Slashdot Mirror
Jet Lag: 2 Reviews Of "The One"
These last few years have been good for lovers of martial arts movies, until recently a fringe cinematic genre, and for a new generation of stars like Jet Li. But The One (even the title is a ripoff from The Matrix) will bore even die-hard teen lovers of the form. It's slow, dull and humorless. Maybe it's time for this era to end. Jackie Chan does it a lot better, and with a lot more personality. John Wayne did the square-jaw resolute look a lot better. Li just looks ticked off all the time.
In this movie, the exotic and surprising spirituality of The Matrix is reduced to much incomprehensible gibberish about parallel universes --- the "multiverse" and the efforts of parallel figures -- in this case the two Jet Li's -- to seize control of all the different dimensions and become God of us all. Even the good Jet Li, who plays an LA County Sheriff and family man who is just doing his job and hanging around with his muscle-head buddies, and wants no part of this multi-universe politicking, doesn't exactly exude warmth. The bad Jet Li -- a monster from the parallel dimensions who transports himself through dimensions killing off competitors and look-alikes and agents from Galactic Central -- just glowers a bit more. Watching these Jet Li's square off in a noisy environment of Delta-force clad LAPD officers blasting away in their dark suits and racing unsuccessfully back and forth, traveling via Star Trek-ish time transporters, it's not only impossible to tell the good and bad guy apart at times, but pretty soon, you won't even care.
There are some nice special effects in this movie, and a super sound track that runs from jazz to hip hop to rock and rap, but there is absolutely no plot at all, and 90 percent of the battle scenes seem to take place in parking garages and sewers. They aren't nearly good enough to overcome this Jet Lag. I suppose this is all meant to be dark, but the primary impressions are just "low-budget" and "dull."
Review #2 from the second victim: chrisd
I really like Jet Li and I like science fiction, so *poof* -- a SF movie with Jet Li? A sure winner, right? Well, no. Now, I should point out that I don't expect Fellini from a Jet Li movie. I don't expect good writing, acting, casting, costumes, or even dialogue. I do expect a few things from a good fight movie, mostly good fighting, handy camera work and good lighting, and in an SF movie decent effects.
Unfortunately, "The One" disappoints. If you've seen the trailer or commercial (my way of saying spoiler warning ), there are some very cool things going on here: Jet Li kicking Jet Li's ass, Jet Li whapping people with Harleys, Jet Li flying through the air, walking the walls, jumping tenements in a single bound ... There is a lot of cool stuff going on. I assure you that must be the case, the problem is, they didn't do a good job of letting us see much of it. I don't know what specifically was wrong with the camera or editing work, but it just made you want to crane your head around to see what might actually be happening. Camerawork was one of the great things about "The Matrix." You could see and appreciate what was happening.
As Jon noted, the plot isn't really worth talking about, as there isn't much of one, and ieven that is very familiar. It's lsomething ike this: There are a bunch of universes, see, and so the bad Jet Li has traveled through 123 of the 125 universes killing the other versions of himself, becoming more powerful with every kill. As the parallel Jet Lis are killed, the Jet Lis who survive get more powerful, as the total Jet Liness is spread around into fewer Jet Lis. And so bad Jet Li, now very powerful, must kill good Jet Li (in our universe) to gain ultimate power. (Something Jamie calls the Law of Conservation of Jetliosity) Sound familiar? It should. It has been the plot of a number of science fiction franchises. In a scene near the end Jet Li even says "There can only be one of us."
But really, who cares about the story? This is a fight movie, after all. It should be judged accordingly. Can you picture watching a Jackie Chan movie and saying "gosh, this is really nothing like Sense and Sensibility"? Of course you wouldn't.
But you would want to see Jackie flipping ladders around while downing tequila shots and beating up neo-nazis. And Jackie delivers partly because you can see what he is doing. Jet Li is there, he's working, but the camera work stinks so you can't appreciate what he or his pals in Special Effects are doing. It's too bad -- "The one" could have been a lot more dumb, silly fun.
In short, if you really like Jet Li, go see it, but try to sneak in. One thing you can say about it is that it doesn't suck as much as "Romeo Must Die" did. (which isn't saying much, I know) and the effects when you can see them are kind of fun.
At first I was going to go see this, because I've enjoyed some of Li's earlier work (Though not as much as Jackie Chan's ;-) and I enjoy a good bit of kicking and punching. But after seeing the preview in the theatre (Or should I say spoiler...as that's what they all are these days...) I decided that this will be one to let the roommate buy when it comes out on DVD in a month or two.
Instead, go see Iron Monkey! It's absolutely wonderful Kung Fu and a great story. (IANAMA)
"I want peace on earth and good will toward men." "We're the U.S. government. We don't do that sort of thing!!"
Who *really* sees Jet Li / Jackie Chan / etc movies with any intention of good screen writing, a plot, or any sense of meaning? just enjoy the gags and the moves. if you're poor buy it 3 years later from walmart or steal it or something.
I see every jet li flick I can, even if I know it's going to "suck", because the man is amazing. then again I guess I have low standards, since I don't even pretend to care about the existence of a plot line. bah.
EOM
There are no .9mm-caliber firearms. There are, however, lots of 9mm guns. (How do people come up with this stuff?)
I now know that Katz lives in some alternate dimension unto his own.
The Matrix plot, such as it was, was a paper-thin claptrap to frame the fusion of high technology and chop-socky, and chop socky still has better fight scenes. I honestly don't know why people like the Matrix so much. It was a bad, bad movie with some okay fight scenes.
But even letting my personal opinion of the Matrix go for a moment--and not having seen The One-- calling the Matrix spiritual and plot-laden is ridiculous. How is "Programmer finds out that the world is an illusion and that he is humanity's digital messiah" so much deeper than "Man finds out that alternate dimension version of himself is killing all the others to steal their power"?
At least he didn't talk about the affect of the One on globization, Columbine, and geeks in a post Sept. 11 world.
"Enough of this wretched, whining monkey life." -- Marcus Aurelius, _Meditations_, Book 9, 37
I went to see Kiss of the Dragon and got exactly what I expected from a Jet Li martial arts film: a lot of blood, not a lot of plot, and a girl who 'loves' him in the end. The only two things that made that movie bearable for me was the fact that he had some humorus lines, and the fact that it was funny laughing at the girls next to me that would scream when he took off his shirt. If these movies are anything like Kiss then I've seen them already. Most of these movies seem to have the same plot twists anyway. And...let me guess...the final fight: it seems the good Jet Li will lose, before he comes back with some other-worldly strength and starts kicking ass again. I knew it. I've 'seen' it.
-mrbkap
...and forget Jet Li. This is far more entertaining :)
How old are you, 15? So if a movie is really not worth paying for, but you want to see it, someone should sneak in? This just reinforces the view that open-source types want everything without paying for it.
Do you feel this way about shoplifting too?
Please cut this crap out..
Iron Monkey was the best Kung Fu movie that I have seen in the theater.
Unlike, the crouching animals movie, this one had a plot that worked, and some real fight moves (in addition to many laughable ones).
