Today’s quick review: Romeo Must Die. Han Sing (Jet Li), the son of mob boss Ch’u Sing (Henry O), escapes from a Hong Kong prison and flies to Oakland to avenge the death of his brother Po (Jon Kit Lee). There he finds that Po’s death has strained relations between his father and Isaak O’Day (Delroy Lindo), the head of a rival operation. As Han hunts for Po’s killer, he becomes involved with Trish (Aaliyah), Isaak’s independent-minded daughter.
Romeo Must Die is an action movie starring Jet Li. A Hong Kong police officer who went to jail to protect his gangster father becomes involved in the chaos following his brother’s death. Romeo Must Die features a satisfying mixture of action and plot. The rivalry between Ch’u and Isaak, the mystery surrounding Po’s death, and an escalating series of murders give the movie plenty to work with as far as its story is concerned.
Romeo Must Die splits its action scenes between gunplay and martial arts. The firefights are typical for an American-style action movie, with the usual complement of car chases and explosions to keep things interesting. The hand-to-hand fights show a little more creativity. The stunts are not quite as impressive as in dedicated martial arts films, but the movie finds plenty of clever ways to let Jet Li show off his athletic prowess.
Romeo Must Die is a solid pick for action fans. The movie never goes beyond the conventions of its genre, but it executes them well. The plot is worth following, the action scenes are flashy and enjoyable, and Jet Li and Aaliyah make for likable leads. Anyone who’s satisfied with the action formula should give it a shot. Skip it if you are looking for down-to-earth drama or realism.
For a Jet Li action flick with a similar attitude, try War, Cradle 2 the Grave, or The One. For a more comedic action movie about a Hong Kong cop who comes to America, check out Rush Hour. For a black comedy and action movie that features a similar mystery, try The Last Boy Scout.
[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165929/). I give it a 7.0 for solid execution.