| "Romeo Must Die" on Moscow movie screens In the United States of America, Jet Li's existence became known in 1998, when the ruthless Asian almost defeated Mel Gibson himself in the fourth episode of Lethal Weapon. But our viewers managed to fall in love with him at least ten years earlier - perhaps even before Gibson. At that time Jet was not yet Jet (that is, “jet”), he lived in mainland China and responded to the very Chinese name Li Ling Ji. Domestic teenagers of that time hardly remembered his name. But every Sunday they were glued to the television screens, where in the supplement to the “Travelers Club”, the television almanac “Around the World”, they showed - with a continuation, for ten to fifteen minutes at a time - the amazing feature film “Martial Arts of Shaolin”. Li, who played the main role there, wore the clothes of a Shaolin novice and did things with his body that even seasoned regulars of video salons could not close their mouths in surprise and delight. They later learned that Jet Li had won the world wushu title several times, become a big (second only to the inevitable Jackie Chan) Hong Kong movie star, conquered America in the hand-to-hand fantasy "Black Mask" and eventually moved to Hollywood. This year, famous cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak (who met Lee on the set of Lethal Weapon) directed Romeo Must Die, his directorial debut. Jet Li got the leading role - the first in his short Hollywood career.
Jet Li, aka Han Sun, aka the Romeo stated in the title, is the son of an influential mafioso, sitting (of course, on false charges) in a Hong Kong prison. In prison, he learns that his younger brother died overseas as a result of a brutal confrontation between the Chinese and black mafia. Han Sun escapes from prison (it is noteworthy that he, apparently, could have done this before, but in the best traditions of Buddhism he was not particularly worried about this topic - like that very calm boy from the joke who spoke only when he tried overcooked steak) and goes to Oakland, where he immediately begins to take revenge on everyone, and in the meantime falls in love with the daughter of a black “godfather” (the newly-minted Juliet is played by rapper Elijah). That's all, actually. The plot intricacies are written out so confusingly and at the same time meticulously that there is no desire to understand them, not only after, but also during viewing. And rightly so. That's not why this film was made.
The most important thing here is Jet Li himself. The infantry fighting vehicle is wild but cute. His deadly arms and legs that live their own separate lives. His small but strong body, which soars into the air, ignoring the laws of gravity. His oriental charm, which cannot be hidden even in those numerous episodes when Jet has absolutely nothing to play. And even though Bartkowiak, from the point of view of great art (and within the genre, admittedly, too) did not make the most outstanding film, this does not change anything. Jet Li still remains a true hero and great master. The lessons of Northern Shaolin learned once and for all are not forgotten even on the other side of the Atlantic, in a soulless and criminalized metropolis. And a rose smells like a rose. Either call it a rose or not.
The premiere of the film will take place today at 19.30 at Pushkinsky Stanislav F. ROSTOTSKY |
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