Romeo Must Die

Hey, everyone! Check out the gratuitous Aaliyah puns!

If Jet Li stars in a movie, you know that, before the movie ends, he is going to achieve a state of righteous moral indignation at the film's state of affairs, which can only be appeased by spectacularly kicking the asses of all who are complicit in that state of affairs. Everything else is preamble: necessary but ultimately dispensable. Well, Jet Li stars in "Romeo Must Die," and as usual he turns in a fine performance as the man who must kick some ass to serve some justice. Unfortunately, "Romeo"'s filmmakers did not realize the resource they had in Li. As a result, "Romeo Must Die" spends entirely too much time concentrating on matters that, while mildly entertaining, are completely peripheral to the issue of Jet Li kicking some evil people's asses. The last fifteen minutes of "Romeo Must Die" are arresting action filmmaking, but the preceding 95 minutes need some pruning.

Jet Li plays Han Sing, a Hong Kong cop who comes to America to avenge his brother's death. Unfortunately, he becomes involved in a brutal battle between a black gang and a Chinese gang, who are both trying to secure waterfront property to sell to a syndicate of Jews who are constructing a stadium for a new Oakland NFL team. (The preceding synopsis should give you an idea of the subtlety with which racial relations are depicted in this film.) In the meantime, he meets the black gang boss's daughter, played by R&B songstress Aaliyah. She immediately realizes Han might be that somebody, but her loyalties are tested as she swings back and forth between Han and her family, whose gang activities she is at best ambivalent about. Li and Aaliyah decide that killing everyone on the waterfront might not be the best way to develop the waterfront, and try to stop the slaughter. Unfortunately for them, but fortunately for the audience, the only solution they can ultimately think of is for Li to maul everyone he can.

The plot itself could serve the film well, providing opportunities for Aaliyah to look cute and Li to engage in kung-fu skirmishes before the final whomping. However, director Andrzej Bartkowiak overdoes everything, especially including the exposition, to such a degree that it becomes tiresome rather than gripping. Apparently, he thought one or two bloody, senseless executions would not have been enough to convince the audience of the pure evil of the gangs. Instead, he treats us to five or six of them (depending on who's counting), and by the last one the executions aren't doing anything except using up space and special-effects money. Aaliyah spends way too much of her time evading the protection of her father's gang. The excellent Delroy Lindo spends a ponderous amount of time looking forward to going legit. And, of course, Bartkowiak makes sure to kowtow to demographic studies that show that urban audiences like kung-fu flicks, by dilly-dallying while playing mediocre rap songs and placing numerous useless scenes in clubs and record stores. "Romeo Must Die" repeats itself until the audience has almost given up hope of anything cool happening.

Whenever Li is on screen, though, the film wakes up again. Li once again demonstrates that he is a total action merchant, but also displays an unexpected talent for romantic comedy and a charm welcome in someone as deadly as he is. He makes a whole character out of what is about half a character in the script, and surely there can be no greater action-movie acting achievement. Aaliyah's acting, like her singing, is shallow but charming, and it's not hard to watch her prance around in Dolce & Gabbana for two hours. Lindo brings gravitas and genuine acting ability to his role, breathing some new life into the archetypal gangster trying to go straight. No one else has a character worth mentioning (especially the Chinese characters, who with the exception of Li are all cardboard cutouts of evil), but these three would be enough for most action films.

In the end, though, this film's grand ambitions are done in by its refusal to let Jet Li do what he does best. Action films can have moral import, if handled correctly, although this one isn't trying too hard for it. Action films can have characters, sometimes, and this film succeeds partially in that endeavor. Action films can even have plots, and this film has enough exposition for two plots. But in an action film, you gotta have action, and the last fifteen minutes of this film are just about all you get. Jet Li does not spend enough time kicking ass in "Romeo Must Die" to make it worth your time to sit on yours and watch this film.

I had to quit with the Aaliyah puns after "Queen of the Damned" due to her untimely death. I had been hoping to ride that horse off into the tortured-pun sunset. I was also sorry she died because she was young and very talented and spruced up the radio with her light soprano, but the pun thing did pass through my mind when I heard of her death. What can I tell you?

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