By making Corey Yuen the director instead of just the action choreographer, War could have been a far superior film that would have at least satisfied action junkies.
War (2007)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:58
Fresh:8
Rotten:50
Average Rating:3.9/10
Consensus: Jet Li and Jason Statham find themselves on opposing sides in the immensely boring War, which is full of clichés but short on action.
Theatrical Release:Aug 24, 2007 Wide
Box Office: $22,363,391
Synopsis: Set in San Francisco amidst a feud between the Japanese yakuza and Chinese Triad criminal factions, director Philip G. Atwell's WAR stars Jet Li as the enigmatic assassin Rogue, and Jason Statham... Set in San Francisco amidst a feud between the Japanese yakuza and Chinese Triad criminal factions, director Philip G. Atwell's WAR stars Jet Li as the enigmatic assassin Rogue, and Jason Statham as Jack Crawford, an F.B.I. agent determined to track him down. As the prime suspect in the murder of Crawford's partner, the elusive Rogue uses the mayhem of gang warfare to his advantage, even as the gruff lawman closes in on his trail, leading to a dramatic showdown. Although Li and Statham have shared the screen before in THE ONE, this is the first film to give the two stars equal billing. While Li has little to say in the movie, his actions speak volumes; he plays Rogue with a sleek menace that contrasts nicely with Statham's gruff, no-nonsense presence. WAR is the debut studio film from hip-hop-video director Philip G. Atwell (best known for his work with Eminem and 50 Cent). It moves at a brisk, quick-cut pace, and benefits from fight choreography by veteran Chinese actor/director Corey Yuen. Though martial-arts fans may be slightly disappointed by the movie's focus on gunplay, one of its centerpieces, a furious swordfight that showcases Li's stunning dexterity, is sure to please aficionados of Hong Kong-style kinetics. [More]
Starring: Jet Li, Jason Statham, John Lone, Devon Aoki
Starring: Jet Li, Jason Statham, John Lone, Devon Aoki
Director: Phillip G. Atwell
Director: Phillip G. Atwell
Screenwriter: Lee Anthony Smith, Gregory J. Bradley
Producer: Steven Chasman, Jim Thompson, Christopher Petzel
Studio: Lions Gate Films
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Reviews for War
Building to a climactic twist as arbitrary as it is unsatisfying, WarK ties itself in knots trying to bring something new to a stale formula. It's never painful to watch, but that's only because it provokes no feeling at all.
This isn't great cinema, but it adequately fills a niche. Those who like their action loud and bloody won't be disappointed. There's a high body count and lots of explosions and, for some, that's what this is all about.
Just as you think to yourself, ''This flick would be way better if it had Van Damme playing twins,'' along comes a plot twist so ingenious that it almost redeems the rest of the flick.
War has a ton of problems, but it manages to overcome most of them...barely.
Sound effects: blam! blam! blam! blam, blam! blam! blam! blam! blam!!! -- well, you get the picture.
This assignment may have provided Statham a decent payday, but it's not his shining hour.
First-time feature director Atwell clearly displays skills he picked up directing videos for Eminem and 50 Cent.
If you want action and a convoluted plot, there's no need to wreak havoc. Let Jason Statham and Jet Li do that for you in "War."
Not so much a narrative as a barrage of violent images designed to beat the brain into abject surrender.
It's inexplicable that the filmmakers haven't given the stars many opportunities to pull out their celebrated skills en route to their inevitable head-on collision.
What is it good for? Absolutely nothin', unless you're in the market for 90-plus minutes of vacant macho brooding, dog-eared action-flick clichés and so-so fight scenes that squander the talents of its star players.
Dark in tone and almost devoid of humor, it proves that a serious, workmanlike effort can still pay off.
If it weren't for the last act, the film would have ended up being just as functional as any cheesy action film from the 80s.
There is a lot of talent in front of the camera in this mess -- Statham, Li, Lone, Aoki, Luis Guzman, Saul Rubinek, and the always cool Sung Kang -- and they are all wasted. Those actors deserve a better movie. So does the audience.
There isn't enough humor in the script and not enough style in the direction by newcomer Philip G. Atwell. A few plot twists keep things interesting, but the best ones come long after anyone could possibly care.
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