Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16253 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-04-09
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Bulgarian, English, Romanian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 110 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, the cameraman behind Speed, Lethal Weapon 4, and The Devil's Advocate, makes his directorial debut with a lively but by-the-numbers film that mixes Hong Kong action pyrotechnics with gritty urban gang drama. Jet Li stars as a jailed cop named Han who hightails it to Oakland, California, to seek revenge for the gang-related murder of his brother. What he finds, though, is a fierce war between his father's syndicate and that of Isaak O'Day (Delroy Lindo) for control of the city's precious waterfront land, as both groups are trying to make a deal with a corrupt football-team owner to build a new stadium. The political shenanigans are basically just a backdrop for the kick-ass action, and to give Li a number of enemies to lock limbs with. It also provides him with a love interest, Trish (hip-hop star Aaliyah), who's O'Day's daughter and like Han, the only straight arrow in a family of crooked mobsters. Li and Aaliyah have a teasing, gentle chemistry, and when they're onscreen together, the movie lights up and glides along smoothly. Li even finds a way to work Aaliyah into one of his action set pieces, using her arms and legs to fight a female adversary because "I can't hit a girl!" However, when these two aren't onscreen (and that's a fair amount of the time) the movie plods along, despite a stately turn by Lindo and Isaiah Washington and Russell Wong as two family allies who may not be as loyal as they seem. Li's action, though, is still phenomenal as ever, from his prison breakout (as he takes out a platoon of guards--strung upside down by one leg) to a knockdown-dragout fight with the agile and dangerously sexy Wong. And despite the Romeo and Juliet overtones, this is one mighty chaste romance, albeit one with a happy ending for the star-crossed lovers. --Mark Englehart, Amazon.com

Video Description
DVD Special Features:

Interactive Menus
Scene Access
2 Trailers
13 Behind-the-Scenes Documentaries
3 Music Videos
Languages in Dolby Digital 5.1: English
Subtitles: English, Arabic, Romanian, Bulgarian, English for the hearing impaired
Enhanced Features for your DVD Rom PC:
Interactive Game "A Martial Arts Experience"
Web events
Chat Room Access and Web Site Links
Original Theatrical Web Site

Synopsis
ROMEO MUST DIE is the story of fathers and sons, of the importance of blood, of star-crossed lovers willing to risk their lives for their love. Two warring families, one Chinese, one African American, are fighting for control of the Oakland waterfront. It's an eye for an eye as members of each gang keep turning up dead--including the son of Ch'u Sing, the Chinese gang leader, which escalates the war to epic proportions. Into this fray comes Han Sing (Jet Li), Ch'u's other son, a cop who has escaped from a Hong Kong prison where he was serving time for not arresting his father and brother. Han soon becomes a little too friendly with Trish O'Day (Aaliyah), the daughter of Isaak O'Day (Delroy Lindo), the leader of the African American gang. The growing romance between Han and Trish parallels the growing body count.
ROMEO MUST DIE is a fast-paced, hip-hop retelling of the classic Shakespeare tale. A thumping soundtrack and wicked special effects--including martial arts battles in which the fighters virtually fly through the air--add to the excitement. Jet Li and Aaliyah turn in fine performances laced with just the right amount of comedy. Director Andrzej Bartkowiak has a keen visual sense--he previously served as cinematographer on such films as THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, SPECIES, and SPEED--that pumps up such standard fare as car chases, prison breaks, and even a pickup football game. The film includes an awesome special effect that reveals a person's skeleton as he dies--it has to be seen to be believed.

Customer Reviews

Great Film - Awful DVD
Okay so I've rated this 1 star but lets get it straight from the start I am rating the DVD not the film. Jet Li (as always) is awsome and I couldn't wait to buy this movie after I saw it at the cinema but the DVD is let down by one vital aspect - its sound. As the disk opens into the first scene its obvious something is amiss, the music is ten times louder than any nextdoor neighbour can stand but the speech is almost inaudible. Warner do have a track record for doing this in other films but I've never seen it happen so dramatically. Maybe you need a special surround sound package to appreciate this one but if (like me) you have a pretty good stereo with two speakers - forget it!

Hip-hop meets kung fu in a wild mix of genres
I’m a big fan of Jet Li, but I held off watching Romeo Must Die for a while in fear that a strong romantic plot a la Shakespeare would take away from the martial arts action I crave. I needn't have worried. This movie is many things, but a love story it is not. The two main characters do come together despite their families' undeclared war on each other, but it is more an act of survival and friendship than romance. This is primarily an action movie sprinkled with both kung fu fights and gunfights; unofficially, Romeo Must Die is a hip-hop kung fu film. Of course, there has to be some comedy thrown in to lighten things up, and a rather nebulous plot that leaves one feeling a step behind the story at all times gives it that classic martial arts flavor.

