Cast: Jet Li, Jason Statham, John Lone, Devon Aoki Dir: Phillip G. Atwell Rating Once again Jet Li and Jason Statham return to the big screen in War, a violent martial art movie, a genre of film in which both men have made a name for themselves.After his partner is brutally murdered by the infamous assassin Rogue (Jet Li), FBI agent Jack Crawford (Jason Statham) vows to find the elusive killer and personally avenge his partner's death. But Rogue proves untraceable until three years later when he resurfaces to ignite a bloody turf war between Chinese mob leader Chang (John Lone) and Japanese Yakuza boss Shiro (Ryo Ishibashi). Eager to capture Rogue once and for all, Crawford leads his team of crime specialists headlong into the conflict. But Crawford's thirst for vengeance jeopardizes his professional judgment, and as the violence escalates, Crawford finally comes face to face with his enemy to discover that nothing about Rogue or his plan is quite what it seems.
The teaming of action men Jason Statham and Jet Li will be met by high expectations from audiences and should have produced a fast paced, high octane, very violent movie.
However what we are left with was a cheap knock off that we have seen too many times before, and it pains me to say this being fans of both Li and Statham.
Yes it does do everything that is says on the tin a bit of action, a bit violence and plenty of death but not much more.
And while there is plenty of talent in front of the camera it's those behind it that are to blame as Li and Stantham deserve better, and quite frankly so does a paying audience.
The plot is simply awful, there's too much of it and not enough action. At times it's so convoluted that you don't know who is crossing who.
But then comes 'the twist' and what the director was hoping to be a humdinger of a reveal it truly awful and absolutely unbelievable, I'm surprised Li and Statham signed on for this picture.
Despite little explosions of action there is little her to satisfy even the most avid fan of this genre of film.
War is released 4th February
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw