Romeo Must Die . Tucson Weekly . 03-28-00

Romeo Must Die

DIRECTED BY: Andrzej Bartkowiak

REVIEWED: 03-28-00

People who live under the disempowered delusion that "violence doesn't solve anything" have never enjoyed a Jet Li movie. Here, the kick-ass Black Mask hero breaks out of a Hong Kong prison to avenge his brother's death on the mean streets of San Francisco. Rival black and Chinese gang warfare provide the backdrop for this über-violet ballet of martial arts, automatic weapons, expensive car crashes and high-powered explosives. The only parts that hurt, though, are Isaiah Washington and D.B. Woodside's cringingly bad dialogue. Despite the hangings, betrayals, innocent deaths and gunshot wounds, this remains a good-natured action-comedy built on Republican family values like free enterprise and the power of patriarchy. Woo hoo! As Li says while buying weapons and stealing cars on the open market, "What a country!" Also starring Aaliyah, Delroy Lindo and Russel Wong.

--Mari Wadsworth

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Romeo Must Die
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