The One (2001)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

James Wong

Writers (WGA):

Glen Morgan (written by) &
James Wong (written by)

Release Date:

2 November 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

What if there was a killer traveling through parallel worlds...and he looked just like you? [taken from the trailer]

Plot:

A sheriff's deputy fights an alternate universe version of himself who grows stronger with each alternate self he kills.

Plot Keywords:

Villain Played By Lead Actor | Actor Playing Multiple Roles | Alternative Reality | Bullet Time | Cop Killing

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Jet Li	...	Gabe Law / Gabriel Yulaw / Lawless
Carla Gugino	...	T.K. Law / Massie Walsh
Delroy Lindo	...	MVA Agent Harry Roedecker / Gas Station Attendant
Jason Statham	...	MVA Agent Evan Funsch
James Morrison	...	LAPD Officer Bobby Aldrich / 'A' World Inmate #1
Dylan Bruno	...	Yates
Richard Steinmetz	...	D'Antoni
Steve Rankin	...	MVA Supervisor
Tucker Smallwood	...	Prison Warden
Harriet Sansom Harris	...	Nurse Besson
David Keats	...	MRI Technician
Dean Norris	...	Sgt. Siegel
Ron Zimmerman	...	Rotten Ronnie
Darin Morgan	...	Hugo
Mark Borchardt	...	Cesar

Also Known As:

Jet Li's The One (UK)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense action violence and some language.

Runtime:

87 min | Germany:85 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Germany:16 (cut version) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38092) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Malaysia:18SG | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | UK:15 | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:18 | Hungary:14 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Singapore:PG | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Edison Generating Station, Redondo Beach, California, USA

Company:

Revolution Studios

Trivia:

The character, Roedecker (played by Delroy Lindo), shares his unusual name with the Millennium Group technician in the second season of the television program _"Millennium" (1996)_. Roedecker was introduced in an episode written by James Wong and Glen Morgan (who wrote, produced and directed The One).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Toward the end, during the final fight scene, when Gabe is dragging Yulaw to the wormhole and holding the ax to his throat, you can tell the head of the ax is some sort of foam, as you can see it bending against Yulaw's neck

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: There is not one universe. There are many: A multiverse. We have the technology to travel between universes, but travel is highly restricted and policed. There is not one you. There are many. Each of us exists in present time, in parallel universes. There was balance in the system, but now a force exists who seeks to destroy the balance so he can become The One.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Year of the Rat (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Blood Brothers

Jon Monsarrat review: action movie fans, rally!

Hey! Why'd this film get such a low rating?

I hope it's not due to the drama / arty types. I swear they walk into an Arnold Schwartzenegger film and start critiquing the dialogue or the deep cinematic reflections on life. I think they may have formed a false expectation. Action movies don't aim for that stuff, so it's a little unfair to then expect it.

Mostly stuff blows up in "The One", and I'm totally OK with that, being an action movie buff. What's weird is that you know they're using lots of wires and some of the stunts are a little overdone. But forget the fictional character's skill -- just the skill you'd need as a stuntman or stuntwoman making this movie to perform some of these stunts is truly impressive!

Let me warn you that the plot is a pretty stupid, and while billed as a science fiction film it really is not. However, it's nowhere near as bad as sub-intelligent flicks "Independence Day" and "Mission Impossible". It was more like "Mission Impossible 2". And lots and lots of stuff blows up.

Compared to Jackie Chan, Jet Li's films have more action, but it's stunt-like rather than natural, more of an "edge" (including blood and gore), less comedy, and he speak better English. I still prefer Jackie. If you're new to martial arts films, ease yourself in with accessible Jackie Chan action/comedies "Shanghai Noon" or "Twin Dragons".

Who should see this film:

-- action movie buffs and borderline action movie types

who will trade over-violence for under-plotting.

And don't drag along your SO.

-- sci-fi movie buffs who don't form expectations of real sci-fi

and like action flicks

-- I can't think of anyone else.

I'll give "The One" an 8 out of 10.