Customer Reviews

The One

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(54)
3 star:		(35)
2 star:		(28)
1 star:		(28)

 

 

Based on the trailers for this movie, I went in expecting some fun fight scenes between Jet Li and Jet Li, some cool special effects, and a decent performance from the always-charming Carla Gugino. And my expectations were met. The fight scenes were pretty exciting. There were good performances from Jet Li and Carla Gugino, although I'm sure she'd prefer to point out that the much better, much more successful Spy Kids is also on her resume. It was also nice seeing appearances from members of the cast of writers/producers/director Morgan and Wong's TV series Space: Above and Beyond in supporting roles. And Delroy Lindo should thank Samuel L. Jackson every morning that he's gotten too big to appear in movies like these, since Lindo seems to have made his recent career out of Jackson leftovers.

On the other hand, the story isn't very smart. The screenplay is credited to Morgan and Wong, who wrote some of the X-Files best episodes, produced the aforementioned (and underrated) Space: Above and Beyond, and crafted a surprisingly spooky big-screen debut with Final Destination. Credits aside, viewers will find very little evidence that anyone actually wrote this movie (and anyone who did shouldn't go around admitting it in public). Another particularly annoying point is Lindo's (and later Li's) sidekick, speaking stock tough-guy lines in such an over-the-top growl, he's even more of a cartoon character than everyone else in the film.

Still, as the end credits rolled, I went through my mental checklist. Cool fight scenes: check. Cool effects: check. Jet Li and Carla Gugino, still emminently watchable: check. So I got what I came for. Pity it wasn't wrapped up inside a better, smarter story.

The One is a true "man's" action movie, full of fighting which is made better by the great heavy metal music selections. This movie starts out fast and rarely lets up, pitting the baddest martial arts action hero in movies against himself, it's great! Other reviewers are right, there could be a better story line, but with all of that action and one of the best endings in action movie history, story line is secondary.

Every once in a while someone films a movie that really does have a new take on its genre. Even if the general idea existed, it either was not, or could not, be done well on film before. James Cameron's _The Terminator_, Ridley Scott's _Alien_ and _Blade Runner_, Lucas' _Star Wars_, and Spielberg's _Jaws_ and _Close Encounters of the Third Kind_ all achieved this in one way or another.

_The One_ enters this select company both by virtue of originality (I have seen the general premise once or twice before, but never on film) and because even had someone attempted this before, it couldn't have been done as well.

The basic idea of _The One_ is that there are a large number of parallel dimensions, each with a slightly different history (in this one, George Bush became president; in another, it might have been Dole, Gore, or someone even less likely). In each of these universes exists a parallel version of ourselves, as we would be if we'd grown up there. In one of these universes, dimensional travel has been perfected; people can go from one to the other. And one of those people discovers that if he kills off his duplicates, he becomes stronger, faster, smarter; there is some kind of mystical connection between all these parallels, and the power of all is divided up among those that are left; accordingly, he's travelling through the dimensions, slowly eliminating all his parallel selves. The hero of our story is his last remaining duplicate, who has been trying to understand what has been happening to him recently.

Scenes involving such superhuman abilities simply couldn't be done well before this, and few actors other than Jet Li would be able to pull them off convincingly even with special-effects assistance. The pacing is excellent, the plotline fascinating (the bad guy's being chased by a couple of dimensional cops who have an additional concern beyond the fact that this guy's committing multiple homicides: according to some dimensional theory, if he succeeds in eliminating all the others, it will cause a cataclysm), and the action is simply top-notch.

The ending is surprising, and extremely cool. It leaves the possibility of a sequel open, but doesn't require one, either. Highly recommended. If action's your thing, this one will deliver.

The one is a very innovative action movie. The slow mo an fast paced action sequences were very cool. The movie has a somewhat involved plot that the filmakers rush too quickly through just to get to the action. I feel that Jet Li is a wonderful actor, his english has improved with each American film that he has made. One great thing to see is that he finally has a love interest. He still has never kissed a woman in any movie I have seen. To people who have seem Jet in Asian movies like myself there still seems to be something missing in his american movies. If you have not really seen Jet Li before this movie should peek your interest. The film is good and I recomend it but how can any Jet li film live up to past masterpieces like Fist of Legend, fong sai yuk, or the Once upon a time in China series. Go see this movie just for the end sequence where each Jet Li fights with different kung fu styles. It is nice to see Martial arts done by a Martial artist.

There are some good fight scenes in this movie, especially the one where Jet Li fights his double in another universe in the last scene. The plot isn't bad, either, with the multiple universes and also the way people dematerialize and rematerialize in going thru the wormholes is pretty cool. One reviewer here said the fight scenes weren't very good; I disagree, while possibly not great, they were certainly above average, and I'd probably give them an 8 on a 10 scale. Li also uses some different kung-fu stylistic elements you may not have seen in his other movies. In any case, in the terms of the martial arts stuff, it's actually pretty good. Jet Li is amazingly fast, if nothing else. Several reviewers here said the plot was pretty lame, but I don't mind less than stellar plots in movies like this. If I want something more profound in a movie, I can always rent Citizen Kane. That's not why I go see martial arts movies. All in all, another good movie to showcase Li's considerable talents. Go see it at a bargain matinee.

I have been a fan a Jet Li for years now, and I watch all his movies avidly. They were, no are, great to watch over and over not just because they all had great action, but because the characters were likeable and their stories were interesting and, to a certain degree, believable. The One however, wants nothing to do with either a sensible story or the people in them. Instead focusing in on fight scenes. I know some people may ask, How can that be a bad thing? Well, it drastically draws from the action, taking away any motive for the audience to get involved with what's happening onscreen. It's too bad too because the premise sounds interesting and could have turned into a great story. I gave this movie 4 stars because Jet Li is still the greatest, and the final fight scene is an interesting One to watch. I just hope his next movie will be better, a lot better.

