http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/08/30/WAR-Li-and-Statahm-Serve-Up-Decent-Action.aspx You have to appreciate a simple title like WAR.  And while I wouldn’t call this a war movie, the film does live up to its simple yet bad ass label.  The antithesis of a chick flick, WAR places Jason Statham as FBI Special Agent Jack Crawford and Jet Li as hitman-for-hire Rogue in the middle of a gangland power struggle in San Francisco.  That should be all a man has to know.  If you’ve seen any of the TRANSPORTER movies, you know Statham is an especially talented fighter.  And further entries such as CRANK and SNATCH have cemented the guy as a true hard ass.  He can almost hold his own against Jet Li, which is no small feat in and of itself.  Li is on a level all his own, but since he already fought himself (in a favorite guilty pleasure of mine, 2001’s THE ONE), Statham is at least a competent opponent (Jet Li is 47, after all).  This isn’t RUSH HOUR.  You won’t be wishing scrawny, annoying Chris Tucker would catch a beating just once instead of improbably keeping pace with his Asian counterpart (okay, Jackie Chan is 53).  If the flying and magic of Li’s wuxia films is not your cup of tea, then this is the movie you’ve been waiting for.  Instead, WAR is a frothy concoction of guns, swords and double-crosses sure to tide any action fan over for at least a little while.  Unfortunately, the film does little to separate itself from the pack. The title refers to the escalating hostilities between Japanese gangs the Triad and the Yakuza. Rogue, a legendary killer once employed by Triad boss Shiro (Ryo Ishibashi), has just resurfaced in San Francisco after a three-year absence.  The last time anyone heard of him, he had murdered Crawford’s partner and his partner’s family.  Dead-set on vengeance, Crawford descends into the fray not looking to quash a gang war but to get his hands on Rogue – who for his part has lived up to his name by playing both sides and inciting a full-blown war in the streets.  Anyone familiar with Kurosawa’s YOJIMBO (or its 1996 Bruce Willis remake LAST MAN STANDING) knows what I’m talking about.  The action is fast and bloody.  The plot, though not brilliant, is involved enough to keep your interest through the 103-minute running time.  The filmmakers know what’s putting people in the seats and I personally appreciated the old school action feel. en-US Critics Rant info@criticsrant.com Subtext Version 1.9.4.0 http://www.criticsrant.com/images/default_gravatar_bullhorn.png http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/08/30/WAR-Li-and-Statahm-Serve-Up-Decent-Action.aspx 77 60 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/08/30/WAR-Li-and-Statahm-Serve-Up-Decent-Action.aspx#1395 RANT !!!!!! chocolateman0101 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/08/30/WAR-Li-and-Statahm-Serve-Up-Decent-Action.aspx#1395 Sun, 09 Sep 2007 13:53:03 GMT