The Verdict: Bog-standard actioner. Disappointing, considering the promising cast.

The Rating: 4/10

Action movies are really about escapism. Total immersion in a good action movie is a wonderful thing, achieved when your attention is totally focussed on the screen, and your instant surroundings are temporarily forgotten. Even with the best flicks, that kind of voluntary immersion is dependent on a undoubtful amount of suspension of disbelief (SOD) on the part of the viewer. Hollywood producers take note, PCMR has uncovered a scientific formula to calculate how immersed your audience will be! Yes that’s right fat cats, put down the Cuban cigar for the moment, and stop counting those dollars, that formula may assemble you even richer! Here it is:

SOD = (O – C)

Or in other words, Suspension Of Disbelief is equal to Originality less Cliché. When SOD is less than zero, tolerance levels drop below critical levels, with punters more likely to move to the lobby for popcorn, or to the pause button and the kettle.

With Statham and Li’s previous outing - ‘The One‘ – there was ample originality to keep the SOD factor positive, making what could have been a pretty ridiculous movie thoroughly enjoyable. (And Jet Li fought himself! Dude! – Ed). Unfortunately ‘War‘ hits sub-zero SOD levels very very early.

Essentially, Statham’s partner and best friend gets killed and he becomes so obsessed with revenge

that his previously idyllic relationship with his wife and child breaks down. (3 cliches already!). He’s an FBI agent (4) monitoring the ongoing battle within the warring Triads and Yakuza gangs in San Francisco, while keeping an eye out for the rogue agent who murdered his partner. Throw in a car chase here (5), a motorbike chase there (6), loads of standard shoot-out gun play (… say 10), and nowhere near suitable chop-socky fights within Statham and Li (one!) and the impulse to say ’sod it’ becomes harder to disregard.

Anything original to report? Well, Jet Li is a poor guy… and that’s about it really. Everything else here is formulaic, from the hammy, cardboard cut-out Yakuza and Triad baddies, to the cheesy female characters, and the weird CSI-inspired belief that to produce characters cool and edgy, shades and a leather jacket will do the trick, no matter what they say and do. With an SOD that low, you’ll be itching in your seat, pointing out plot holes and less likely to give a toss about what eventually happens. The ending does attempt valiantly to surprise, but by next it’s just too little too late.

Jason Statham should really be aiming higher than that kind of bog-standard fare. And Jet Li came out of retirement for that? Take PCMR’s advice: avoid that unoriginal, cliché-riddled movie, and consider it a lucky escape.

Original post by PaddyC