Li's back in a fury - and one of the best

Published on October 11, 2007

Rogue Assassin

Cast: Jet Li, Jason Statham, John Lone, Devon Aoki,

Luis Guzman, Saul Rubinek, Ryo Ishibashi

Directed by Philip G Atwell

Running time: 103 minutes

Hanuman rating: HHHHH

In that stunning introduction, Li shocked co-stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover - as well as viewers - with lightning-fast punches and kicks reminiscent of Bruce Lee.

Playing a cold-blooded assassin, Li demonstrated an uncanny ability to climb inside the mind of an evil character, something Jackie Chan could never do. Here, Li returns to the dark side, and sure enough, dispatches his victims again with incredible efficiency.

But there are plenty of surprises - nothing is what it appears, and there are enough twists to make "Rogue Assassin" one of the best martial-arts films in recent years.

Many critics have attacked the film for not being predictable, but on closer examination, viewers will realise that Li and co-star Statham put in a great deal of effort to make this movie as meaty and strong as great action films come.

The word here is "tough", very, very tough to be exact, something rare in these "politically correct" times, when people actually insert chips into their dogs and blot out cigarette-smoking scenes on TV.

The acting is simply superb. Li can fire thundering insults at his rivals with just a stare. Playing a hired killer, he has to struggle with the most heinous orders, as his boss calls for acts of infanticide, a terrible act as old as King Herod.

Li's fans might find the plot too intense, but they can't complain about being short-changed. The choreography and the fight sequences are so elaborate and precise they rank among the very best for action aficionados.

Finally, "Rogue Assassin" marks the return to the screen of one of Asia's best actors, John Lone, playing a triad chieftain who employs Li to turn the tables on his competition, a Japanese yakuza chieftain.

Which raises the perplexing question: Why is the movie released in Asia under the title "Rogue Assassin" instead of "War", which is what it's called in the United States?

"War" is, in fact, a much better title because it precisely conveys the storyline, a feud between two old Asian families.

"Rogue Assassin" sounds like something only an imbecile would come up with for a Jet Li film. The flick is barely being promoted in Thailand all the same, but Li's many fans are sure to pack the cinemas if they know it's on.

It's only a matter of time before he is recognised as one of the world's best actors. Li's great quality is that he really cares about what the audience is paying to see and who he's playing. All of his films, even the more commercial likes of "The One", "Romeo Must Die" and the epic "Hero", are masterpieces in their own right.

Like "Danny the Dog", "War" will rank among his more daring works.