This weekend I got the opportunity to catch this movie that was originally released on March 22, 2000 in theaters. I watch it on Starz with some family that was in town for the 4th of July celebration. I have recently become a big fan of Jet Li and have made it a point to check out some of his earlier work. Click on the picture of the cover for the trailer.
I can sit here and tell you that this movie is action packed and full of fighting and martial arts, but that would be common knowledge to anyone that follows his movies. It is also packed with stars as well. Jet Li is joined by Aaliyah, Isaiah Washington, Russell Wong, DMX, Delroy Lindo, D.B. Woodside, Henry O, Jon Kit Lee, Edoardo Ballerini, and Anthony Anderson round out the cast of main characters.
For those of you that have followed me in the past, you know I am one to never give away the spoiler and that will remain true with this review. There is a war going on between blacks and Asians in San Francisco. Po Sing (Jon Kit Lee), the son of Ch’u Sing (Henry O) who is the head of the Collective Families (Chinese Mafia) goes to Silk’s (DMX) club to have fun. Silk’s bouncers decide that it is time for the son of the Asian powerhouse to leave. As a fight is about to break out, the body guard of Ch’u Sing, Kai (Russell Wong) shows up to save Po’s butt. Once Po leaves a fight breaks out anyways. Later that next morning Po is found swing from a pole by his neck.
Jet Li, who is in prison back in Hong Kong, gets word immediately and it is on.
Isaiah Washington plays Mac, the body guard for Isaak O’Day, the head of the black mob. Trish (Aaliyah) wants no part of the business that her dad is in. Colin (D.B. Woodside) wants the father to respect him as a man. Maurice (Anthony Anderson) is one of the head bodyguards for the family assigned to watch Trish. He also lends a few laughs to the show.
Vincent Roth (Edoardo Ballerini) is the front runner to a new NFL franchise coming to town and O’Day and Sing both own the majority of the waterfront property that Roth needs to make the bid work. O’Day and Sing work to get all the deeds on the properties in exchange for being paid off.
Now, here is the twist. Someone has a different plan and they are killing all the kids of each mob lord. Question is why. If you can solve that answer, then you solve the movie. Good luck.
Popularity: 49% [?]
July 8th, 2008 at 6:16 am
Have you ever seen Jet’s “Fist of Legend” or “The Legend”? Great stuff, just be sure to see the original versions not the English overdubs.
July 8th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Jake, I will have to check that out. I have watched a lot of his movies over the last year. Some I am not real keen on, but most are good.
July 8th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Agreed, some of his work is lackluster, my least favorite being “Kiss of the Dragon.” But “Hero” is quite possibly my favorite Martial Arts film of all time.
July 8th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was by far the worst that I have seen. Hero was good.