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Actually, the "plot" to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is based on an old Chinese tale. Granted, I'm sure things got spiced up here and there for the big screen, but it was an excellent movie. :)
And c'mon guys... Jet Li has done worse movies than "The One"... anyone remember "Martial Arts of Shaolin"?
--
A flute with no holes is not a flute.
While I haven't seen "The One" yet, I was hoping to see something good about it. I thought "Romeo Must Die" was good, with some excellent music, fights, a sweet chase scene, and Aaliyah (what can I say?).
On the other hand, I saw "kiss the Dragon" earlier this summer and I thought it sucked. Ordinarily, I like both Luc Besson and Jet Li, but this movie was a shame for both of them. Maybe Besson should have directed it instead of just (co)writing it.
The real problem I had with this movie is that in order for the main bad guy to get stronger, he had to kill everyone.
What happens when everyone else in the other parallel universes dies? Then the last person becomes the one. This is inconsistant (unless everyone dies together and this was disproven early on in the movie). I think it made me realize that it was a bunch of semi-cool fight scenes (I think the first one is the best and it goes downhill from there)strung together.
The inconsistancy made this movie very dissatisfying, and I hope that Jet Li learns from his mistake.
But The One (even the title is a ripoff from The Matrix)....
Um, don't you mean Highlander?
Why are you reviewing movies for a geek site if you can't even draw parallels correctly? (no pun intended...oh wait)
Crouching Matrix, Hidden Plotline?
Sounds like that sums it up perfectly.
Have you read the moderator guidelines? Well, have you, PUNK? (and I want a Karma: Gnarly option)
I thought Neo was The One. Anyway, the movie is getting average ratings from papers across the globe. Here they are if you'd like a second opinion:
Chicago Tribune: 3 stars
Detroit Free Press: 1 star
E! Online: C-
Entertainment Weekly: C-
Did you know that the movie was originally going to star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson of WWF fame?
the byproduct of years of oppression by the white man
It's really a shame that Jet Li has gone hollywood.
The chinese movies he has made are all, with few exceptions, excellent. The fighting is astonishing and Jet Li is truly one of the absolute best martial arts actors out there. Just watch Fist of Legend and you'll see. That movie made me into a Jet Li-fan, and the choreographer is the same who did choreography for The Matrix.
But the hollywood effect on Jet Li's movies is terrible. Firstly because Jet Li is taken out of his habitat; he only speaks little English, let him speak Chinese in the movies damnit. Secondly because the fighting scenes are created into some strange blur, and it's freakin' impossible to see anything! Jet Li is incredible, but the fighting scenes are made into some camera-frenzy. If you watch Fist of Legend there are lengthy fighting scenes that are so good you want to see them over and over again, provided you are a kung fu-fan of course, and it's actually possible to appreciate their skills.
The camera effects were necessary on actors in The Matrix, since they need them. Jet Li does not.
Warning: Possible Spoilage
:)
This film borrowed elements from other films willy-nilly, and had few original parts.
The fight scene at the factory was clearly ripped off from Streeth Fighter (or at least the genre). "LAW vs. Law" was about as exciting as watching an arcade game. All we needed were health meter bars
The premise was flawed: if an alternate me dies, and I am made stronger even though I did not kill him, then at some point I'm going to be an old man in some universe, all my alts are going to be dead, and I'm going to be God.
The ending leaves both Laws alive. What happens when one of them dies? The other becomes God? Pshaw. I found it very hard to suspend my disbelief on this one.
.9mm? That's a mighty small calibre. When are you idiotic Americans going to accept that Metric is just more useful and logical? At that time, you might also consider abandoning your ridiculous paper sizes too.
That was classic intercourse!
One of the main issures that nagged me while watching The One:
/end nitpick
Jet Li's power increases because he kills the Jet Lis from other dimensions. Eventually there will be only one Jet Li left and he is supposed to have god-like power. But why is this so special? Unless all the copies of a person in all the dufferent universes simultaneously die, there will be exactly one copy at some point. Natural\accidental\other types of death will pick off the copies one by one. So, there should be god-like people popping up all over the place.
It's almost as if Hollywood has completely given up. For at least the last year, mainstream films from the US have been really, really unimaginative and boring. Either they are unfunny sequels to shlock comedies, repetitive disaster movies or dull feel-good films for kids.
The only decent films making it to the screen these days are lesser-known alternative flicks from Australia or the UK.
God help us when Hollywood starts making films about the WTC attacks, and subsequent wars
proof of Osama's guilt..
I had no problems with the camera work. That is to say, that I didn't come out of the movie thinking about it. The other people in the theater enjoyed it, as did I. The special effects are cool and the speed-up/slow-mo stuff is pretty neat to watch, though done a bit too many times. As for the quote mentioned in the review, "There can be only one..." I think I was the only one in the theater to bust out laughing, it had to be a joke/hommage. I wish they would have changed the ending. It had so much of a chance, but it's an american film, what can ya do. I was dissapointed in Jason Statham. He shouldn't have tried a different accent. He's great in Lock Stock and in Snatch, but in The One, sometimes he's got a texas accent, sometimes, it's back to brit, it was odd really. So, it's a fun fight flick, though yes, the plot is thin, but not any worse than every other fight flick out there, and at least it's not a the bad guy killed my best friend/wife/dog/whatever from the 80's. As for the comparisions to Jackie Chan's films, different thing all together really, IMHO. JC's stuff is ment to be funny, with action/kung-fu, etc. Movies like this are ment to be fun (not funny) action movies. And neither of them are ment to be world changing plot/dialog based films.
-- Chris Martin, System Administrator
Think about it, 0.9 mm is not the bullet size.
It's 9 mm
And if you miss this minor detail by 10 times, how can we trust you on anything else ?
Oh Jon, Jonny Jonboy, stop trying to impress people with your over-analysis and mis-facts. "The One" is a quick & dirty Jet Li movie, and like all Jet Li movies, it's all about less plot and more action, of which there is plenty in this flick. Slow-motion scenes, wall-jumping and anti-gravity stunts are Jet Li's trademark. That's how it was in Black Mask & Romeo Must Die, The One is no different. He still kicks ass and he still looks like a kung fu heroin addict, and that just happens to look pretty darned cool on a big screen.
Give it a break.
-Billco, Fnarg.com
This movie was worth seeing just to hear jet li say "I am no one's Bitch! You are all my Bitches!"
[...] commonplace they're tiresome.
I read that as "commonplace as threesomes"... time to get that caffeine shot...
-- No sig today
Maybe you arent geeky enough. In the Matrix, Morpheus calls Neo "The One" numerous times, alluding to an all powerful entity that can change the universe.
Perfect parrallel to Jet Li's "The One" in my humble opinion..
And of course, yes, they also used plot devices (kill all others and become insanely powerful) from Highlander.
GPL'd web-based tradewars themed space game
The matrix was a cool flick, but about as spiritual as a toaster. I'm so sick of people hype-ing this movie like it's some sort of important symbol of our times. It's well executed, but when you come down to it the plot is cheesy as hell, and based on an absurd premise (generating power from people, wtf?).
Judging by whats been said:
Wouldn't it be almost impossible for evil Jet li to kill the good Jet li?
