Very Good One

We begin this column with Hollyfeld's thoughts on The One. You'll remember we reviewed the script for this one a while back. The TV spots for this film have me drooling. I can't wait to see it. After the review, we have some random thoughts of mine on television programs I have been following. I'll be back next week with some more excellent material. Have a nice weekend and enjoy!

Review of The One

"Hollyfeld, here. I don't have a long history with kung fu movies, although I have always enjoyed them. My love affair with the genre, however, began not too long ago, when on a whim I rented Iron Monkey from a local store (incidentally, find that original DVD, if for no other reason than to rid yourself forever of the damnable closing title cards in the theatrical release version). From that point on I have sought out every martial arts action movie I could find, and although a few have been remarkable experiences (Sammo Hung's The Victim and the recent Tokyo Raiders are personal favorites), most of the films I have found have somewhat paled in comparison to my already lofty standards for the genre. Despite the incredible respect I have for the innumerable great masters of the kung fu genre overseas, most of their films have failed to make such an indelible impression upon me as the films already mentioned, along with a select few others.

That said, even the truly BAD kung fu films I have sought out thoroughly dwarf their counterparts in America. While such films as Mortal Kombat and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were suitably entertaining in my youth, today it is hard to watch the poorly choreographed and even more poorly edited fight scenes without wincing. Luckily for Americans, there has been a recent trend of films that prove that some people, at least, have been paying attention. And what's more, they have been doing something about it. Shanghai Noon remains the pinnacle of East-Meets-West action films, successfully merging the spirit of Jackie Chan's best work with the best elements of American action filmmaking, and Peter Hyams's under-rated (and in my opinion, instant classic) The Musketeer proved that the best elements of Asian action filmmaking can be merged successfully with the spirit of Western adventure. But this November marks the appearance of something altogether new in the marketplace - a truly good action film, containing elements of Asian and American action films, that doesn't feel like a hybrid.

The One isn't an American film trying to take advantage of the burgeoning kung fu market, and it isn't a film with an Asian star simply trying to break into the American consciousness. In many ways, this is the first truly realized American kung fu movie, standing on its own instead of capitalizing on that which has come before. It may star Jet Li, it may be from the two best sci-fi storytellers in America today, but it is the perfect fusion of both - The One, though flawed, is simply The One.

Jet Li stars as Yulaw, who at the beginning of the film is nearing the end of his quest to kill off all of his counterparts in alternate realities (realities which in this film, unlike most other sci-fi stories, are most definitely finite). With each version of himself that is eliminated, he discovers, he and his counterparts become stronger, faster and smarter. With only himself and his counterpart in our reality, Gabriel, left, there seems to be very little that can stop him from becoming The One. But will killing all of his counterparts make him a God, or destroy the universe?

Like many Asian stars that have come to America, Jet Li had to contend with a significant hurdle - the seemingly unavoidable tendency for Hollywood to cast him as a villain. Luckily here we have an opportunity for Li to play the villain (which, as he showed in Lethal Weapon 4, he does very well) and the hero, satisfying both the actor and the audience. Yulaw is a splendid villain, and one of the best in recent memory. With some of the best fight scenes in years (I mean, he picks up a motorcycle with one hand, and HITS a guy with it!), great dialogue ('I am NO MAN'S BITCH!!!') and his natural charisma, there is no non-fanboy way to say it... Jet Li rules. His alter-ego Gabriel has less to work with here, as heroes often do, but nonetheless Li proves himself capable of creating excellent, sympathetic characters, often with little help from anyone else involved. Also adding their own flavor to the mix are Carla Gugino (Son-In-Law, Spy Kids) as Li's wife, who manages to do quite a lot with her role, and Delroy Lindo (The Cider House Rules) and Jason Statham (Snatch), as the two inter-reality cops out to capture Yulaw, or kill both versions of him trying. There seems to be a lot of history written into each of these two characters, with constant references to the different realities from which they hail, but this is woefully underdeveloped and sometimes hard to follow. Both actors come across very well, though.

As said before, this is a movie that doesn't feel like an American film with scattered showers of kung fu, nor does it feel like an Asian film with American clichés. It manages to be exactly what it is - and that said, what it is, is filled with kung fu. Director James Wong (Final Destination, TV's Millennium and The X-Files) has created a brilliant visual sense for most of his action scenes (most... there is an uncharacteristically poor one between Li and Lindo about halfway through the film), combining genuine martial arts talent with CGI to create sequences in which Jet Li hits a guy, who starts flying in the air, and then another guy, killing him, and then hitting that first guy again before he hits the ground. It is in fact a stunning visual achievement, and in many ways more effective (and potentially longer-lasting) effect than The Matrix's 'bullet time.'

