[Screen It]

 

"WAR"
(2007) (Jet Li, Jason Statham) (R)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Moderate Extreme Extreme *Moderate Extreme
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Moderate None Extreme None Extreme
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Extreme Mild Heavy Moderate Extreme


QUICK TAKE:
Action: An FBI agent tries to avenge the death of his former partner -- and that man's family by the hands of a mysterious assassin -- and bring down the crime organizations for which that man works.
PLOT:
It's been three years since FBI agent Tom Lone (TERRY CHEN) and his family were murdered by an assassin known only as Rogue, and Tom's partner, Jack Crawford (JASON STATHAM), hasn't forgotten. While his obsession with finding Rogue (JET LI) has led to estrangement from his wife, Jenny (ANDREA ROTH), and their young son, Jack has the support of fellow agent Wick (MATTHEW ST. PATRICK) and the new kid on the FBI block, Goi (SUNG KANG).

With the aid of undercover operatives such as Benny (LUIS GUZMAN), they're trying to bring down the rival crime families run by Chang (JOHN LONE), who lives in San Francisco with his wife, Maria (NADINE VELAZQUEZ), and their child, and Shiro (RYO ISHIBASHI) who's in Japan, letting his adult daughter, Kira (DEVON AOKI), run the stateside operations.

As Rogue appears to be working for both crime families to his own advantage, Jack hopes that his team's efforts will eventually lead him to the assassin, and thus allow him to avenge his partner's death.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're into hard-hitting action pics and/or are fans of anyone in the film, they probably will.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R
For sequences of strong bloody violence, sexuality/nudity and language.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
Considering what occurs in the film (killing, cussing, criminal activity, etc.) it's doubtful many, if any, parents would consider the major characters as good role models.
CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
The following is a quick look at the content found in this R-rated action film. Profanity consists of at least 36 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present, as is the sight of nudity (bare breasts, and mostly bare butts in thongs) and sexual activity (rear entry intercourse, 2 women kissing for the pleasure of a man who watches) in some sort of brothel.

Violence consists of people killing others by various means (gunfire, various blades, explosions, hand-to-hand combat, etc.) as well as all sorts of brutal fighting with bone-crunching punches, kicks and other blows. Much of that has bloody results, and that material as well as moments of peril might be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for that sort of violent action. All of the stunts, fighting, and other action and behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate.

All sorts of bad attitudes are present, as is drinking and smoking, while tense family material includes the murder of a wife and child, and a separate estrangement from another wife and child.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, full strobe effects occur in a club.

For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, varying amounts of camera movement are present.


ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Tom has a beer, while Jack has his own at his home.
  • Miscellaneous people drink in a club.
  • Chang hands Rogue a drink, but the latter doesn't drink his.
  • Chang and Rogue hold drinks.
  • Maria appears to have a glass of wine in front of her.
  • Some bikers drink out on the street.
  • A miscellaneous man drinks.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • Tom's face is bloody after being shot there.
  • Rogue slices two guards' necks, killing them and spilling blood. He then shoots a man in the head with similar results.
  • A man is quite bloody following an explosion.
  • We see various dead and bloody bodies on the floor.
  • Jack interrogates a wounded and bloody goon, pushing a finger down into a bullet hole wound, saying he's looking for a slug but then thinks he's touching bone, all to cause the man great pain.
  • We see quick flashback views of past shootings, with bloody results.
  • Shiro spars with a younger man, with the latter accidentally slicing some of the former's garb. As Shiro walks away, he slices that man (we don't see the impact, but see the bloody results on the side of that man's head).
  • We see photos of some dead and bloody men, including one who supposedly was attacked by an alligator (he looks torn up, but details are fuzzy at best).
  • A cop officer has some blood under his nose.
  • A person is shot in the back of the head, with a spurt of blood coming out. Fighting that follows results in some bloody results, such as when a person is hit in the chest with an ax.
  • Jack jams a sword down through a goon's hand and then shoots him in the head.
  • Blood spurts out when Rogue strikes a goon in the face.
  • Rogue battles a man with a sword. Some kicking occurs during this, and the man slices Rogue twice, but Rogue then stabs and slices the man in various parts of his body before slicing his neck, killing him (all but the final wound are seen in bloody detail).
  • A woman recoils in horror upon the sight of her father's severed and bloody head in a case delivered to her.
  • We see a flashback to Tom being bloody during the attack on his family, as well as a growing pool of blood on the floor next to his dead wife and child.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • All of the criminals obviously have bad attitudes, while we learn some cops are conspiring with them for payment.
  • Jack uses unorthodox and illegal methods to try to bring down the crime families and get revenge on Rogue.
  • Rogue works for both crime families, and kills many people.
  • Some men (police and criminals) are separately racist, referring to Japanese men as "Japs," and one cop is disgusted with immigrants who don't make the effort to speak "American."
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gore" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful, or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material.
  • It seems that Rogue has shot Maria and her daughter dead (we see flashes through a window), but we then learn he spared them.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Handguns/Machine guns/Shotguns/Explosives/Swords/Knives: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound, or kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "What the f*ck /is wrong with you?" "F*cking idiot," "All we have to do...is pull the f*cking trigger," "How could you f*ck that up?" "Who the f*ck does he think he is?" "F*cking rent-a-cops," "No f*cking way," "I'm assuming you know who the f*ck I am? "Hold on, m*therf*cker," "You f*ck," "Put your f*cking hands up," "You f*cking bastard," "Well, f*ck them," "F*ckers," "It's a bullsh*t story," "Who can understand that sh*t?" "Some serious sh*t here," "Oh sh*t," "I don't give a sh*t," "Piece of sh*t," "If I were you, I'd be lapping up the p*ssy on South Beach," "You miserable pr*ck," "Japs," "Bastard," "Bad ass," "Just who the hell are you?" "Balls" (testicles), "Shut up," "Hold on just a damn minute," "Bitch" (man and woman), "We came to party" and "A hell of a job."
  • All of the stunts, fighting, and other action might be enticing for some kids to imitate.
  • Miscellaneous characters have varying amounts and styles of tattoos.
  • One of Chang's goons spits in Rogue's direction while mad at him.
  • Seeing two women (who may or may not be hookers) walking down the street, Goi jokes with Wick, saying he didn't know Wick's mom was working tonight.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • An extreme amount of action-oriented, suspenseful, and some ominous music plays in the film.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 36 "f" words (5 used with "mother"), 15 "s" words, 1 slang term each using male and female genitals ("pr*ck" and "p*ssy"), 4 hells, 3 S.O.B.s, 2 asses (1 used with "hole"), 2 damns, 2 uses each of "G-damn" and "Jesus Christ" and 1 use each of "For Christ's sakes," "My God" and "Oh my God."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • About Jack needing to smoke, Tom tells him about oral fixation and the need to put something in your mouth, saying he read that in a magazine. That prompts Jack to ask, jokingly, what sort of magazines Tom is reading (that could be taken as a sexual reference).
  • We see topless dancers (who appear to be in thong bottoms) dancing in a club (some with psychedelic paint or lighting on them). We see various hookers in thong bottoms leading men away (presumably to have sex), and see two women making out for the viewing pleasure of a man with them. We then see and hear some women screaming as they run away, with some men joking that they want to be next. Rogue then walks in and sees a man having rear entry sex with a woman bent over a table (no nudity, but movement and sounds). Rogue then shoots that man in the head, with the woman rushing off.
  • A cleavage revealing woman delivers something to Rogue and then strips down to just a tiny thong bottom before walking away (we see her bare breasts as well as the front and rear of that thong, the latter of which shows her bare butt cheeks).
  • Maria shows cleavage, particularly when leaning over to talk to Rogue.
  • Seeing two women (who may or may not be hookers) walking down the street, Goi jokes with Wick, saying he didn't know Wick's mom was working tonight.
  • About a plastic surgeon hiding out in Mexico, Benny jokes that if he were him, "I'd be lapping up the pussy on South Beach."
  • SMOKING
  • Jack and Chang each smoke several times, while several miscellaneous characters also smoke.
  • About Jack needing to smoke, Tom tells him about oral fixation and the need to put something in your mouth, saying he read that in a magazine. That prompts Jack to ask, jokingly, what sort of magazines Tom is reading (that could be taken as a sexual reference).
  • Tom's wife tells him that Jack can't smoke in front of their daughter when he visits, but that becomes a moot point.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Tom's wife is hit and manhandled in her house, and when Tom looks out to check on the commotion, Rogue shoots him in the face. We then see Rogue holding Tom, bloodied, down, and making him watch as he shoots Tom's wife and child (we don't see the impact). He's then shot and the house is set on fire. Spoiler Alert: We later see another version of this, where Tom survives but switches identities with the killer, and then reluctantly sets the fire to cover that switch (thus burning his dead wife and child's bodies).
