Welcome to the Galactic Theater, where we'll explore the works of master manipulators of light waves, examine the themes brought to play, and critique the final products of months of hard work.

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the movie.

That said, on to the review!

Honor means different things to different people. So does the term "family." And it's when family honor's at stake that all bets are off on peaceful solutions to violent problems. At least, that's what happens when an ex-Hong Kong cop arrives in Oakland to avenge his brother's death.

Han Sing (Jet Li) went to jail rather than letting his brother and father be arrested themselves. But while he languished in a Hong Kong prison, his family has fled to America, establishing a presence among the Chinese already there and consolidating a collective by which all of them can profit. But the Chinese aren't the only ones consolidating themselves. Isaak O'Day (Delroy Lindo), black entrepreneur and businessman, has steadily begun acquiring property along the waterfront, until the two factions both own approximately half the waterfront each. In truth, however, the two leaders are actually planning on selling the acquired properties to yet a third party for eight-figure sums. The resultant turf war affects the public and personal lives of everyone involved, with casualties expected, yet unexpected, on both sides. One of those casualties is Po, Han's younger brother.

When word reaches Han of his brother's murder, he breaks out of prison and heads to America. There his former police instincts take over and he starts searching for clues to his brother's killer. The first steps of his investigation, however, brings him face to face with Isaak O'Day's daughter, Trish (Aaliyah), who--like Han himself, in a way--has distanced herself from her father and brother. The pair becomes unlikely friends, especially as Han's search for information leads back to Trish again and again.

Unfortunately, a Chinese man searching for clues on black turf has a certain problem with remaining inconspicuous, and as his search continues he must delve deeper and deeper into areas better left untouched. The attention he draws to himself results in a number of physical conflicts, which Han easily takes control of. But will he be able to take control of the situation when he finally discovers what's been going on while he was in jail? Will the truth he searches for be the truth he was expecting, or will it rock his world right down to its foundations?

Okay, for starters, let's just say that this was a most impressive movie. The fight scenes were somewhat tamer than what I'd expect from a star of Jet Li's caliber, but I'd be willing to dismiss that as a result of having to choreograph sequences that involve less skillful sparring partners (no offense, but the most of his opponents just weren't up to Jet Li's level). And I think the producers more than made up for these scenes by adding computer "X-ray" imagery, allowing the audience to see the effect of the kinetic energy and force behind some of Jet Li's blows. True, I don't think he actually broke his partners' arms or spines, but the images added emphasis to the scene. I especially liked...well, I'd better not give that one away.

One scene which I particularly enjoyed was a fight scene that involved Jet Li, Aaliyah, and a third person (I refuse to give more away than that). His character Han, unwilling to compromise his morals and beliefs by striking a woman--even one that threatens to be a worthy and deadly adversary--finds the perfect medium in Trisha, who becomes both his dancing partner and an extension of his own fists and feet. That scene obviously invovled some tremendous choreography, since I have my doubts about whether Aaliyah could so readily scynchronize with Jet Li.

Let's see, any gripes about this movie? No, not immediately. What I found most disturbing--and this isn't detracting from the movie but rather adding to it--was the means and measures and extent that the two factions would go to in the interests of acquiring the waterfront properties. I expect these scenes played out closer to truth than not, but I found the decision to tear down long-owned businesses in the name of a new sporting complex rather repulsive. And it isn't simply because I've seen this cliche before (*batteries not included, Shark Attack, Robocop 3). On the other hand, it was much better than involving gangs, or the mob, or the yakuza, or any other criminal organization. That cliche I've seen more than enough of.

I'm not too surprised by Aaliyah doing such a good turn in an acting role. Singers-turned-actors isn't all that uncommon nowadays, and this particular singer had her character down like nobody's business. Although I've really only heard one song by Aaliyah (Journey to the Past from Anastasia) and can't judge her singing, I'd gladly look for her in future movies. And as for Jet Li, I think I like him better as a good guy rather than a bad guy (as in Lethal Weapon 4). I saw him in an English-dubbed version of Fist of Legend, and I'm glad I got to see him in an English-speaking role in this movie. I don't know whether he had memorized the English parts and recited them from rote or if he actually understood what he was saying, but I don't really care. He did a good job, and that's what counts. It sounded real, though.

As action movies go, Romeo Must Die was excellent. While the whole thing might seem like a take-off from Romeo and Juliet, this movie is in a class by itself. You can purchase it on videotape or DVD at just about any video store you go to, but whether it appears in the Martial Arts section or the Action/Adventure section depends on your local store's layout and organizational structure. But by all means, don't give up looking for it! There's nothing wrong with asking for help, too!

Interested in buying this video? You can! Just follow the link to order the VHS version or the DVD version. You can also visit the Stellar Video Store for other titles.

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