(rated R, 110 mins.)
Opens March 24th
The story of two families, bound by tradition as one man seeks vengeance for his brother’s death. Starring Jet Li (Lethal Weapon 4), Atlantic recording artist Aaliyah, Delroy Lindo (Cider House rules) Russell Wong (The Joy Luck Club), Isaiah Washington (True Crime) and rap artist DMX. As the movie opens, Han Sing (Li) and Trish O’Day (Aaliyah) come from different sides of the world. Their paths cross in Oakland, California (who knew) where they’ve just arrived from Hong Kong. Han’s brother is dead and he’s not a happy camper. He arrives with nothing more than martial arts skills to face off against the African-American gang that is responsible. Fast forward 40 years from the 1960’s gang-rival musical “West Side Story”, this time with a cutting-edge hip-hop soundtrack and karate chops instead of Gene Kelly moves. Merging karate and hip-hop seemed to work in last year’s “Rush Hour,” and semi-newcomer Jet Li has the grace and moves that neither Jackie Chan or Chow Yun-Fat can measure up to, but the movie lacks the star-crossed lover chemistry that the title suggests.
