The Art of War (film)

Last updated
The Art of War
Art of war poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Christian Duguay
Screenplay by
Story byWayne Beach
Produced by Nicolas Clermont
Starring
Cinematography Pierre Gill
Edited by Michel Arcand
Music by Normand Corbeil
Production
company
Distributed by
Release date
  • August 25, 2000 (2000-08-25)(United States)
Running time
117 minutes [1]
Countries
LanguageEnglish
Budget$40-60 million [3] [4]
Box office$40.4 million [4]

The Art of War is a 2000 action spy film directed by Christian Duguay and starring Wesley Snipes, Michael Biehn, Anne Archer and Donald Sutherland. It is the first installment in The Art of War film series, and follows the UN operative who must uncover the conspiracy within the organization after being implicated for the murder of a Chinese UN ambassador. The film's title refers to the ancient Chinese text of the same name by war strategist Sun Tzu. The film was followed by two direct-to-video sequels, The Art of War II: Betrayal and The Art of War III: Retribution . The latter did not feature Snipes.

Contents

Plot

Neil Shaw is an operative for the United Nations's covert SAD, using espionage and quasi-ethical tactics to secure peace and cooperation. In Hong Kong, Shaw infiltrates a Chinese New Year party held by Chinese business mogul David Chan and covertly hacks an office laptop of a North Korean Defense Minister, and blackmails him with the misappropriation of U.N. aid money, in exchange for continuing negotiations with South Korea. Shortly after being discovered, Shaw fights his way out of the party and suffers a gunshot wound to his shoulder during extraction.

Six months later, a shipping container full of dead Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong turns up on the New York docks the same week as China's trade agreement with the U.S. Shaw's boss, Eleanor Hooks, suspects Chinese ambassador Wu's connection with the Chinese Triad, and assigns Shaw to plant a tracking device on Wu during a banquet held by Chan. During the trade agreement banquet, Wu is gunned down, Chan is shot in the arm, and Shaw pursues a masked gunman. During the pursuit, