Romeo Must Die

Synopsis: In Oakland, California, war rages between the affluent and powerful Asian-American and African-American families who are after exclusive ownership of the waterfront. Po Sing, the youngest son of one of the Asian bosses is murdered, and his death credited to a rival African-American clan, though unproven. Po’s older brother Han Sing (Jet Li), escapes from a Hong Kong prison and arrives in Oakland following the news of Po’s death. He falls ‘in love’ with Trish (Aaliyah Houghton), daughter of Isaac O’Day, one of his father’s business rivals. This causes a further rift and escalating violence between the two clans, yet the true cause of the antagonism is an undiscovered betrayal.

Andrzej Bartkowiak’s Romeo Must Die utilises the basic plot and formula of good ol’ Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, but adds to the recipe a famous Hong Kong action film-star, a good-looking R&B artist, hip jargon and a contemporary Californian setting. Imagine something akin to Shakespeare, but with martial arts, stunts, special effects and a hip-hop soundtrack, and you won’t be far off track. Apart from that, Romeo Must Die also has a comedic element. Although much of the comic relief comes in the form of daddy’s hired goon, the tubby Maurice (Anthony Anderson), the fight scenes prove surprisingly funny too, with their ludicrously implausible staging. A scene worthy of mention in regards to this, is one where Han ‘fights’ a tough bikie chick (Francoise Yip) with the aid of Trish. This one has to be seen to be believed.

Other unconvincing elements of the film include the tenuous plot about the Docklands occupation, the on-going “war” between the families and the chemistry between Han and Trish. These two act more like buddies in rehab than star-crossed lovers; having more in common because they both have dead brothers rather than mutual physical desire. Yet, it is understood that what matters in the action film is not the storyline, quality of the acting nor on-screen chemistry between the leads. In fact, none of these are crucial to the understanding, enjoyment or even main purpose of almost any action flick. Films like Romeo Must Die exist to showcase the extraordinary martial arts fight scenes, stunts and chase sequences which are so universally popular. Romeo Must Die, like The Matrix, (both were produced by Joel Silver) also provides a feast in terms of the latest computer-generated imagery and pyrotechnic special effects. Add to that the name Jet Li (a major drawcard in Hong Kong, and growing in popularity in the U.K. and U.S. and the show-stealer here) and his amazing fighting style: mid-air kicks, twists and flips which could rival an Olympic gymnast, and one realises that Romeo Must Die is aimed squarely at the mainstream Hollywood action movie market.

Having said that however, there was something about the movie which was somehow “un-Hollywood”. This was the dominant portrayal of two different ethnic groups—usually marginalised in mainstream action films—as primary sources of identification for the audience, as opposed to the commonly accepted ‘white’ perspective. In Romeo Must Die, the Asian- and African-American characters are central to the story, action and staging; and are not for once merely waiters, extras who are killed off in Scene Two or the evil-but-little-seen arch nemesis. Regardless of whether or not the depiction of the blacks and Asians is truthful or accurate, they remain the primary focus so much so that one is not made aware of the lack of Anglo-Saxon characters. And that I considered to be the main strength of the film. Romeo makes a brave attempt to present us with an alternative cultural perspective, or indeed, perspectives.

Furthermore, the soundtrack comprises of electronic hip-hop music, rap and R&B tunes even as it utilised traditional Chinese instrumental music in other parts. The native Chinese speakers (with subtitles) were also a nice touch. Too many major films have I seen have had atrocious “Chinese” dialogue, which is not only insulting to Western audiences, but doubly so to Chinese-speaking viewers.

The only principal white character in Romeo Must Die is the entrepeneurial strategist, Roth (Edoardo Ballerini) though ironically (and annoyingly) his character is reduced to an enigmatic caricature: a reversal of the token Asian, or black figure in the mainstream Hollywood film.

The modern remake of classic tales is not a new phenomenon, but Bartkowiak’s film adds a new cultural spin to the original it is loosely based upon. Unfortunately however, the move to include an Asian actor as its star and alternate cultural perspectives may have proved difficult for mainstream audiences to accept, as shown by the faltering box-office attendances. Yet, it is an enjoyable film if you are purely a fan of martial arts, spectacular stunts and special effects.

 

 

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