Romeo Must Die (2000)
Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller
They’ve got the weapons. They’ve got the posses. And they’ve got no chance against former Hong Kong cop Han Sing. Gravity-warping martial arts, cool visual effects and an all-star music track combine in this revved-up action movie from producer Joel
Silver (The Matrix) and starring Jet Li (Lethal Weapon 4) in his first English-language lead role. Li plays rough-and-ready Han, who shares an attraction with Trish O’Day (screen-debuting songstress Aaliyah) even though their families are rivals in a
fierce Oakland turf battle. The two also share plenty of danger as they try to find the real cause of the blood feud. No gun, no posse? No problem. With Jet Li going to war as only he can, Romeo Must Die is alive and kicking.
User Comment: Trey Mercartne from United Kingdom, 11 July 2005 • Not usually a fan of this type of all-out Action movie, "Romeo Must Die" knocked me off balance when I found it to be one of the best films I have ever enjoyed.
Producer Joel Silver (Who also produced "The Matrix") describes the film as an "Urban rendition of Romeo and Juliet" and although this is a very simple way of looking at the film, it's not far off the mark. Like the great Shakespeare work, there are two
opposing families in this film, each looking to make big commercial gains in the world of real estate development. Caught up in their lies, greed and violence are Trish O'Day (Played by Aaliyah) and Han Sing (Played by Jet Li). The story revolves around
their quickly blooming relationship and the opposing families around them.
The film boasts some serious eye candy with some of the best special effects you'll see. Luckily, this is not the only good thing going for the movie as the eye candy is wonderfully supported by some fantastic performances from the cast. In her first
feature movie, Aaliyah is absolutely breath taking as Trish O'Day. Showing the kind of charm and 'x' factor that few will ever have, she alone makes this film a must see. Jet Li's performance is, as always, about his skills as a martial artist but his
scripted acting continues to improve. Another stand out performance for me was that of D.B. Woodside who plays Trish O'Days brother - Colin. Although not such a major role, D.B. excels in this role. High end production values mean the film has a real
style and "gloss" to it and everything fits in place and the story moves along at just the right pace. In fact, "Romeo Must Die" is a shining example of how good story telling does not need to be lost in a sea of special effects and glossy American
values. Jonathon Ross describes the film as "Fast, Furious, Fun", which is definitely true, but there is more to this film that the audience can take away with them. The reason the film works is that it works on two levels - storyline and action. You can
enjoy both aspects and take from them what you like. This is a brilliant film and I highly recommend it.
Summary: Action with Depth.
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