It would appear from watching a number of Jet Li films that he has distinctly less presence when carrying modern-day actioners like this rather than period kung fu dramas such as ‘Fist of Legend’ or ‘Once Upon a Time in China’.
Even though this movie is well directed, showing good manipulation of the camera and scene settings while displaying a supporting cast of Hong Kong’s finest, one is not compelled to watch this movie more than a couple of times and it is therefore only worth renting, not buying. Also, without a Yuen Kwai or Yuen Woo-Ping to design the action, it all seems a little lacking in what should be the most important area of the film. However, the movie has its moments, notably a short and well-crafted fight between Tai Feng (Jet Li) and a lanky American halfway through the film, and a powerful final reel showcasing guns, swords, fists, feet and plenty of broken glass.
As always, Eric Tsang is a joy to watch, displaying some fine acting in one of his more serious roles, but all in all I would have expected more from the production team that brought us ‘Black Mask’. The problem may be that in a film like this, Jet lacks the screen presence to hold our attention and ultimately makes the long wait between the action set pieces just too long.