One thing this movie has is a great cast, including the two new-comers of sorts. For Jet Li, this was his first English-language leading role (although it was his 26th film overall), and for Aaliyah, it was her first of what should have been many more movies were it not for her untimely death a couple of years ago. The supporting players are great, particularly Delroy Lindo as African-American crime boss Isaak O'Day, a man who is trying to go legit only to see a turf war erupt between his posse and that of a neighboring Chinese crime family. Anthony Anderson steals the show, though, as O'Day's hilarious goon Maurice, shucking and jiving his way throughout the entire film, always rising to the comic occasion no matter how many times he loses a fight. Jet Li is Han Sing, a former Hong Kong cop who went to jail to allow his crooked father and brother to flee the island for America; when he learns that his little brother has been rubbed out, he makes a most interesting and enjoyable prison break in order to find his brother's killer. Aaliyah plays Trish O'Day, an independent woman who is ashamed of her family's illicit business dealings. Han ends up seeking her out as the best lead for finding his brother's killer, and they eventually form a certain bond and work together as the killings not only continue, they hit ever closer to home.

The story as it plays out is a little bit confusing and hard to predict, with an ending that turns out to be quite good indeed, but there's a good bit of entertainment to be had alongside all the senseless killing. Jet Li on the dance floor is a perfect example of what I'm talking about here. Han can pretend to know hip-hop, but his moves on the dance floor are significantly less impressive than his moves in a fight. Another great scene involves Han being attacked by a female martial artist; while he refuses to hit a woman, he comes up with a pretty handy dandy way of kicking her to the curb like she deserves. Then there is Jet Li's football scene, wherein his character takes the thoroughly American game to a whole new level. This leads me into one problem I have with the film, though. Romeo Must Die, from the producer of The Matrix, suffers from The Matrix Syndrome, using wires to orchestrate acrobatic stunts for no reason whatsoever. Things go so far here as to introduce "ultra pain mode" shots where we suddenly zoom inside a person's body to see the reaction to a punch. There's just no need for Jet Li to fly through the air; the fact that he can take out every man in a large room without ever setting foot on the ground might sound cool, but it really takes something away from the otherwise gritty feel of the film.

Romeo Must Die is really an odd mix of martial arts, hip-hop flavor, comedy, action, you name it. The soundtrack gives it a driving pulse you won't find in many films of this type, making this a movie that fans of several genres can enjoy. There is plenty of action, although Jet Li's martial arts skills aren't put to good use nearly as much as I would have preferred. The DVD is absolutely loaded with extra features: theatrical trailers, 3 music videos, 13 behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews, and even more goodies for DVD-ROM owners. It's a very enjoyable film, but its mix-and-match genre outfit leaves it unable to wholly satisfy fans of any one genre.

Jet Li breaks the laws of gravity again!
Romeo Must Die was Jet Li's 2nd American film as he was previously seen in Lethal Weapon 4, playing a villain. But in RMD he is playing the lead role as 'Han Sing' a former police officer in jail in Hong Kong after helping his Brother & Father escape from the law. While in jail, Han hears his Brother has been murdered in America and decides he must escape to investigate his death....

RMD isn't a bad film, but it didn't live up to my expectations that I have come to expect from a Jet Li movie. The problem is the story is predictable and shallow at times, its does however move along at a nice pace and will interest you until the end. The film's name is kind of misleading as it only shares really one similarity with Shakespeare's play (two people form a relationship that both families oppose)

Directed by former Cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, the film has a hip & stylish feel to it. The fight scenes, choreographed by Hong Kong action master Corey Yeun, are all nicely done quite glossy in some cases with its neat camera angles and visual effects (x-ray sight). While the action is ultimately satisfying, they are somewhat spoiled by the OTT use of wirework. It may be fine for such films like 'Matrix' or 'Once upon a time in China', but for a modern urban setting with no explanation on how Li can do his impossible kicks?

On the acting side, Li plays his character (Han Sing) well enough, but being that RMD was then his first full english speaking film as the lead, he doesn't say much, short sentences and a couple of words at any one time. But he does oozes charm whenever he is on screen. R'n'B star Aaliyah (who sadly die in a plane crash 2 years after RMD was filmed) made her then movie debut in it as Li's love interest and does a decent job playing 'Trish O'Day'. While the two leads don't actually kiss in the film, they do have genuine chemistry whenever there both on screen. There's good support from Isaiah Washington, Anthony Anderson and Delroy Lindo. Rap star DMX also makes an apperance in a small role.

To my surprise the lovely Francoise Yip, most famous for starring in Jackie Chan film 'Rumble in the Bronx' and Jet Li's 'Black Mask' makes a brief apperance as the 'biker babe' who fights against Li & Aaliyah.

Overall RMD has more highs then lows and so its worth a look for anybody who enjoys a glossy action film. If you loved RMD and want more of the same, watch 'Cradle 2 the Grave' which was release in the cinema earlier this year (2003). You could also try Jet Li's older Hong Kong stuff like the stunning 'Fist of Legend', most of them are much superior to his current US films in my opinon.