If everytime one of the 125 li's die the power becomes more concentrated in those that remain, that said shouldn't they have equal power?!?
Who decided that there are only 125 universes!! Kinda arbitrary
"We deal in lead" - Roland of Gilead
here are the other two zhu_zhq works: http://www.seriousbird.com/tuzzf/
non-stop ripoffs of the martial arts/ balletic combat sequences Neo brought to the big screen for the mass audience.
Well, I was watching Jet Li movies long before the Matrix came out, and I thought that it was a total rip-off of his movies.
Didn't stop me from liking it, and I'm guessing it won't stop me from liking The One either.
Free your mind dude.
You can't take the sky from me...
I now know which one wins. When the unstoppable force that is a ./ reader's love for The Matrix meets the immovable object that is a ./ reader's hatred for John Katz, it looks like the unstoppable force gets thwarted.
Jet Li's movies can't be a ripoff of the Matrix. Why? Because the Matrix is a ripoff of all the work Jet Li has been doing since 1980.
All the stuff I saw in the Matrix, I have already seen on previous Jet Li's work.
Altough the fight scenes in the matrix were good, they don't come close to the things you see on movies like Fong Sai Youk or Tai Chi Master.
The Matrix didn't bring balletic martial arts sequences to the masses, it brought them to US audience. Did you know, Katz, that Asia is bigger than USA, and that Jet Li is one of the most famous artist in Asia?
Now I understand why a lot of people has a problem with Katz.
Shut up.
Why do users with IDs under 100,000 or over 700,000 usually have the most worthwhile comments?
If u go see a movie where even the title is a rip-off expecting a clever, original plot and dialogue, perhaps u deserve to be disappointed? Elvis movies were made as excuses for Elvis to sing and gyrate his pelvis. Fred Astaire movies were made as excuses for Fred Astaire to dance, dance, dance. So Jet Li movies are excuses for him to kick and leap and for his audiences for him watch him to do just those things ... which he does very well. Nothing more.
Didn't see anyone mention this, and it's not completely off topic. Last night on some entertainment tonight knock off they said Jet, and Jackie are going to be doing a movie together. No word on the name of the film, but I'm sure it will include lots of kicking and punching. Filming is suppose to start in January.
With two 9mm's, well doing a back flip.
I swear, this just is walking proof that quality doesn't count in net journalism..
Still, I guess you would need a skin so thick you lived in another universe just to live with the constant critism without killing yourself (do it!).
When I used to be a Tae Kwon Do instructor (this was many inches of waistline ago), we used to dodge bullets all the time. Personally, my favorite part was all that flying stuff. Lots of fun. ;^)
Whoo hoo! first post! First frickin' post, guys. Munch on that!
Whoa. WTF? Goddamn netlag. Will you look at that ping? Gotta get me a cable modem.
What's with all the martial arts stars playing two roles at once these days? Double Impact, Twin Dragons, The One... Apparently this isn't limited to big budget actors either (http://www.spcnet.tv/tvb_finalcombat.html). Mike Myers has been the only one to do it well since the Parent Trap. I think one actor who kicks ass but can't act his way out of a paper bag is enough for any movie...
Ok,
Katz says that one or two of the fight scenes are first rate. They have people going around drop-kicking themselves and dodging bullets. The commercials didn't pretend this was anything but an action movie, and a pretty brainless one at that, with all kinds of matrix-ripoff eye candy.
What exactly is the problem?
When I go to a movie, I typically like to see the kind of content that was in the movie trailer. For example, Life, a depressing movie about prison guards, was NOT a good movie, because they made it out to be a comedy in the trailer, and left everyone bewildered, drawing the wrong crowd.
The One doesn't appear to be pulling any of that bullshit. Instead, they're saying outright: "This is a Jet Li action movie. Do not come for drama or deep insights about the future." That way, hopefully, they're advertising to the right crowd.
If you're going to review a movie, you might aswell judge it based upon what kind of movie it is, not how well it fits the slant you like to write about all the time.
"Look at me, I invented the stove!" -- Ben Franklin
0.9 mm equals 1/32 of an inch.. man, those are pretty small bullets. Needle guns, anyone?
"The Matrix" did not invent either of those two techniques. The virtual camera effect (a.k.a. "bullet time") was first seen in TV commercials such as those for The Gap. And wire-fu had been done in Hong Kong flicks for years before The Matrix came along.
No Jon, if you had really been paying attention, you would have noticed that "The One" is actually a ripoff of "Terminator 2" more than anything else.
Free Hans!
is this a sequel to the matrix or not?!
________________________________________________
Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!
Reason: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING.
When are people gonna accept this type of movie for what it is...ENTERTAINMENT. There is no deep message. No social commentary. The SF was merely a frame to give the action some context. In that sense, it was successful. The action was better than average. The FX were awesome. The sound track rocked. I enjoyed this movie. But then I didnt go in seeking spirituality or film as art.
Embrace the wrevolution!
Heh... with most hollywood production, plot discussing IS the spoilage, everybody knows the endings are either predictable (80%) or scrap the entire movie (K-pax) (15%) in some rare cases you have a good ending that doesn't make you feel raped off your 9$ entrance fee (well here in canada anyways :) ).
:) , I'd be so freakin PLEASED to pay more just to filter out the garbage and not was my time and gas for that matter.
Example of a good balance of storyline, action, effects and ending for Sci-fi movies: Terminator II. You can have an hollywood ending without spoiling the entire movie, I almost cried when I saw him going down... I don't recall any movies that got my full attention and even got me right into it to the point that I was all messed up when I got out, not THAT'S entertaining, that's worth the price ticket, that's worth not being copied and BOUGHT on DVD, that I can have all respect from the MPAA or any other organisation behind it trying to protect their trademark and all.
Maybe if hollywood would start pumping more good productions like these (T2, 2001, heck, remember ET when you were a kid?, etc), people wouldn't download them off the internet and actually go see them in a big theatre with super dooper sound and popcorn, that would be worth it. Watching that on a monitor, or 25 inch tv would spoil most of it... Face it, it's far from being every pirate that owns a projection system or a 60" TV to enjoy a movie almost like if he was in a theatre. So maybe by making quality stuff and not taking their customers (audience) for complete retards, they would bring in more people.
My reasonning works when we look at almost every classics. Anything that is unbalanced, sucks or flop. (battlefield earth is a nice example of unbalanced).
Ask yourself what were the biggest success in the last 25 years... aside from tron that flopped because the people weren't ready for that kind of stuff, they all had something in common: Amazing or simple but good storyline, Excellent effects, good acting, good ambiance, all of this balanced.
I'd pay 20$ per movie if I was sure that I wouldn't be pissed or left on my appetite at the end, of course it's a matter of taste also, that being noted, there's also a baseline if you don't like scifi movies, you don't want to go see one just to get pissed afterwards
I'm sure I am not the only one.
--- Metamoderating abusive downgraders since my 300th post.
Had a lot of fun. I do wushu, though, so I liked seeing Jet Li doing Bagua and some other form I totally did not recognize.
:) might have made things confusing.
I dunno what you expected out of the movie, but I wasn't expecting anything better than Highlander, which seemed suspiciously similar.
