Cast: Jet Li, Aaliyah, Isaiah Washington, Russell Wong, Delroy Lindo, Henry O, Edoardo Ballerini, D.B. Woodside, Anthony Anderson
Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Producers: Joel Silver, Jim Van Wyck
Screenplay: Eric Bernt and John Jarrell
Cinematography: Glen MacPherson
Music: Stanley Clarke
U.S. Distributor: Warner Brothers
In theory, Romeo Must Die is a fusion of Shakespeare, martial arts, and hip hop. In reality, it's something of a mess. The action sequences, especially those with star Jet Li kicking and pummeling his way through his enemies, are high energy and watchable, but the movie is frequently derailed by lengthy scenes of exposition and so-called character development, all of which devolve into silliness and cliches. As for the "Romeo and Juliet" angle - about the only thing recognizable from the Bard's classic play is the love story between the children of two warring clans. The link is so tenuous that, without "Romeo" in the title, it's unlikely that more than a handful of people would mark any sort of connection.
For Jet Li, this is his second English-language film and his first opportunity to top the marquee. (In return for Li's agreement to play the villain in Lethal Weapon 4, producer Joel Silver developed a Hollywood vehicle for the international star.) In Hong Kong, Li was second only to Jackie Chan as a martial arts leading man, and now he has followed Chan's lead and shifted his career to North America. If Romeo Must Die succeeds at the box office, Li will find his talents to be much in demand. Like Chan, he already has a small, loyal following. The question is whether a big, mainstream action movie can broaden his appeal.
While there's no doubt about Li's ability and charisma in the action sequences, his inexpert handling of the English language makes him a liability when it comes to dialogue. To solve this problem, the screenwriters give his character very little to say. As a result, Li spends most of the movie acting the part of the strong, silent type. Most of the time, it works, but it also hampers the love story. After all, dialogue is a key element of any romance - even when it's just a subplot or an afterthought.
Li plays Han Sing, an ex-Hong Kong cop who has languished in prison for several years after taking the blame for his father's crimes. While Han was locked away, his family moved to America and his father (Henry O) became a top figure in the Chinese mafia. Now, a turf war has erupted between the Asian families and the black gangsters, led by the cultured Isaak O'Day (Delroy Lindo) and his lieutenant, Mac (Isaiah Washington). After Han's younger brother becomes a victim of the escalating tensions, Han stages an improbable prison break, then heads to the United States with ideas of revenge. However, in the process of searching for his brother's killer, he falls for Trish (singer Aaliyah), Isaak's beautiful daughter. And, up close, the situation between the rival factions is murkier than it seemed to be from afar.
When the film sticks to action, it's on firm ground. There are some entertaining sequences. In one, Li disables a bad guy by depriving him of his trousers. On another occasion, he plays a unique version of American football. And, when a woman attacks him, he uses his female companion as an instrument to combat her, since he is unwilling to hit a woman. Then there's the climactic martial arts duel, which is all adrenaline and testosterone. Li isn't as fluid or captivating as Jackie Chan, but his skills still arrest the attention. Andrzej Bartkowiak, a veteran cinematographer making his directorial debut (he previously worked with Li when he shot Lethal Weapon 4), understands how to film the action sequences. One disappointment is that a few of Li's stunts have been enhanced by special effects, meaning that some of the superhuman moves are really beyond human ability. There's also an "x-ray effect" (where the camera turns the skin transparent so bones can be shown breaking) that seems out of place.
Outside of the martial arts sequences, Romeo Must Die doesn't offer much. The movie is overplotted, demanding far too many scenes in which characters sit around talking about what's going on. This might be understandable if things were more complex or original, but the storyline is standard fare, liberally laced with expected betrayals and cliches. Every "revelation" in the final fifteen minutes is not only trite but can be predicted by even the most inexperienced movie-goer.
The "love story" isn't any more substantial than anything else offered here. Li and Aaliyah make a nice team, but there's no romantic tension between them. I could buy them as pals, but the boyfriend/girlfriend angle simply doesn't work. It's partly the script's fault - there's really no opportunity for a relationship to develop. In all fairness to Aaliyah, who is following in the footsteps of several other notable pop entertainers and moving into acting, she gives a credible performance. It's just that she and Li never click.
Another performer deserving mention is Delroy Lindo, who brings a quality of quiet dignity to his portrayal of Isaak. As written, the character is a standard stereotype - the aging gang leader who only needs one more big score before he can go straight - but Lindo imbues him with a humanity and a nobility that make him stand head and shoulders above everyone else. The contrast between Isaak and everyone else is striking. He's a human being surrounded by a gallery of comic book characters.
Despite Li's involvement, Romeo Must Die will not unseat The Matrix as the best U.S.-produced martial arts affair. However, the film is more entertaining that Chan's recent breakthrough, Rush Hour. Whether Romeo Must Die will catapult Li to the same level of success remains to be seen, but, with his entrance into the American market, it seems that almost the entire roster of Hong Kong talent has migrated to Hollywood. Now, all that's needed to go along with bigger budgets and higher production values are scripts that make effective use of the stars' talents - and that's an area where Romeo Must Die fails to excel.
© 2000 James Berardinelli