The One (2001)

A rogue Multiverse agent goes on a manhunt for versions of himself, getting stronger with each kill. With only one version remaining, he races against the clock to finish him and become "The One."

Director:

James Wong

Writers:

Glen Morgan, James Wong

Stars:

Jet Li, Carla Gugino, Delroy Lindo

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jet Li	...	Gabe Law / Gabriel Yulaw / Lawless
Carla Gugino	...	T.K. Law / Massie Walsh
Delroy Lindo	...	MVA Agent Harry Roedecker / Gas Station Attendant
Jason Statham	...	MVA Agent Evan Funsch
James Morrison	...	LAPD Officer Bobby Aldrich / 'A' World Inmate #1
Dylan Bruno	...	Yates
Richard Steinmetz	...	D'Antoni
Steve Rankin	...	MVA Supervisor
Tucker Smallwood	...	Prison Warden
Harriet Sansom Harris	...	Nurse Besson
David Keats	...	MRI Technician
Dean Norris	...	Sgt. Siegel
Ron Zimmerman	...	Rotten Ronnie
Darin Morgan	...	Hugo
Mark Borchardt	...	Cesar

Storyline

There is not one universe, but there are many, which is a multiverse. Supposing you are just one person, there are many other versions of you in the other universes, there are ways to travel, but only a police agency, MVA, can travel only for police procedures. Gabriel Yulaw is a former MVA agent, who killed another version of himself in self-defense. It made the other versions of him stronger. When Yulaw found out about this, he became power-hungry killing the 122 other versions for two years. After killing Lawless and getting captured by his former partner Roedecker and a new MVA agent Funsch, Yulaw managed to escape the prison and is trying to kill his last target, Gabe Law who is a police officer. He is also at Yulaw's strength. Roedecker and Funsch now have to arrest Yulaw before he can kill Gabe. There is a possibility that the universe could die or make Yulaw invincible. After encountering Yulaw for the first time, Gabe thought that it was his split personality, but it wasn't. ...

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Plot Keywords:

police | wrist restraints | sheriff | two word title | helicopter | 

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Taglines:

Stealing the power of the universes one by one.

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense action violence and some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

El único

Filming Locations:

Edison Generating Station, Redondo Beach, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$49,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$19,112,404, 4 November 2001, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$43,905,746, 16 December 2001

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$28,783,380

Company Credits

Production Co:

Revolution Studios, Hard Eight Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 85 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As someone mentioned earlier, Yulaw uses xingyi quan. There is a scene in the movie where he is practicing his xingyi when he's shackled and jailed. This is a reference to the famous Xingyi master Kuo Yun Shen who did the same thing when he was jailed.

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Goofs

While talking to Gabe and describing the multiverse, Funsch says "In another, you're married to the same woman. In another, to a different woman. In another, you're married to a man." This illustrates a significant plot hole within the premise of the film. Since over time people would not marry the same people, would not marry, or engage in homosexual marriage which would likewise preclude the same parents, each universe could not be populated by exactly the same people as was shown. While films do have artistic license, a character mentioning this within the film negates any such artistic license.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: There is not one universe. There are many: A multiverse. We have the technology to travel between universes, but travel is highly restricted and policed. There is not one you. There are many. Each of us exists in present time, in parallel universes. There was balance in the system, but now a force exists who seeks to destroy the balance so he can become The One.

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Alternate Versions

German theatrical version was edited for violence to secure a "Not under 16" rating.

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Connections

Remade as 7 Splinters in Time (2018)

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Soundtracks

Papercut
Written by Chester Bennington
Performed by Linkin Park

User Reviews

nice movie

I can't understand why all the Matrix fans are claiming a special effect as their own and that no other movie can make use of it.

The Matrix copied the Chinese movies that used those pulleys to keep the actor in mid air after jumping and doing all those kicks before they land back on the ground. And using those pulleys to fly backwards thru the air after getting hit.

I think that once a technique or special effect has been created then everyone's allowed to make use of it.

This is a nice movie to watch. Jet Li's English is such an improvement on his past efforts and you can feel the affection in his voice when he talks to/ about his wife. Jackie Chan, as wonderful as he is, still hasn't mastered English to Jet Li's level.

The action was great. I'm not looking for realism in a sci-fi movie. I had no expectations. Just watched to see what I'd get - and for the 1.5 hours, I was entertained. It's a simple story, simple concept.

I wish people would go to see this movie and not try to compare it to Matrix. Matrix itself is not innocent of "borrowing" special effects already used in other movies. As for the "there can be only one" theme, look back to the old days of Astroboy. There was that robot war thing where they had to kill each other so there would be only one winner. Big deal.

I will definitely be buying the DVD. But then again, I do have most of Jet Li's movies on DVD :-)