flirt and trade quips is fun so you go with it. And no, they don't get it on.
With all of this praise, what didn't work in it? I think some people may be turned off by some of the character development scenes. People may think these scenes take too long and may find some of them silly. However, I liked that they made the attempt to flesh out the motives and desires of the characters. They could of cut all of that out and made a high octane movie of karate chopping and gun fighting. But they took the time to let you know who the main players are and what's going on in their heads. It's not Remains of the Day, but they tried and succeeded at a certain level.
Delroy Lindo, as the head of the African American mobsters, does a great job. And finally!!! Russell Wong gets some exposure. I've always liked his work. He gets a great entrance in the film (made the girls scream) and he kicks the movie off ("You know, I could use the exercise") and ends it with a bang.
The chick Allieah is believable and cute. She holds her own and her interaction with Jet during a fight scene is very creative (well sort of Batman the old TV show - you'll see) and funny.
Jet Li - super bad. (as in the James Brown song)
Nuff said, see it.
Call me - R-Man