The fact that the two Jets were only distinguished because of their fighting styles (how very martial arts
I thought it was trippy that Jet Li in at least two, if not three, universes always fell for the same woman.
GPL Deconstructed
Just click here(and no sicko, its not pointing to the goatsex page!
Hear, hear! I wholeheartedly agree with you. Go rent Chinese Connection or Feathered Snake (or somesuch) if you want to see a real kung fu movie.
No sig
It must be sad to be so limited to think nothing else but "Matrix" ever since that movie came out.
Let's face it, that movie wasn't as intelligent as many want to believe, with Keanu Reeves' Bullshit-Fu and the non-plausible reliance on firearms.
Just stop worshipping that cool-fx movie and do your review.
I thought that the Matrix movies were about Neo and the Computers and a super-intelligent AI.... What happened to that? And are the parrallel universes all within the Matrix, or what? And this is a Matrix movie, right?
The lower the rating, the better the movie is. When you go to see a kung fu movie, featuring a kung fu star, what do you expect? This movie falls upon the line of America's Scariest Police Chases type of entertainment, not whatever else you're looking for. If you walk into this movie expecting plot and character development, you will be wasting time. If you walk into this movie expecting BRUTAL ASS KICKING FUN, you have made a good investment.
Who cares what critics think anyway? If you nitpick anything it ruins the movie experience for you.
So that's what, a buck fifty US?
But The One (even the title is a ripoff from The Matrix) will bore even die-hard teen lovers of the form.
Yeah, _The Matrix_ is the origin of all martial arts movies. It's so awesome (*chuckle*) that nothing could compare with its storyline and title. Gosh darnit! Even Shakespeare is a hack compared to _The Matrix_! Let's not forget about that plagirist Tolkien!
It's slow, dull and humorless. Maybe it's time for this era to end. Jackie Chan does it a lot better, and with a lot more personality.
You should also know that Jet Li wouldn't have faired better if he DID agree to appear in _The Matrix 2_. To many American producers and directors, Jet Li has already been type-casted as such a character. You wouldn't expect John Wayne to do a comedy, would you? Personally, if this movie is as bad as the impression you reviewers give of it, then I blame the hack of a writer who wrote the storyline.
Jet Li will jump in the air, flip three times, dodge an oncoming car, push off a wall, and kick you in the face 5 times before you hit the ground.
Jackie Chan will jump in the air, flip three times, dodge an oncoming car, push off a wall, and slap you in the face 5 times WITH A LARGE TROUT before you hit the ground.
I rest my case.
Still, that explains much: Strom Thurmond is a supervillian.
If a corporation is a personhood, is owning stock slavery?
That's just too mean, man. Martial arts movies are always like that, ever since Bruce Lee. The Matrix and Jackie Chan were no exception.
The Matrix: Morpheus refers to Neo as "the One" in the sense that he is the Chosen One.
Highlander: There can be only one. If you win the game, you are the One. What's the game? Killing the others of your sort.
Uhm, what's that about a perfect parallel? The only thing The Matrix's "the One" has in common with The One's use of the same phrase is that... they're the same phrase. Not a thing else in common. OTOH, the premise and the phraseology are entirely like Highlander's.
If a corporation is a personhood, is owning stock slavery?
Oh please, get a life!!!
Yeah, I bet these two bozos love chick-flicks too! I bet they are also the crying type; get a life!
Dude, we men go to this type of movies for the same reason that you sissys are complaining about. If we wanted to go to a movie with a lot complications, without any shooting, spilling blood, nudity, and full of passion, we would stay at home to squezze and nail the living daylights of our girlfriends.
Why use more brain cells than we have to? Are we trying to proof something here for personal ego or pipi envy? No, we don't do stupid things like that!
So now, without loosing a second, run and buy or rent the 'Ladies Man,' and any other brain-dead movie you can find; play it over and over again until you start feeling your legs numb. Then and only then, you'll be allowed to get back to the tribe! And if someone knows these bozos, please smack them repeatedly for a few hours until they come to their senses!
++
This is just my humble opinion about this particular flick. A lot of what the first reviewer mentioned is true, but I disagree with their take on how it affected the movie. It was short, but this was a good thing. It didn't have all that mindless fluff in the middle that this genre likes to throw in there to add length. The fact that you often can't tell the two main characters apart was cool I thought. It was also a lot of little stuff; the special effects were absolutely first-rate. When jet li would jump between two overpasses or something, it didn't look as fake as such a thing usually does. It looked _real_. Aside from the lack of ammo (which is always the case), if people got injured, they _stayed_ injured. One of the characters gets a broken leg, and he doesn't forget about it in the next scene, or any scene thereafter. The last fight was a thing to behold. I think jet li played his character as he should: the strong, silent type. If I were that damn strong, I woulnd't say a whole lot, either. The soundtrack was cool, too. All-in-all I recommend it if you're a fan of the genre.
Every time I open the local free happenings paper and see another chinese film on the way I have to overcome the suspicion that it's just trying to play off CTHD success. Himalaya has zilch martial arts and is a great film to see if you would care to watch people from that neck of the woods not kick boxing their way through a story outlined on a bar napkin.
Saw K-Pax last night, after all the great talk I've heard about it and left the theater thinking, "Huh? Ok, so how did that actually end?" Pretty entertaining otherwise.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
To see the starwars trailer which came with a bonus movie of Monsters Inc.
Sigh..
my girlfriend cried in Monsters Inc.... it wasn't that sad a movie.
That aside, The One seems like a sweet-ass clone of Matrix.
Yes, the newer Jet Li movies are pretty bad, but that's because they've been "Hollywood-ized". If you want to see *real* martial arts action, you need to see older Jet Li movies. Forget about Jackie Chan. Jet Li is a national hero in China (I know this because I am friends with a man from China. He'll tell you all about Jet Li).
Fong Shi Yu (The Legend)Tai ji Zhang San Feng (Twin Warriors)
Fong Shi Yu II: Wan fu mo di (Legend of Fong Sai Yuk 2)
Jing wu ying xiong (Fist of Legend)
Hong Xiguan zhi Shaolin wu zu (New Legend of Shaolin)
Jet Li blows away Jackie Chan and lame Matrix "action". End of Story.
You are a cinematic snob.
But it wasn't good either. It seemed like a pilot for a TV show that got modified to become a vehicle for Jet Li. I must admit, I did enjoy the point in the final fight scene where the Good Li changed from a Hard Form martial art to Soft Form martial art...nice in joke!
ttyl
Farrell
CAN-CON 2019 - Ottawa's only book oriented Science Fiction Convention! October 18-20, Sheraton Hotel, Ottawa, Canada h
Get a clue people, everything is not a rip off of 'The Matrix'. While 'The Matrix' was one buttkicking sweet movie, every movie that comes after it can't be dissed for using technology they invented for it!
The One is a great action flick. The plot is decent, and it's fun to watch Jet Li smash a guy between to motorcycles.
As a rock-in-roll Physicist once said, No matter where you go, there you are.