But although the action sequences stun, and Jet Li proves himself once more to be a God of the silver screen, the primary flaw with The One is that there doesn't seem to be enough of it. Checking my watch after the film was over I realized that not even an hour and a half had passed, and with the film taking place in a surprisingly small number of locations and covering the events of only a few days, the entire experience hardly seemed like a complete film. Now of course there are reasons for this - the final, and amazing, fight scene between Jet Li and, well, Jet Li reportedly took over a month to choreograph and film, leaving little time for much else - but there is no getting around the fact that The One leaves you wanting more. Too much more, unfortunately. Luckily there seems to be plenty of room left over for a sequel.

There are a few other minor problems in the film, including a completely unnecessary voice-over in the beginning explaining the film's main premise, which will later be explained at least three times, and more succinctly. But all in all it was nice to be able to go see an American movie that lives up to my lofty kung fu standards. Even better was that said movie didn't attempt to be anything other than itself - The One."

(Review submitted by 'Hollyfeld.')

A woman's view of The Last Castle

I sent my friend Tony to see The Last Castle on Wednesday night. His friend Marie gives us her opinion on the film:

"I really liked The Last Castle. I'm not difficult so I might not be a good reference.

The theme of this movie is pretty current (A Prison Story!). Except this time the story is treated differently for once. The prisoners are soldiers, well ex-soldiers, who have commited crimes and are watched by other military personnel. It's a more relaxed prison environment. No cruelty, no torture and the prisoners are not psychopaths.

Robert Redford is still very charismatic for his age. He plays the lead role of a general who has done one great error and is sent to the military prison. In his first days there, he inspires respect. James Gandolfini has a complex role as the officer in charge of the prison. He's the type of man who's trying to be 'the good guy'. He's still ruthless but doesnt show it because he's doesnt have the balls to affirm himself. He's a nut-case who has never been to war and uses his higher rank to power-trip on others. He feels threaten by Redford's superior brains and physicality. He even goes far enough to accidentally kill prisoners who are problems in the prison.

Redford helps the prisoners regain their pride and trust reminding them that they are... Soldiers! They even setup a plan to take possession of the prison, which would force Gandolfini to leave, making him a disrace to the uniform.

Finally, the ending is dry but surprising. It's not the movie of the year but it's entertaining and well acted by two amazing actors and a good supporting cast of unknowns."

(Review sent in by Marie.)

Very Good Television

Here are my random thoughts on this fall's TV schedule:

Band of Brothers: Where to begin? A television masterpiece. If you get HBO and you are not watching it, Shame on you. It's an amazing miniseries that will be remembered for years to come. The writing, directing and cast are future Emmy winners. It's unlike anything I have seen on television for a longtime.

Enterprise: I'm hooked. I was expecting a very boring Voyager-like Trek spinoff. Instead, this show is rejuvenating the aging franchise. Bakula is marvelous; he's the best Captain since William Shatner. Jalene Blalock is HOT. Wow, she's stunning. The writing is razor-sharp, clever and witty. The ensemble cast is remarkable and fantastic. They just need to keep it up and they have got a hit.

Friends: The hottest sitcom at the moment. The show's writing team has seriously delivered since the season opener. I haven't laughed this hard since the third season. It's the best comedic writing on television right now. It's actually worth watching instead of Survivor: Africa. The Ross/Rachel pregnancy storyline has kicked the show into high gear and I'm along for the comical ride.

Survivor 3: The jury is still out on this one. The first two episodes were solid but haven't yet peaked my interest like his predecessors. Within two to three weeks, producer Mark Burnett will have us raving about it, I'm sure.

Dawson's Creek: I hated how last season ended, but I simply adored the way the new season started. Dawson's Creek: The College Years is a smooth and captivating journey so far. A serious improvement after the end of last season's debacle.

Stay tuned...

That's all folks...

Jean-François Allaire (aka DeadPool)

Questions, comments, praises etc. Email me at deadpool@tnmc.org

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Jean-François Allaire is TNMC's first columnist. At only 24 years old he has become a respected entertainment journalist, with his columns appearing in such major websites as Corona's Coming Attractions and Scr(i)pt magazine. Hailing from Montreal this young writer is determined to dig up all the details on the movies before they hit your local theater. If you're part of a movie production then you really need to be talking to him.