War - Thoughts

I remember seeing the trailer for this one way back in 2007. Sadly looking back now, I must say the trailer lacked sufficient appeal. So many good movies come out every month, and they all vie for our time. If the trailer fails to make an impression, it’s very likely the movie will get missed. Though I subsequently saw the DVD at the video store, I always put this one off for later. I always thought of it as just another Jet Li martial arts action movie. In War, 2 FBI agents Crawford and Tom are in the midst of an Asian crime spree between the Chang’s of the Triads and the legendary Yakuza. Their involvement leads to the brutal death of Tom and his family. Crawford consumed by this makes it his personal vendetta to find and kill the assassin Rogue, hired to kill his partner and family. This obsession takes him over 2 years and costs him his marriage.


When I finally got around to seeing it about a month ago, my initial reasons for appeal were more to do with the format I was watching the movie on, and the tech elements of the home theatre. Needless to say my expectations of the movie were limited. That said, I was surprisingly intrigued and impressed by War. The plot and story were not as seemingly straight forward as I’d imagined. Similarly I found it gripping, and interesting right until the end, though the pace of the movie slowed down at various points. If you’re looking for a mindless over the top action movie, this isn’t for you. Invest some time and thought, and you’ll find that War is pleasantly interesting, and comparatively different. It’s a decently well thought out plot, with a good mix of elements. Overall a pretty good movie.

If you like Jason Statham and Jet Li, you’ll appreciate this one more. Statham plays Jack Crawford, the lead role in War. His portrayal of an FBI agent is good, and his character and personality are comparable to that of his other action movies. He has a routine formula that he works with, and you’ll find that its similar in pretty much all the action roles he plays. It’s not bad, but lacks in creative diversity. Jet Li starring as Rogue, the super assassin for hire is convincingly cold and efficient. Again a role that Jet Li is good at, and has employed successfully several times before. Devon Aoki of Tokyo Drift fame is also worth mention. Though initially skeptical I’ll have to admit that she manages to successfully pull of the role of the daughter of the Yakuza boss Shiro. Don’t go into War expecting stellar character development and moving performances, and you won’t be disappointed. Let’s keep in mind that such is not the focus of a movie like War.

This was my first ever Blueray experience. The TV I was watching it on was an exceptionally high-rated Samsung 46” LCD. Needless to say the full 1080p HD experience was exquisite. Video was beyond flawless, dark definition was exceptional, and even the simplest of living room scenes were clear and sharp. The sound was presented in Dolby HD 7.1; the home-theatre being a 5.1, there was a down mix applied. Sound again was remarkable. The 3D positional audio was excellent, and all the action sequences sounded great. Even at a medium volume sound was crisp and dialog was audible. Technically speaking Blueray coupled with good full HD supporting equipment makes for a wonderful and pleasurable movie watching experience; invest in it and you will not be disappointed!

My Recommendation: Watch It (A good plot, sufficiently intriguing with believable action)