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| One, The |
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  (6/10)
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Runtime: 96 m |
| Public Rating: 4.76 (21 votes) |
Director: James Wong |
MPAA Rating:  |
| Genre: Action |
Year: 2001 |
| Writer(s): Glen Morgan and James Wong |
| Reviewed by: mazzyboi |
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I read somewhere that Jet Li turned down a major role with the upcoming “Matrix” sequel just to make “The One”. It’s just sort of funny to see him pass on a project so major like that to star on his own Matrix-esque movie. “The One” has Jet Li jumping from one parallel universe to another, but maybe they shouldn’t have spread themselves too thin and should have just stuck to one.
Set in the very near future, the film establishes that there exist multiple parallel realities…a multiverse. They all share the same time frame, but each has evolved in its own manner. Amusingly, in one world Al Gore is the president, while in another George W. Bush is our commander-in-chief. Every single one of us has a counterpart in the other worlds; meaning there is another mazzyboi somewhere out there doing something else besides writing this review. Since we have many counterparts, our life force or energy is divided among all our alternate selves.
Traveling through the wormhole that connects one reality to another is restricted only to authorized multiverse agents, since there is danger that someone may abuse the order of things. And this certain someone is Yulaw (Jet Li), who is determined to kill off all his alternate selves so all of the life energy gets transferred to him, making Yulaw ever so powerful. Yulaw has murdered 123 of his other selves and has one more to go. Gabriel (also played by Jet Li), an LAPD officer, is Yulaw’s last target. Thus, the battle between alter ego’s rage on.
Jet Li does a good job pulling off a dual role. He exudes the bad boy attitude with Yulaw, yet has enough vulnerability and Mr. Good Guy vibe with Gabriel. Next to Jackie Chan, Jet Li is probably the best-known Asian action star in America. He might not have the same grueling physicalities and humor as Chan, but Li can pump you up with his action stunts. Also, Jet Li is a lot younger than Chan (and better looking too) which means he can have more of a romantic lead with the ladies…as with the lovely Aaliyah in “Romeo Must Die” and the beautiful Carla Gugino as Gabriel’s wife.
There is really nothing truly original in “The One” for it combines elements of “The Matrix”, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, “Terminator” and “Mortal Kombat”. Yet, one cannot deny the entertainment factor of the action sequences. With explosions and special effects, “The One” is a guy’s guy movie.
With all that said, however, a lot more could have been done with this film. The concept of a multiverse has lots of potential, but “The One” falters in taking full advantage of it. I was terribly disappointed with how each reality looked very similar to one another. I mean if an entire society evolved independently of our Earth, I would think that their technology and societal structure would be totally unique. To my dismay, all we get are different presidents, fancier cars and a cleaner Los Angeles (gosh, even the name is the same). Also, there were just lots of clichéd situations in this one; like when the police is searching a dark garage and they hear a noise in the corner….and a cat scurries out.
“The One” has good action sequences, plain and simple. If that’s all what you’re looking for, then check this one out. Other than that, the movie doesn’t have much anything else to offer.
The film tries to be the next “Matrix”, but let me just tell you that this is not “The One”.
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