Why, in both reviews, must you compare 'The One' to 'The Matrix'???? What? Is the 'Matrix' some kind of universal shining point in film?? Well, not in my opinion.... In fact, I think it's quite rediculous to use the 'Matrix' as a reference point for a martial arts film, since a bunch of dumb 'hip' white people in latex pants jumping around with millions of dollars worth of special effects is NOT martial arts.... Let's face it, while yes 'Iron Monkey' was at times correographed by the same person, the 'Matrix' was still a joke when it came to martial arts.... A f@@king joke... So, please, don't let that cheesy Gibson/Stephenson/Ellison ripoff of a movie (with all of its horrible cast) sneak its way into every single movie review....
-da5id
When I first heard about _The One_, I was incredibly excited. It sounded like the perfect merger between the Hong Kong action flick and Hollywood special effects. They've been adding big-budget effects to kung-fu oriented films for a while now, but for the most part, they were sed to add some bang to the fight, for big, over-the-top single attacks, or as a replacement for actors with real fighting experience. Here, they would be forced by the nature of the story to actually muck around with the way people move and
t ill-manages-to-hold-his-own role. I even liked the ending.
interact. Plus, I really liked Jet Li.
That was several years ago. This July, I caught my first glimpse of a trailer for the film at Comic-Con in San Diego. I became excited all over again. It looked like they had really done what I was hoping they would do. Jet Li's
character picks up a motorcycle in one hand and whacks somebody over the head with it. And while that's an obvious biological (and some may argue,
physical) impossibility, the sound and imagery contained enough gravity to convince me. The clips shown had a real impact, something that they'd only begun to incorporate in films like The Matrix and The Duel. Plus, I really liked Jet Li.
Then the TV spots came. Now I watch a lot of television, so I get a bit more exposure to advertising than your average human. I saw the trailer way too many times, and while I'm thankful that they didn't feel the need to put every action shot in the whole movie into the trailer, I did end up seeing the same stuff over and over again. I was still excited, but expose a person to something enough times, and they do get desensitized. But I still really liked Jet Li.
Then the reviews came in. I read bits and pieces of a lot of different reviewers and the consensus seemed to be that while there were some really
good fighting sequences in the movie, the rest of the movie was crap. Critics complained about poor acting performances and stupid plotlines. My
expectations fell significantly. I was still looking forward to what I expected to be a few really nifty action sequences pasted together with some shoddy plot-building scenes and crappy one-liners. But there is no denying the fact that I still really liked Jet Li.
So tonight, I went and saw _The One_. After I'd sat through the first twenty minutes of the movie, I began to wonder where all the awful acting was supposed to be. These certainly weren't Oscar-calibre performances, but Jet Li and Delroy Lindo gave as respectable an acting job as one would find in any good action flick. The storyline made sense. The actions of the characters were well-motivated. I laughed when I was supposed to. It was clear that the premise was over-the-top and that we were dealing with the soft science fiction of convenience and not the hard science fiction of physicists. Many
action movies, both from Hollywood and Hong Kong, seem to ignore the necessity of these elements. The rest of the movie doesn't have to be spectacular, but it has to be good enough to carry the viewers from one action sequence to
another. And _The One_ had enough quality in all the right places to do just that.
Now I realize that this is a lot of build-up for just a review, but I wanted to give a feel for the state of mind that I was in when I went to see this movie. When I first heard about it, I was expecting a bit more than was reasonable to get out of a movie. And yet somehow, _The One_ delivered. This is one damned fine movie. The fights and chases build steadily throughout the
movie as the hero and the villain dance around each other. They don't use their superhuman abilities sparingly. These are the two most powerful beings in the entire multiverse, and _The One_ does an incredible job of letting us
know. Of course all the chasing and dodging is simply rising action. It all leads to a final showdown, like the most classic of kung-fu films. We are promised a fight to end all fights, and we get it. It's not just super-fast
blows and fancy jumping and dodging. Every hit that is landed has the impact of a sledgehammer behind it. This is power.
The special effects are used with remarkable results. While there a few brief instances where a few more hours at a computer could have yielded better results, the overall impression is seamless and transparent. There was no doubt in my mind that there were two Jet Li's on that screen and that they were beating the crap out of each other at the speed of sound. Slow motion is
an effect that is rarely used properly, specially when extremely fast martial arts is involved. _The One_ is an exception. Due to careful attention to the laws of physics and the constant presence of normal-speed motion (e.g. falling sparks and turning machinery) in the background, we get a wonderful gut-feeling of just exactly how fast these guys are moving. Jet Li throws his arms and legs at ludicrous speed as he flies through the air, but at the same time, he's falling at a normal rate. Gravity still works, even though physiology was thrown out the window at the opening.
Incidental effects were also very well done, like the travelling-between-universes effect. The little bits of humor were funny, if a bit silly. Jet Li delivers an understated, but effective performance. Delroy Lindo admirably fills the obligitory nowhere-near-as-good-as-the-hero-or-villain-but-s
In short, this is one good movie, and you should go see it. The critics don't know what they're talking about.
And in case you're wondering, yes, I still really like Jet Li.
HC
HC
>Isn't it high time, so long as we're zipping people around via particle beams, to find a fresher weapon than the .9mm pistol
Isn't it about time that people stopped saying ".9mm"? Being shot with a 0.03-caliber pistol doesn't sound very painful.
steve
Oh, you're not stuck, you're just unable to let go of the onion rings.
Gee, thanks, Ebert.
Why don't you at least link to his review instead of quoting without attributing it?
anyways for everyone else go check it out, it's a funny read.
Was the most amusing part when the evil Jet Li proclaims, "I'm nobody's bitch!"
"...today consumers have been conditioned to think of beer when they see a bullfrog..."
> Who *really* sees Jet Li / Jackie Chan / etc movies with any intention of good screen writing, a plot, or any sense of meaning?
Guess you haven't "Fist of Legend" then.
Dare I say it, one of the best martial arts of all time.
Other posts seem to echo just this - Go see Iron Monkey instead.
I went to see The One with friends last night, and we were all dissapointed. (Especially my friend Jen and Myself who study Wing Chun Kung Fu).
The One is a Highlander/Matrix ripoff, and while Jet Li always has excellent Wushu, there is little of it in this film that is not enhanced with computer assistance.
Iron Monkey on the other hand has wall to wall Kung Fu action, with a cadre of excellent practioners and a multitude of styles (I saw Choy Li Fut and Lau Gar styles in the film along with the standard Wushu).
I won't get into plot or spoilers, but go see Iron Monkey - it has funny parts, and all of us in the theatre (only 8 of us, compared to a FULL theater for The One), and Iron Monkey has excellent action.
Iron Monkey beats up The One any day.
Try to hack my 31337 firewall!
Actually, when my friends and I first saw the trailer for 'The One', we thought it might be a Matrix sequel of some sort.
:)
You have to admit that the Freaky Jet Li Powers are right out of the Matrix, frex.
The premise and plot, now that I know something of them, are far closer to Highlander, but the movie itself is _a lot_ like the Matrix.
