This film tends to get overlooked a bit when people talk about Yuen Woo-Ping, Michelle Yeoh, or Jet Li, but it shows off some of the best stuff in Hong Kong cinema, and is something that Hollywood could not -- or for some reason, would not -- could be able to do, despite how hard they try to cop the "classic" Hong Kong style.

Most of the HK people who have experienced the velvet gauntlet of working in Hollywood (including the triad just mentioned) have never been allowed to really do what made them famous in their home country and all over the world, and thus their western output tends to be of lower quality. Suffice it to say, if you enjoy Yuen Woo-Ping's brand of wire-fu, Jet's endearing attitude and awesome moves, or Michelle Yeoh's breathtaking athletic ability, you should definitely check out this movie.

Some of the action sequences, particularly the one where Jet and Michelle (who are the proverbial "dream pairing" for a movie like this) take on a huge group of soldiers, rank among the best of their action work. The movie also has a dark tone to it, and that helps the increase the dramatic tension. When a character dies in this movie, you feel it, unlike some other wire-fu flicks where the comedy makes the characters look like cardboard cutouts after a while.

RATING: 8.5