War

Stars: Jet Li, Jason Statham, Devon Aoki, John Lone, Luiz Guzman, Ryo Ishibashi, Saul Rubinek, Mathew St Patrick

Director: Philip G Atwell

This Jet Li/Jason Statham action film is almost all fights - with fists, feet, guns, knives and anything to hand. There are bike chases, explosions and car chases. And yet the film does little to advance the career of either man, since there is no plot to speak of until a twist at the end, and neither Li nor Statham is exactly called on to extended their limited acting ranges.

Li wears the same expression throughout, while Statham offers his usual gruff approximation of a transatlantic accent. Neither smiles.

Statham and his FBI partner (Terry Chen) are rounding up criminals in the opening scene when set on by a mysterious independent assassin called Rogue, who wounds Statham before being shot in the face by Chen and falling into the harbour.

Three years later, Rogue (Li) re-surfaces and Chen and his family are shot dead. Statham vows vengeance, but Li seems to be playing his own game, setting the local San Francisco Yakuza against the Triads there.

Lots of people die and much blood is spilt, but the 18 certificate seems a little harsh on such routine mayhem. Despite terrific colour photography by Pierre Morel, late-night TV seems its natural home.

David Quinlan

Canada/USA 2007. UK Distributor: Lionsgate. Colour by deluxe.
103 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 18.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 2, Drugs 0, Swearing 2.

Review date: 30 Sep 2007