Except worse, of course.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
I liked the way the Matrix let you see what was going on; subtle editing touches and good camera work made scenes like the "metal detector-government lobby" fight classic IMHO. The One may have had some cool slo-mo effects (the sparks slowing down), but for the most part the camera was too frantic or too close to let you really see the action. It's a shame that they spent months and months (not to mention bundles of money) on post-production, only to have many of the effects missed by the audience because of some poor planning with the shots. The One wasn't worth the $6.50 I paid for it.
Actually, most of Jackie Chan's movies seen in American cinemas are of Hong Kong origin. As I recall, Rush Hour was his first american made movie (I remember hearing him gripe about american studios and their insurance restrictions preventing him from doing his own stunts). He may have made more American movies since the Rush Hour franchise, but I havn't seen a Jackie Chan movie in a couple of years so I wouldn't know.
Please be careful when you say that jackie chan's work in Hong Kong overshadow his Hollywood work, since it's possible you're confusing them.
Nathan
---
If we have not succeeded, it is because we have failed - Dan Quayle
Does the evil Li have a moustache?
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
You people who disliked it (for all of the reasons I've read) all had the wrong state of mind for the movie. Yes, the writing was bad, yes, the fighting was not the best I've ever seen, but I very much enjoyed it. Why? Well, the fighting was extremely brutal as somone earlier said. In fact, it was SO brutal that it was funny. Someone picking up two motercycles and smashing someone between them is funny as all hell, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THAT. If you have yet to see the movie, please do. But you will only enjoy it if you are looking for a foolish "let's look at a Jet Li break people in half while laughing" movie. If you do, and last through the whole movie without hating it, then the last 3 lines of the movie will make you cry in laughter.
Don't Bogart the fish sticks
Just about every movie with an "action" sequence has ripped off, or other made fun of the Matrix since it came out. I'm wondering if the brothers in charge of the Matrix franchise are going to address this in any way in the one of the next two movies.
And by addressing, I mean, point out and poke fun at the spoofing in other movies, and some slight verbal comment that be the effect of: 'Not everybody can slow down time correctly.' (Better written of course, and slipped into the script just so...)
But for the first time, I think Katz might be right, (one of the signs of the coming apocalypse.)
Bullet Time, and other such Matrix effects are getting old, quick.
Ok, ignore the crappy subject line and hear me out.
Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't Jet Li's first intro to American film was in Lethal Weapon 3 or 4. (I don't remember off the top of my head).
Now, Li in Lethal Weapon, was similar to Chan and Schwar...uh, Arnold S. in the Terminator 1 and 2 films...their primary talent (action) spoke louder for them than their voices ever did.
I brought up with the Monsters, Inc. topic that certain voice actors *don't need* to be seen to be appreciated.
As a brief mental excercise, Imagine trading....ohhh, say...Anthony Hopkins' role in "The Silence of the Lambs" with Arnold S's role in "Terminator". Does not work at all does it?
(yes, typecasting and stereotyping issues aside, but we are talking about Hollywood's strengths)
Anywho, more to the point and topic:
I'm simple saying that in Li's performance in LW 3 or 4..he did not need to speak at all, and from the reviews, perhaps he should have kept his lines to a minimum like Arnold S. did in his early career (I think A.S. has said "I'll be bach" in all his movies...trademark?) and in the Terminator, especially....he did not need to speak, either.
Contrast that to Hopkins' screen presence and vocal talents. He'd be as out of place in an action film as...as...a neon sign on a Xmas tree. Honestly A.H could have *still* carried the film TSOTL with half the dialogue...Hell, IMO he carried "Hannibal" to be a 8 out of 10 for me. Lack of Jodi Foster was -1/2 a star, but the *gorey* bits were the -1 1/2. (of course that is me, I could have lived w/o it...Imagine the movie "Psyco"...you did not *see* anything it was left up to the viewer).
Point being, that Li's martial art skills are not in question, if I read the reviews correctly.
The plot, the dialogue and the effects got in the way, correct?
So perhaps taking a lesson from Lethal Weapon, because he helped *make that film* what it was (ok, Gibson and Glover, too) by his sheer presence and talent in the martial arts, not by his vocal skills.
Speaking of Vocal Skillz, I'll shut up now.
(oh, and if you are a Jacki Chan fan, The Legend of theDrunken Master and Who am I have some of the best fights I've see yet.
Especially that "lankey" American Hit man type dude that I think was in both...absa-frikin-lutely wicked)
Have you read the moderator guidelines? Well, have you, PUNK? (and I want a Karma: Gnarly option)
You do realize that feeding trolls encourages them, I hope.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
I think the best way to describe the movie is as "The Thirteenth Floor with fight scenes". The story remarkably similar and the only link between The One and The Matrix is the slow mo bullet dodging. Really, the only major drawback to the movie was the horrible choice of music.. when will film makers learn that heavy metal / hard rock and rap just do not fit with martial arts fight scenes? Haven't US martial arts movies had this problem since.. i dunno.. "Only The Strong" ? :)
the votes are in
the polls are closed
the ballots have been counted...
__worst movie ever__
Since when is "The Matrix" derived from 'film noir'?
'Film noir' is traditionally associated with detective
movies with a narrator's commentary, in the style of Bogart's
'Maltese Falcon'. The released 'Bladerunner' is also done in
this style with Deckard supplying the narrator's commentary.
I fail to see how "The Matrix" fits that bill.
i keep reading about how a good number of you (including katz) couldn't see what was happening or couldn't follow the fight scenes... maybe it's because i'm used to speed (hardcore gamer i am!), but it really wasn't that difficult to follow them, nor that hard to understand the plot.
the fight scenes kicked ass, especially the last one with the sparks (it's the little things that make all the difference). Street Fighter? what? just because they did a side shot of both Li's? i'd say it was much more fun than watching an arcade game (and that's saying a lot) because it was real people fighting with cool effects everywhere.
and about the god thing, they never actually SAID he would become god, because they didn't KNOW what would happen: it was mere speculation.
didn't katz pay attention? obviously not, since he termed it "incomprehensible gibberish". it was, in fact, quite understandable. you'd think it'd be, after he said it had no plot. and "Star Trek-ish time transporters"? dude, they were simple BLACK HOLES--they couldn't even control when or where it would happen (what about that chair thing? they build it AROUND the spot it occured in--that simple)... sounds like many of you have lost quite a bit of your imaginations, because that's what you needed to watch this film (and any other sci-fi for that matter)... i don't remember anything taking place in the sewers, either.
i was entertained, and that's all i care about. i mean, that's what movies are for, right?
No one can put you down without your full cooperation.
"...and the fact that the word "replica" is written on your gun and the word "Desert Eagle .50" is written on mine, would percipitate your balls into shrinking......
"
"I want peace on earth and good will toward men." "We're the U.S. government. We don't do that sort of thing!!"
The Matrix would have been a harder sell.
----------
Producer: Who are you and what do you want?
Watchowskis: Uh, we want your help in making a film called "The Matrix."
Producer: I'm listening.
Watchowskis: It's sort of a Kung Fu film with Film Noir and Science Fiction elements. We've got, Uh Keanu Reeves-
Producer: Does he know kung fu?
Watchowskis: Uh no. We've also got Laurence Fishburne-
Producer: Does he know kung fu?
Watchowskis: Uh no. We've got Carrie Anne Moss-
Producer: Does he know kung fu?