The One features an extremely silly, but also very intriguing premise. You see, our world is only one of over 100 (I can't remember the exact number, was it 125?)parallel universes that exist. You have a different personality in another world, and if you actually travel to these other worlds and kill another version of you, then you gain his or her power. That's exactly what Jet Li is trying to do, and there are a couple of multiverse cops out to stop him. This is all just build-up for a big one-on-one fight between the two Jet Lis, so you're basically watching 80 minutes of B.S.

But that's not to say the idea doesn't hold any promise. It's just that the movie ignores the concept in favor of big fight scenes. Being an action fan and all, that's perfectly fine with me, except the action in this movie fails to generate any thrills since they're way too exaggerated and involve waaayyy too much wirework. And is it just me or does anyone else find the premise of Jet Li fighting Jet Li incredibly lame? The fun of watching a martial arts fight is seeing two different individuals going head-to-head, mano-a-mano. In this case, the fight is computer-aided and not even entirely convincing.

The One does feature a few good actors, particularly Delroy Lindo and Jason Statham, both of whom are fine here, though I would have liked to have seen Statham kick a little more butt. He's definitely got the makings of a top-notch action icon, certainly moreso than the overrated Vin Diesel. But at least we can always watch The Transporter for that (which is, by the way, a far more entertaining action thriller).

As for Li himself, he's stuck in a role that doesn't do him many favors. First, you have to wonder how his evil self is able to find his alternate versions in all the other universes if they have different names. Best explanation I can see is that he broke into the multiverse database and tracked down all the versions of himself out there, which actually raises another question: how does the multiverse keep track of everybody on every alternate universe?

There are the usual paradoxes of an alternate universe, that being the fact the parallel worlds can't be too different if there is a physically identical twin of yourself in all these other worlds (meaning your parents would have had to have hooked up at the exact same time for all 125 worlds) and all versions of yourself would probably have to die at the exact same time, so as to make certain no other weird influences would occur (say, one version of yourself dies suddenly, but another one goes on and marries and has kids the other one wouldn't have; kind of screws up the order, doesn't it?). But according to this movie, not everyone dies at the same time in these alternate worlds, which begs the question of why there aren't any super-powerful geriatrics. After all, there must be at least one old man or woman who gains all the remaining power of those who died.

Best not to think of such things with a movie like this. Makes your head hurt after awhile. But really, I recommend you just miss this movie altogether. There are a couple of enjoyable moments, including a scene where Li handcuffs some cops together and to a chair, but there's too much CGI at work, not enough thrills, and certainly not enough brains to pull this premise off. Jet Li's best American film to date is still Kiss of the Dragon, see that one instead.

The One is one of the best movies i have ever seen, it has great fighting, which is pretty much all it really needs. A lot of people i know have said the one is just a bad port of the matrix, but i believe that the one is totally in a league of its own. I mean, did keanu reeves ever fight himself in the matrix, (and who would have won). I think if you are an action die hard, this is the movie you must see. If you arent a jet li fan, i think this movie will make you one. I cant wait to own it on dvd.

Jet Li is back in the action pack film THE ONE. Now, If you're looking for a movie with a deep plot, damatic acting, and a deep meaning then don't look here. THE ONE is action packed and that's that. It's an OK action movie. The visual effacts are well done and the acting is OK. Without giving too much away, Jet Li plays a man with the ability to travel to alternate, parallel universes. He also posses super strength, speed, and intellegence. That's all I'm saying about that. THE ONE does have it's moments but it comes off as a low budget MATRIX sequel at times. Some of the action scenes could've been better and the plot could've used some more twists. THE ONE is good but not great.

This movie is alright. I suggest any big fan of jet li go see it. I am just gonna talk about the dvd aspects of the special edition dvd.

IMAGE:
Colmbia TriStar present the picture in both a 2:17:1 ratio anamorphic widescreen and a full screen format. The widescreen obviously better duplicates the film's original theatrical showing, but the fullscreen often displays more image at the stop and bottom. Because of the short running time of the feature the two choices can be accommodated one the same side of a dual-layered disc. The picture quality is good when the director isn't playing overmuch with filters and lens. It's a little rough and dark at times, but there are no significant moire effects or grain to worry about. I just wish it were more interesting to look at instead of having to stare at all those dull, tiresome, iron-gray tones.

SOUND:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, which I had admired in Jet Li's previous films, is here merely loud. There is no subtlety, no grace about it anywhere. It's mainly used to underscore every plot action with a pounding. glaring rock beat, whether the scene needs it or not. Occasionally, a bullet will whiz by in a rear speaker or a car will screech around a corner behind us. It seems hardly worth the effort.

EXTRAS:
As far as special features go, Columbua have produced enough of them to take one's mind off the movie for a while. Like rather than watching the film, you could listen to the audio commentary with director James Wong and various filmmakers with the telivision screen turned off. You could also watch one of four featurettes: "Jet Li is the One," thirteen minutes long, an extended promo with interviews of cast and vrew. "Multiverse Creates the One," eighteen minutes long, detailing the action sewuences, "About Face," six minutes long, examining how the graphic artists enabled Li to fight himself in the finale, and "The Many Faces of Jet li." two minutes, another actor promo. Then, there are some filmographies, a brief animatronic comparison, twenty-eight scene selections, and a widescreen theatrical trailer. English and French are the spoken language options, with English , French,Chinese, Korean, and Thai for subtitles.

Image:I give it 7 stars out of 10.
Sound:I give it 7 stars out of 10.
Extras:I give it 6 stars out of 10.