War

Note: During this screening of “War,” I will discuss an important plot point so if you plan to see the movie, stop reading.

“War” is about a man out for revenge for injustices suffered in the past. At first, this man seems to be John Crawford (Jason Statham), an FBI agent searching for Rogue (Jet Li), an assassin Crawford blames for killing his partner. In a twist at the end of the movie, it turns out that the man out for revenge is Rogue. But in order for this to be a twist, Crawford is the protagonist for most of the movie, chasing after the antagonist Rogue, who has sparked a war between the Japanese yakuza and Chinese triads in San Francisco. A much more interesting story would have made Rogue the protagonist because he is the more thought-provoking character. Nonetheless, Jet Li’s fight scenes in this ultra-violent movie are coolly efficient and effective. The pace is uneven, but there’s enough action that fans will be satisfied. (8/26/07)