Watchowskis: She's a she, and no. We've also got Hugo Weaving-
Producer: Does he know kung fu?
Watchowskis: No, but he's acted as a drag queen once.
Producer: So this is a kung fu film where none of the actors actually KNOW kung fu?
Watchowskis: Well, when you put it that way, yeah. But we'll teach them.
Producer: So what's the story? (giggles) Sorry, I always do that for some reason.
Watchowskis: It's about a guy who finds out his world is an illusion created by machines that have enslaved the human race. He journeys through the virtual world fighting computer programs with kung fu and in the end he gets killed and comes back to life and turns out to be Jesus Christ.
Producer: (pauses) And how much money do you want?
Watchowskis: Well, it's a co-production, but from you we'd need about... Forty million dollars.
Producer: (presses button on desk) Security!
(Several thugs come in and crack some Watchowski heads.)
---------
That's what it would be like to try to sell "The Matrix" to a film industry that wouldn't know Jet Li if he kicked it in the face. You say "Yeun Wo Ping and they think you're describing fried chicken. Compare that to trying to sell "The One" AFTER the Matrix has been a huge success...
---------
Jerk: Hi, I've got this great idea for a film!
Producer: I'm listening.
Jerk: It's a kung fu film, like the Matrix, but with a storyline that's sort of like Sliders meeting Highlander. The actors playing the hero and the villain both know Kung Fu - in fact, they're both Jet Li so it makes casting a lot easier. He's done some films over here already, and he's got a name that's like Bruce Lee!
Producer: So basically we just take elements that have already proven themselves to be successful film material here in the west and slap it together?
Jerk: Exactly.
Producer: Great idea! (presses button on desk) Security!
(Several thugs come in and crack the jerk's head, allowing the producer to write and direct the film himself.)
----------
This is no better than what the Watchowski's did. They stole things that they KNEW would blow people away in the west because most of us haven't seen anything like it. They stole a lot of things and it slapped them together in a way that, when you step back and look at it, is absolutely horrific.
But it was difficult to sell those things. It was taking something relatively unproven to producers and audiences in the west, and if it had failed then it might have killed the genre over here.
The One, on the other hand, gets to ride the wave. Western audiences and producers who doubted the chances of the Matrix making it are suddenly eager to hop on the band wagon. Let's remember that Jet Li is only about a hundred times the martial artist that any of the cast of the Matrix are, and that is a big selling point when you're trying to get producers to buy in.
Matrix would have been much, much harder to get support for.
Personally, I'd just take a shotgun with an extra six inches on the barrel.
thanks for the heads up!
EOM
Now it wasn't awful, but it certainly wasn't a good movie./P.
If a corporation is a personhood, is owning stock slavery?
I made this observation to a friend after watching "Kiss of the Dragon". A pretty forgettable plot, and some stuff that just didn't make much sense, but great fight scenes. Same thing goes for "Iron Monkey", which I saw this weekend. The plot was thin, the humor was forced, but the ass-kicking was great. (Except for that "Flying Sleeves of Pain" or whatever it was towards the end...)
I haven't seen "The One" yet, but I figure it will be the same... I tend to go into these movies with pretty low expectations, and am almost never disappointed.
Random Musings at Rum Smuggler
***clueless said***
:)
In the U.S. you can't legally buy that super shorty without getting a Class III license. This takes about a year of background checks, after which you give up your 4th Amendment rights - the ATF can inspect your home at any time.
***end clueless***
One thing I hate more than movies that provide gun disinformation (13 shot Desert Eagles, the ceramic "Glock 9", etc.) is people who don't even own NFA weapons telling people the wrong information.
You don't need a license as an individual to purchase a Super Shorty in the USA, although you might in a few states that don't allow that type of AOW (Any Other Weapon, its federal classification). For instance, in my home state the Super Shorty is considered merely a pistol which just happens to be 12 gauge. The year of background checks is hogwash, there are background checks conducted while the Form 4 transfer is being approved (your prints and photos are run by the FBI), but they (NFA branch, the branch of ATF who oversees such transfers) have 90 days to approve or deny a transfer, by law.
On the subject of giving up your 4th Amendment rights, you don't. ATF has no authority to come by after you own an NFA (that is to say National Firearms Act) weapon "any time they want". As an individual you're not subject to any inspection. If they want to come in, they need a warrant (at least that was the case before the bad terrorism laws passed recently, another subject).
**more clueless**
And even then, you can't buy a Class III weapon that was made after 1986
**end clueless**
Sure you can, if by "Class III" weapon you mean the correct term, "NFA weapon". NFA, or National Firearms Act weapons, include machine guns, short barreled shotguns, short barreled rifles, silencers and Any Other Weapons, or AOWs. Also Destructive Devices but we won't go into that here. May 19, 1986 was the date the Firearm Owners Protection Act went into effect. While it had many positive provisions for firearm owners, its big negative was that on that date no more machine guns could be made or registered for individual use, freezing the number of legal ones for individuals forever in the USA. It did not stop, however, the manufacture of any other types of NFA weapons for individuals. Thus, silencers, SBRs, SBS, AOWs (like the Super Shorty), and even some DDs can all be made new for individuals.
Oh yeah, to keep it on topic, I once touched a minigun used in The Matrix.
"Harry Potter is a complete ripoff of The Matrix. Even the title is a ripoff."
"The Lord of the Rings is a complete ripoff of The Matrix. Even the title is a ripoff."
"Star Wars:Attack of the Clones is a complete ripoff of The Matrix. Even the title is a ripoff."
"Spiderman is a complete ripoff of The Matrix. Even the title is a ripoff."
"These last few years have been good for lovers of martial arts movies, until recently a fringe cinematic genre, and for a new generation of stars like Jet Li."
Ahem! Jet Li is not new. He was making martial arts movies years before Keanu Reeves was saying "Excellent! Most haneous! 69 Dude!"
For a lot of Asians Jet Li is like Julia Roberts in that they get to star in big movies but are amazingly annoying. Li rarely gets hits in films and is as emotive as a plank of wood. His style is Wu-shu, indeed he was the National Champion in China, is good for movies as it is very showy (debuts as a demo sport in the next Olympics), but Li *cannot* kick! His hands are superb, but his footwork is terrible....
:). The movie is spectacular because of the martial artists, the style showcased is Hung Gar Kung Fu and features some of his Yen's best work ever. Though I think Yu Rong Guang steals the show, he moves *so* well for a big man....
:P), and cinematography by long time partner Christopher Doyle, the movie is a heart-breakingly beautiful series of stories all interwoven seemlessly. Stunning.
:)
Iron Monkey is one of my favourite martial arts films of all time. In fact I have a laserdisc version from 1993
But for people looking to get into the genre, then try these movies:
Storm Riders - as close to a "living" comic book as you will ever see (stars Sonny Chiba!)
Bride with White Hair - Ronny Yu directs and Peter Pau (Oscar - CTHD) with perhaps his best cinematography ever.