  • Jen comments on Jack's obsession with finding Rogue costing them their marriage, and warns him of the same occurring between him and their son.
  • A woman realizes her criminal husband is probably dead, as she flees with their child.
  • A woman recoils in horror upon the sight of her father's severed and bloody head in a case delivered to her.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Revenge as a motivation.
  • Jen comments on Jack's obsession with finding Rogue costing them their marriage, and warns him of the same occurring between him and their son.
  • Criminal types using plastic surgery to try to cover their tracks.
  • The question of whether the future is predetermined or something one makes it.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Jack and Tom slowly make their way around a dockyard, hearing gunshots and then finding bodies on the ground. They then get into a gun battle and fight with various goons, during which we see one person run through with a sword, while another is hanged and then shot. Rogue then shoots Jack and prepares to shoot him again, but Tom shoots Rogue who falls into the nearby water and disappears. We later see Jack with his arm in a sling from that.
  • Tom's wife is hit and manhandled in her house, and when Tom looks out to check on the commotion, Rogue shoots him in the face. We then see Rogue holding down Tom, who's bloodied, and making him watch as he shoots Tom's wife and child (we don't see the impact). He's then shot and the house is set on fire.
  • Rogue slices two guards' necks, killing them and spilling blood. He then shoots a man in the head with similar results.
  • Men open fire down a hallway trying to hit Rogue. They then send two attack dogs in that same direction, and we hear one or more yelping. One then runs back and one man notes the bomb on its collar just as it explodes. Rogue then walks in and shoots the lone survivor dead.
  • Jack interrogates a wounded and bloody goon, pushing a finger down into a bullet hole wound, saying he's looking for a slug but then thinks he's touching bone, all to cause the man great pain.
  • We see quick flashback views of past shootings, with bloody results.
  • Shiro spars with a younger man, with the latter accidentally slicing some of the former's garb. As Shiro walks away, he slices that man (we don't see the impact, but see the bloody results on the side of that man's head).
  • A thug tumbles down some steps (the result of Jack dealing with him - not seen).
  • We see an ultimate fighting type bout where two men deliver brutal blows to each other.
  • Cops push some criminals to a fence at night and then open fire on them with a machine gun, killing all of them.
  • Jack grabs a cop officer, drags him out of a restaurant and into the bathroom where he manhandles him and then slams a bathroom stall on his head, followed by holding his gun to his head to make him talk.
  • Rogue shoots a cop officer with a sniper rifle, downing him.
  • Jack chases Rogue across rooftops, and shoots out a window before jumping from one building through that window of another. Other gunshots are fired, and Rogue ends up falling down through a window, but then disappears.
  • Kira holds a knife to one of her dad's men and a gun to another, demanding a salad from them. She then throws a blade into the wall next to one of those men.
  • Jack holds his gun on Rogue while confronting him (Rogue is as calm as can be, and nothing ultimately happens).
  • We see a montage of Jack roughing up and beating many people, inter-cut with him shooting paper targets in a firing range.
  • On a motorcycle, Rogue taunts some goons who then give chase on their bikes. One hits a car during the chase, while Rogue leads the others into a rival gang, with one member using a large piece of wood to knock one rider off his bike. More fighting occurs, with Rogue then riding up and shooting several of the men. One tries to escape in a large concrete tube, but Rogue hits the man, stomps down on him, hits him again, and then jams a sword (in its sheath) into the man's mouth. He then removes the sword from that sheath and stabs the man in the torso with the blade, twisting it as he does.
  • A person is shot in the back of the head, with a spurt of blood coming out. A chef is grabbed inside a kitchen and stabbed, followed by a gun battle breaking out, between not only the rival crime groups, but also the FBI that fires down on them. During this, various people are shot and Jack purposefully crashes into a car, shooting one person in it, while Wick shoots the other. Rogue then shoots various people from above with a sniper rifle, and shots are fired back at him. More fighting continues, with hand-to-hand combat, an ax being slammed into one person's chest, and another being run through with a sword.
  • Jack jams a sword down through a goon's hand and then shoots him in the head.
  • Jack chases Rogue in a car, with other vehicles crashing together, followed by Jack getting into a bad car crash by himself (but he's okay).
  • Jack grabs a plastic surgeon by the back of his clothes.
  • A goon tries to shoot Chang, but the crime boss ends up shooting him, followed by Rogue finishing off that man.
  • Rogue shoots a man dead, and then knees another before shooting that second man dead.
  • Some fighting occurs outside Chang's place, followed by Rogue killing those victors (by sword and gunfire).
  • Shiro's men hold guns on Rogue, but as they escort him away, he ends up fighting two of them. One is immediately knocked out, but the other puts up more of a fight, with punches and kicks delivered and blocked. This ends when Rogue throws a car wheel through a window, striking and knocking out that goon.
  • Rogue sets off a bomb, resulting in a huge explosion that presumably kills various people. He then proceeds toward that spot, shooting several other goons.
  • Rogue battles a man with a sword. Some kicking occurs during this, and the man slices Rogue twice, but Rogue then stabs and slices the man in various parts of his body before slicing his neck, killing him (all but the final wound are seen in bloody detail).
  • We see a flashback to Tom fighting a man who attacks him, eventually killing that man.
  • A woman recoils in horror upon the sight of her father's severed and bloody head in a case delivered to her.
  • Jack and Rogue get into a brutal, hand-to-hand combat fight in a warehouse, punching, kicking, and bashing each other about. Property damage occurs, as they try to hit each other with a chain, mallet, shovel, and other objects. They end up grabbing each other by the throat, with both then crashing through a window down to the pavement below that (a short fall). This occurs, all as Goi tries to get off a shot (from a distance) to kill Rogue.
  • Rogue shoots but doesn't kill Jack.



  • Reviewed August 24, 2007 / Posted August 24, 2007

    Other new and recent reviews include:

    [Around the World in 80 Days] [Family Camp] [Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness]

    Privacy Statement and Terms of Use and Disclaimer
    By entering this site you acknowledge to having read and agreed to the above conditions.

    All Rights Reserved,
    ©1996-2022 Screen It, Inc.