Like a few other Hong Kong actors or directors who had a big enough reputation in the West, Jet Li went West after 1997. First as a villain in Lethal Weapon 4 and then as the star in a series of films. As he got older he also was in a few ensemble films which were easy on his body. None of these films will be included in talk of his best films. Most will be or already are forgotten. There seemed to be little logic to his choices. He just took what was offered and was paid well. At the same time though he returned to China/Hong Kong to make two of his very best films - Hero and Fearless - and continued going back and forth to make films. He is clearly nearing the end of his career though having only appeared in one film since 2016 and that was Mulan. I had seen most of these way back when they were released other than War and just felt like taking another look before putting them into mothballs. They may not be good films for the most part but they all have some good moments. And it is Jet Li. One of the great ones.


Well, nothing says hip-hop like Jet Li. True of course that there has been a connection between kung-fu and the black community going back to the 1970's Grindhouse theaters when martial arts films were introduced to America but this is such an obvious commercial play for various audience groups that it just kind of feels audience approved. And it worked. The film did very well at the box office and it is not a bad film - just not a good Jet Li film. It was his second foray into Hollywood and is definitely an improvement over Lethal Weapon 4 where he played the villain. But even with an excellent cast it yells out B film to me. There is nothing here that happens that is unexpected. Ok - one thing, When the girl's motorcycle helmet comes off and it is Francoise Yip. That was cool. For way too short a time. But everything else is B script 101. Two gangs - one black, one Chinese - betrayals everywhere and in this a Chinese man and a black woman find romance. But do not kiss. Apparently, at an audience preview showing they did not like this. So cut.


Though Jet is the star of the film he has to share a lot of screen time with lots of other characters. The producers did not trust Jet to carry a film yet - not outrageous really as he was still unknown to most of the West who knew less about kung fu films than black holes. So I get that. Aaliyah is sweet, attractive, charming and was a big music star. Her song for the film went to number 1. She brings out a little personality in Jet. Such a tragedy that she was to die a year later. Hip-hop music also fills the soundtrack along with a few other terrific black actors - Delroy Lindo, Anthony Anderson as the comedy relief and Isaiah Washington. Over on the other side of town there is Russell Wong and Henry O. The two gangs have a truce going on in order to put through a big deal to buy enough land to sell it to a potential NFL franchise. But people keep getting killed. One of them the son of Henry O, who runs one of the Chinese gangs.


Turns out that the dead son is also the brother to Jet Li who is sitting in a prison in Hong Kong. No problemo. Break a few arms, walk out of the prison and zip you are in Los Angeles. This was pre-covid of course. Today he would have had to be vaccinated first. He was in prison for taking the rap for his father and brother. He had been a cop. He starts snooping around, this leads him to Aaliyah who just coincidentally is the daughter of the black gang head, Delroy. But there are rats in the woodwork and no one is acting in good faith and Jet has to keep beating people up.


Which gets us to the action. Nothing to get excited about which is disappointing because the choreography is from Corey Yuen. Jet fights a bunch of schlubs. Easy pickings. Some of it is clever and nicely done but not exciting or suspenseful. The only decent one on one is against Russell Wong but Russell Wong isn't in the same class. Where was Donnie Yen when you needed him. And there is some atrociously clumsy wire-work that makes no sense in the circumstances. This was a time to keep it real. Comic if you want but none of this circle around a wall kicking people sort of thing. In Kung Fu Cult Master that may make sense but not in this film. Just as a footnote to myself, that was Grace Park of Battlestar Gallactica and Hawaii 5-0 out there on the dance floor exchanging tongue with another woman, Her debut!  A pleasant enough film - by the numbers with few thrills.