Ashes of Time - Like Crouching Tiger, all Asian men want to be Kung Fu heroes, Wong Kar Wai (Chung King Express, In the Mood for Love) is no different. With action direction by Samo Hung (Martial Law
The Blade - Tsui Hark again (Iron Monkey), narrated through the eyes of a woman, this movie has the most deliriously violent and explosive examples of swordplay ever committed to film.
Zu: Warriors from Magic Mountain - Tsui Hark is remaking this one, soon to be released, the original had special effects crew who worked on Star Wars and this is where modern day HK wirework came from.
Yes I know that some of the "old skool" fighting films are great too, but I am recommending these for people who are getting into the genre. Else films like Dreadnaught, Prodigal Son, Drunken Master, Mars Villa, Venoms, and 36 Chambers would be here
But for me, the best martial arts movie of recent times is Ringo Lam's "Burning Paradise". Wong Fei Hung (Iron-Monkey) meets another legendary kung fu master, Fong Sai Yuk. This movie was directed by Lam who usually deals with serious dramas and so it is dark in tone and very violent. The sets, story, and production value are superb and the fighting (employing real monks!) has to be seen to be believed.
Regards,
Po
I really do not understand the American need to see awesome fighters like Jet Li or Jackie Chan making moroninc lame jokes while kicking ass.
I have seen just about every Jet Li movie ever made. His American movies have progressively gotten worse from the start, while his HK movies were awesome beyond belief.
Please tell me I'm not alone here. I just like ass kicking. Leave out the stupid jokes!
jon
But then again it could have been worse..
*spoiler or whatever*
Maybe we were just spoiled by the depth of The Matrix story line, how alot of people had to watch it 2 or 3 times to get it (i dunno, i got it the first time).. but in The One, they could have improved the story line better by starting before HuLaw (or whatever) killed his first, and take the audience along with his discovery of what effect that had, etc..
I must say, i liked how the travel worked, just made it a tad bit more believable to see them incapacitated afterwards; i've always felt that with how transporters rip you apart atom by atom, they should be a bit more painful than a light tingly feeling. although i hate how in the end they convienently recovered so much faster after the inter-dimentional travelling.
then theres the predictability of the whole thing, you KNOW in the end they'd grab the wrong guy to sentence him to the hades universe.
All in all, however, it was worth my time.. wasn't worth $8.50, but was worth my time. I'm paid to think all day, and my brain almost aches by 6pm, so i'm not *that* dissapointed when i see a movie that doesn't make me think.
Good Jet Li starts bagua while he's training and getting warmed up essentially (they show him doing forms at home), but when he goes to full on ass kicking mode at the end (after getting his ass good and tore up) he changes in to tai-chi chuan.
Would you agree?
Read Heinlein's 1953 Revolt in 2100, now more than ever.
Now we get to listen to his twit buddy too. This keeps getting better and better. Next we get Katz's Mom reviewing films. I can't wait.
In 1985, when Mr. Matrix was in his first film, Jet Li already had at least 6 years of film under his belt. This was a 2 second research effort, Katz, check at least one fact per article in the future please.
Is the Matrix the only movie you ever liked? How the hell is this film derivative of the Matrix? Did you actually watch it, or did you leave right afrter the credits, like you did with Jurassic park 3?
If you like Kung Fu movies, you'll like this flick. End of story. If you only liked the Matrix, skip it.
Tell me Katz, are you gonna pan Matrix 2 because it's a rip off of the Matrix?
Mr. Katz, there is a resource availible on the "internet", which I'm sure you think is somehow a Matrix rip off, called the internet movie database. It can be found at http://www.imdb.com . You can use this to check dates, bodies of work, or actors that appear in movies. I suggest you check this in the future prior to making these embarassing gaffes in your "reviews". Thanks.
PS- If you had ever seen any movies prior to the Matrix, particularly in the Kung Fu genre, you would see how derivative it was on Hong Kong kung fu flicks. Using the aforementioned imdb you can see that many of the key people responsible for the "look and feel" of the Matrix cut thier teeth on Kung Fu flicks. So which is the rip off?
Carpe Deez
Get rid of them, they suck, unless done right, and that's hard to do. They always look so fake, and just plain stupid. I know I should suspend my beliefs of reality while watching a movie, but sometimes they're so off in terms of natural human movement it looks ridiculus.
WWJD.... for a Klondike bar?
It certainly *looked* like taichi to me, but I can't be authoritative on that. I just kept thinking "Hmmm, I've seen this in his 'Tai Chi Master' movie."
Except the SFX was much, much, better, and the bad guy much, much, cooler.
GPL Deconstructed
Credit for "Crouching Highlander, Hidden Matrix" actually goes to Deirdre Benson, who seemed to have nailed it just right as soon as she had seen the trailer. Props, girl!
-Mark
...with a thanks for making me less clueless. If you don't mind some questions...is the Class III required only for machine guns, while an AOW just requires that the weapon be registered under the NFA? Is the inspection requirement only for dealers, not for individuals with a Class III? If you're not a dealer, what do have to do to avoid getting nabbed for illegal transfer? And to get a Class III, does the 90-day limit apply, and do you need a signature by your local sheriff or equivalent?
but here we go:
I'm a die hard Jet Li fan. I regularly import dvds directly from Hong Kong, and have watched over 18 Jet Li films, in the original language when possible. (The english dub of Fist of Legend changes some of the best dialog into crap!)
The One was better than Romeo Must Die, but I liked Kiss of the Dragon and Black Mask more.
The special effects were really cool, and the Li vs. Li fight at the end was a joy, but Jet's acting was uncharacteristically bad. He's a great, charismatic guy in his films from Hong Kong, and I was bummed that this film felt rushed.
Anyhow, I had a really great time watching this flick, and will probably eventually get a dvd of it, if only to complete my jet li collection.
fyi, great jet li films are:
"serious film"
Once Upon A Time In China 1 & 2
Fist of Legend
"goofy films"
Swordsman 2
New Legend of Shaolin
The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk
that's enough to get started.
i still think Fist of Legend (bruce lee re-make) by Jet Li is about the best thing he has produced ever.. the fight scenes are incredible, with the best one between jet and his lovers uncle in the courtyard outside their house... blindfolds and all this fight was hands down one of the best...
he carries that genuinely "pissed off" look throughout the movie and he pulls it off without fail.. cant comment on "the one" though.. aside from recognizing the obvious matrix ripoff only seconds into the trailer.. geeez..
i leave you all with a great adam sandler quote from his tollbooth willy bit (NASTY LANGUAGE WARNING) -
"Fuck you ya fucking un-original bastard, go suck a cock you piece of fuckin repeating shit!!!"
---------
Don't discourage the boy marge, weasingling out of things is what seperates men from the animals.... except the weasel.... - homer
I'm not sure how the Matrix has attained such a level of high regard now and days. The plot was interesting, but in the end it just seemed like a cliche super-hero story. The last scene where Neo flys through the air like superman almost made me laugh. The movie seemed so stylish at first, but the end just reeked of cheesiness.
...is that the primary difference between the final two Jet Lis was that one was loved by a good woman, and the other never met her until much too late. I thought that wasn't a trivial difference, and if you do, buckaroos, then you just haven't met that right woman and been worthy of her. Turn off the computer and go learn how to dance or volunteer, my fellow Geeks.