War (2007) is Philip G. Atwell’s directorial debut, and the twist-laden film has some exciting and surprising moments up until the very end. Jet Li and Jason Statham have collaborated on several action movies together, and while not every one of their films is a winner, the pairing is fun to see no matter the movie’s quality. Both men are arguably two of the greatest working action stars, so you know what you’re getting when you turn on a film co-starring the pair. Even with that boost, however, 2007’s War only earned $42.7 million at the box office (via BoxOfficeMojo).
While that’s not banner earnings, the twisting turns that keep you guessing are fun for the entire length of the movie. War begins with FBI agents Tom Crawford (Statham) and Tom Lone (Jet Li) tracking down a Japanese yakuza criminal cell. There, they run into Rogue, a CIA agent turned yakuza ᴀssᴀssin. Lone presumably mortally wounds Rogue, but the ᴀssᴀssin later resurfaces and murders Lone, his wife, and his daughter. Crawford goes on a year-long manhunt to avenge his friend, but his target ends up being someone he would never have guessed.
Rogue And Lone Are The Same Person
Lone Took On Rogue’s Idenтιтy To Avenge His Family
As Rogue goes through the movie, playing the Chinese Triads and Japanese yakuza off one another, the leader of the yakuza, Shiro Yanagawa (Ryo Ishibashi), makes a disturbing discovery. The Rogue who has been helping him for most of War is not the same Rogue who was sH๏τ by Lone at the beginning of the movie. Rogue reveals that he is actually Tom Lone. When the real Rogue came to his house to murder him and his family, Lone managed to fend him off and kill him for good, but not before Rogue killed his family.
Lone learns that it was Yanagawa who sent Rogue to kill his family in the first place, so he set out to take his revenge. He does so by surgically restructuring his face to look like Rogue’s and gaining the trust of both the Triads and the yakuza to sow confusion and get close to Yanagawa. Taking his revenge, Rogue/Lone decapitates Yanagawa. It’s a fun twist, though it is slightly telegraphed when the idenтιтy of Lone’s family is never revealed.
At the beginning of the movie, before he alters his face, Tom Lone is played by Terry Chen.
Rogue’s more heroic actions in the middle of the film don’t quite align with his villainous ones at the beginning, so there are some hints that Lone is not ᴅᴇᴀᴅ yet. It’s interesting that War sets itself up as a cat-and-mouse between Statham and Li, only for it to be revealed that Rogue and Crawford are ostensibly on the same side.
FBI Agent John Crawford Is A Double Agent
Crawford Led The Yakuza To Lone’s Family
While that twist would be enough for most movies, War offers another that most people probably won’t guess. Just before Yanagawa is killed by Lone, he reveals some information in hopes that it will save his life. He tells Lone that Crawford has been in the yakuza’s pocket this whole time, and he’s the one who leaked Lone’s idenтιтy and address to Yanagawa, which led to Rogue being sent there to murder Lone’s family. Lone then calls Crawford, as Rogue, and tells him to meet him in the warehouse where everything began at the start of War.
Crawford was blackmailed into giving up Lone’s idenтιтy but only did so ᴀssuming that Yanagawa and his gang would rough Lone up.
Crawford brings along a sniper named Goi (Sung Kang) in case things go south. There, Crawford and Lone begin a hand-to-hand battle, which ends when Rogue reveals his true idenтιтy. A stunned Crawford puts his hands down in defeat. He admits that he was working for the yakuza after they “killed” Rogue, but had no idea the CIA ᴀssᴀssin had survived the encounter. Crawford was blackmailed into giving up Lone’s idenтιтy but only did so ᴀssuming that Yanagawa and his gang would rough Lone up.
When he heard Lone and his family were killed, he set everything aside to pursue Rogue and the yakuza in his own quest for vengeance. Crawford asks for forgiveness, but Lone can’t bring himself to give it. Goi, who has been waiting for a sH๏τ, finally has it, but as a last act of contrition, Crawford secretly steps in his line of sight, giving Lone a clear sH๏τ to kill Crawford, which he promptly does.
War’s Ending Is Wacky Enough To Be Enjoyable
War Isn’t Great, But It Deserves More Than A 14% Rotten Tomatoes Score
With a 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s pretty clear that critics did not like War. However, War has a significantly higher audience score than the critics’, with a 51%. There is a disconnect, and I would side with the audience on this one. There are two big twists in War, and somehow, the one where a guy doesn’t alter his face is not the most unbelievable. Just because they’re ridiculous and slightly out of left field doesn’t mean they’re bad, though. It certainly makes for an interesting rewatch, knowing the truth behind who’s working for whom.
War is a movie filled with clichés and maybe not as much action as it should have, considering who stars in it, but the action that does happen is a lot of fun. Furthermore, Statham and Li are such excellent dramatic and physical actors that anytime they’re on-screen, it’s a good time. The plot might falter here and there, but the twists and the characters are just enough to make this a solid action B-movie.
The Ending Of War’s Real Meaning Explained
Tom Lone Wants To Make A New Life For Himself
“Making a new life” becomes the theme of War towards the latter half of the film. Even after Lone gets his revenge, he will still have to live in a world where his wife and daughter are killed. He will either have to make a new life, or his quest for vengeance and violence will consume him. After he kills both the leaders of the Triads and the yakuza, he sends their families something important. To the family of Li Chang (John Lone), the leader of the Triads, he sends prized golden horses: Chang family heirlooms that were stolen. He includes a note: “Make a new life”.
He does the same to Yanagawa’s family, but his gift is Yanagawa’s head. Both families are offered the chance to make a new life. The Changs are given a reward for their hardship, while the Yanagawas are given justice for their crimes. It’s up to them to decide if their prize and their penance are enough to change their ways. In the same token, Lone decides to make a new life after taking his revenge. War (2007) may not have the тιԍнтest plot and philosophy, but it’s still an enjoyable thrill ride for those who like twists.
