Media: TV Broadcast.
I can't recall the first time I saw this film, but I know it wasn't at the cinemas. This film always had me confused... after all, how does one combine a romantic drama with martial arts? The closest thing I have come to this is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, another movie, I need to actually review some time in the near future, but even then, the two concepts of martial arts and romance, seem... well, polar opposites... You can imagine that in such a combination, a character would be inclined to say something like:
"I love you, and yet I also want to kick someone's ass to next Tuesday."
How does one make it work? Basically Jet Li plays Han Sing, who is serving time in a prison in Hong Kong, learns of his brother's death in America, and it's made apparent that there's something suspicious about it. He manages to escape and come to America where he comes across a plot between two warring families who are both business to gain prime real estate. The only thing is, one of the families is his own, headed by his father, Ch'u Sing, played by Henry O; the other is headed by Isak O'Day, played Delroy Lindo, whose daughter Trish, played by late singer and actress, Aaliyah is completely unaware of what's been happening. Supposedly the relationship between Han and Trish develops as the twists to this conspiracy are uncovered.
There is some comedy relief in the film with one of Isak's lackeys, Maurice, a rather rotund chap, played by Anthony Anderson, who has since made his mark in a more serious role in one of the thirty-seven million spin-offs of Law and Order. Russell Wong plays the part of Kai, a brother-type figure to Li's Han in this film. Wong looks like a very fit Asian (but less paranoid) equivalent of John Cusack, don't ask me why... The supposed "romance" (which I didn't really see to be perfectly honest) is intermittently spaced with a number of fight scenes between Li and various characters, with one where Li uses Aaliyah as a sort of conduit to fight a female assailant.
One of the things for which I have to give credit, though, is a number of scenes where the final blow for certain fight scenes is met with an X-ray view of how the death occurs whether it be a punctured torso or a broken neck... And although this effect is cool, when you strip the somewhat lame attempts at romance, and the somewhat predictable storyline, these effects seem to be the only saving point worth watching.
One thing I did read was that Han and Trish were supposed to have a kissing scene, in the film... which explains the title containing the Romeo reference, but this was met with some contempt from a pre-screening audiences. Jet Li stated on his personal website that they had filmed both versions of the scene (with kiss and without), and decided to use the one without instead because it would be "somewhat strange and awkward" for Han to have [SPOILER!!] and then to come out and kiss someone.
All in all, the film is average with a number of great fight scenes, but the main plot and supposed love story between Li and Aaliyah are lost... This was a debut film for Jet Li for English-speaking films, and a debut for Aaliyah as an actress... I only am remorseful in knowing this was one of her only few films before her tragic death in 2001. Romeo Must Die gets a three star rating today...
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