The One

The One is a martial-arts flick with strong sci-fi concepts. But the bottom line remains high-kicking action, and Jet Li delivers.

Li also shows his acting ability in this film. He displays that he can do more than one personality.

As Yulaw, he's a cold-blooded killer who lashes out with sudden fury and insolent superiority. As Gabe, he's a dutiful lawman and devoted husband. (Sin City's Carla Gugino plays his wife.) In the middle are Multiverse cops played by Delroy Lindo (Domino, Romeo Must Die) and Jason Statham (Crank), who lead a super supporting cast.

Director James Wong and his co-writer, Glen Morgan, are X-Files veterans who know their sci-fi. Choreographed by Cory Yuen (also of Li's Kiss of the Dragon), the best fight has Li battling himself, with each character using different techniques.

The One is one film whose far-out concept works.

This is a cracker of a film. It has a cool story with plenty of fight scenes to easily entertain the most jaded viewer for an hour and a half.

The movie has a real smooth feel to it. The visuals, effects and cinematography, look like they have had plenty of money spent on them. So its pleasing on the eye.

The fights (the core of any Jet Li movie) are sanitised compared to some of his other material, opening it up to younger audiences. Yet they are teaming with cool moves and excitement.

The most relevant aspect of this movie is none of the above. Its the feel of the film. The film is fun and will put a smile on your face :)

Hey! Why'd this film get such a low rating?

I hope it's not due to the drama / arty types. I swear they walk into an Arnold Schwartzenegger film and start critiquing the dialogue or the deep cinematic reflections on life. I think they may have formed a false expectation. Action movies don't aim for that stuff, so it's a little unfair to then expect it.

Mostly stuff blows up in "The One", and I'm totally OK with that, being an action movie buff. What's weird is that you know they're using lots of wires and some of the stunts are a little overdone. But forget the fictional character's skill -- just the skill you'd need as a stuntman or stuntwoman making this movie to perform some of these stunts is truly impressive!

Let me warn you that the plot is a pretty stupid, and while billed as a science fiction film it really is not. However, it's nowhere near as bad as sub-intelligent flicks "Independence Day" and "Mission Impossible". It was more like "Mission Impossible 2". And lots and lots of stuff blows up.

Compared to Jackie Chan, Jet Li's films have more action, but it's stunt-like rather than natural, more of an "edge" (including blood and gore), less comedy, and he speak better English. I still prefer Jackie. If you're new to martial arts films, ease yourself in with accessible Jackie Chan action/comedies "Shanghai Noon" or "Twin Dragons".

Who should see this film:

-- action movie buffs and borderline action movie types

who will trade over-violence for under-plotting.

And don't drag along your SO.

-- sci-fi movie buffs who don't form expectations of real sci-fi

and like action flicks

-- I can't think of anyone else.

I'll give "The One" an 8 out of 10.

This is a movie definitely worth renting, but not worth buying unless its the Special Edition DVD or its VHS for under 10 bucks. Th fights were sweet,although looked slightly cheesy. it looked like they tried to achieve the matrix type effects but didn't have a good enough budget. The Acting was OK. They stuck some good actors in with some bad ones so that kinda screws up the whole feel for the movie. The storyline is quite simple and somewhat intriguing. There are many universes, you look quite similar in everyone and your all connected by a wave of energy. every time one of you dies, the energy of that you that died goes to the remaining yous. One man has killed all of himself but one. Th movie basically starts here. Yulaw is about to get banished forever but stops his universe travel and goes to the last universe left, ours. Lately Gabe law has been getting stronger but he doesn't know why.

Whenever they go from one universe to the next, they break up into little puzzle pieces and they didn't do a very good job for the visuals on those.

My rating a 3/5 Stars

If you like action sci-fi movies, you will enjoy this 'One'. It's very well filmed, though the effects are not too original - mostly going on the path open by 'Matrix'. It has a well written script, with some logic for a change. It is not too long, so that it does not get boring. It's simple, and does not pretend to take us into any psychological or philosophical track.

Of course, if you do not like the genre, all the above will be minuses, and you should avoid the movie. I can stand one of these, from time to time. 7/10 on my personal scale.