I'll say it right now - this film is quite mediocre. A disappointment - not particularly bad, but not good at all.
The problem with this film is entirely with direction. This is not surprising, as this film is a concept movie, or rather a vehicle for Jet Li to break into Hollywood, rather than an exercise in story telling or cinematography. And Jet Li deserves to break into Hollywood. One thing that comes out of this film is that he can act as well as most US action stars, and his physical skills are undeniably excellent.
Sadly, he has been short changed, because someone saw the Matrix and thought it was the last word in Martial Arts, and decided that real fight scenes just don't quite have what it takes for the US market.
So Jet Li ends up a puppet on a string in all the major fight scenes. He does things that one can't because of gravity. Now, this was fine in the Matrix, as the plot had an explanation for the weird stuff. But not in Romeo, and as a result it just looks dumb. They may have done a fantastic job of hiding the wires, but it is obvious they are there. Not good.
Further more, the filming of the fights is dreadful. Close-up when it should be a wide shot so you can't see who is hitting who. Wide when the characters are staring each other out. Sergio Leone worked hard to teach us all lessons about using close ups to create tension. Romeo must die has a dearth of tension. Because the fight scenes are so hard to view you NEED the contrived X-Ray shots to find out that someone has been injured!
There are a couple of good fight scenes (particularly memorable the bit where a guy gets his trousers pulled down to reveal he is wearing ladies panties! Worthy of a Jackie Chan fight!). These are all the simple ones without any gravity defying SFX.
The direction also lets down a relatively ok plot. Too much time is spent lingering on Delroy Lindo and Aaliyah with their lower lips quivering. This is an action flick. I did not come to see Aaliyah playing with her rag doll. (Actually, that WAS my favourite scene, as it was SO funny and out of place). The gaps between action are too big.
What does let the plot down is a shortage of characters, and the involvement of minor ones in the storyline, as this removes any suspense as what is going to happen.
The acting does not let the film down, which is interesting, and shows what a wasted opportunity this film is.
Overall, I hope to see more of Li, but if this film shows the way forward, I will be looking to his past movies.
The problem with this film is entirely with direction. This is not surprising, as this film is a concept movie, or rather a vehicle for Jet Li to break into Hollywood, rather than an exercise in story telling or cinematography. And Jet Li deserves to break into Hollywood. One thing that comes out of this film is that he can act as well as most US action stars, and his physical skills are undeniably excellent.
Sadly, he has been short changed, because someone saw the Matrix and thought it was the last word in Martial Arts, and decided that real fight scenes just don't quite have what it takes for the US market.
So Jet Li ends up a puppet on a string in all the major fight scenes. He does things that one can't because of gravity. Now, this was fine in the Matrix, as the plot had an explanation for the weird stuff. But not in Romeo, and as a result it just looks dumb. They may have done a fantastic job of hiding the wires, but it is obvious they are there. Not good.
Further more, the filming of the fights is dreadful. Close-up when it should be a wide shot so you can't see who is hitting who. Wide when the characters are staring each other out. Sergio Leone worked hard to teach us all lessons about using close ups to create tension. Romeo must die has a dearth of tension. Because the fight scenes are so hard to view you NEED the contrived X-Ray shots to find out that someone has been injured!
There are a couple of good fight scenes (particularly memorable the bit where a guy gets his trousers pulled down to reveal he is wearing ladies panties! Worthy of a Jackie Chan fight!). These are all the simple ones without any gravity defying SFX.
The direction also lets down a relatively ok plot. Too much time is spent lingering on Delroy Lindo and Aaliyah with their lower lips quivering. This is an action flick. I did not come to see Aaliyah playing with her rag doll. (Actually, that WAS my favourite scene, as it was SO funny and out of place). The gaps between action are too big.
What does let the plot down is a shortage of characters, and the involvement of minor ones in the storyline, as this removes any suspense as what is going to happen.
The acting does not let the film down, which is interesting, and shows what a wasted opportunity this film is.
Overall, I hope to see more of Li, but if this film shows the way forward, I will be looking to his past movies.