I can't fathom why Jason Statham is drawn to projects that seem predicated upon some of the shakiest scripts being funded in Hollywood. Is it the guarantee of an easy pay day? Does he genuinely believe that these (often) half-assed movies could somehow be salvaged? Is he some kind of stubborn masochist? Whatever the reason, his grubby charisma and penchant for infusing even the silliest dialogue with absolute conviction is once again wasted in Philip G. Atwell's overheated action thriller War.

Co-starring Jet Li (who seems alternately bored and exhausted) as the vicious assassin Rogue, along with forgettable turns from John Lone, Luis Guzman, Devon Aoki, Mathew St. Patrick and Saul Rubinek, War follows crusty FBI agent Jack Crawford (Statham), as he works to even the score with the man who brutally killed his partner and his partner's family. (It's Death Wish with a badge!) Naturally, this blood lust puts Jack in something of a compromised position professionally and this being the movies, a violent gang war between rival Asian factions ensnares the otherwise above-board federale. You can see where this sort of thing will lead.

If only Lee Anthony Smith and Gregory J. Bradley's screenplay wasn't tilted so far in the direction of homage that it forgets to feel original for even a moment -- War feels worn-out and stitched together from other, better films (let's see, the Infernal Affairs trilogy or even, hey, Fulltime Killer). The limp, cliched script isn't helped by Atwell's proclivity for enough flash cuts to induce epilepsy and a tendency to stage every action sequence as though it's the big, gory finale.

As previously mentioned, Li seems bored by it all and Statham does what he can with a role that, much like most every other movie he's been in since breaking out in the mid-Nineties, is far beneath his very specific abilities. Remember The Transporter? Now, that was dumb, stylish fun -- but at least it knew what it was.

The Video:

The movie itself might suck like a black hole, but there's hardly anything to nitpick with this 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, which sparkles like a new dime throughout every bloody setpiece and overwrought confrontation. Black levels are rich and inky, while color saturation and sharpness are spot-on. It's a shame you won't feel like keeping your eyes on the screen, but when you do, you'll be pleased.

If it's an action flick you're throwing in the player, the soundtrack should come prepared to dazzle the surrounds and War at least gets that right. The Dolby Digital EX 5.1 track throbs, sizzles and explodes in all the right places, with shrapnel whizzing by and explosions packing a satisfying thump. An optional Dolby 2.0 stereo track is onboard, as are optional English and Spanish subtitles.

The soft-spoken Atwell contributes a commentary track, as do the audibly nerdy Smith and Bradley; interestingly, this project was A) written specifically for Jet Li, so why he's so inert is now a mystery for the ages and B) put into motion over another potential Statham/Atwell collaboration. God only knows what flick they put off doing for this one. An audio trivia track is on board, as is the nine-part making-of featurette "The Action of War" (presented in anamorphic widescreen; playable separately or all together for an aggregate of roughly one hour and 17 minutes); a two minute, 3 second gag reel, presented in anamorphic widescreen; three deleted/extended scenes (presented in anamorphic widescreen; playable separately or all together for an aggregate of roughly two minutes, 30 seconds) and "Scoring War," an eight minute, 56 second featurette (presented in anamorphic widescreen) covering Brian Tyler's score.

I can't fathom why Jason Statham is drawn to projects that seem predicated upon some of the shakiest scripts being funded in Hollywood. Is it the guarantee of an easy pay day? Does he genuinely believe that these (often) half-assed movies could somehow be salvaged? Is he some kind of stubborn masochist? Whatever the reason, his grubby charisma and penchant for infusing even the silliest dialogue with absolute conviction is once again wasted in Philip G. Atwell's overheated action thriller War. Skip it.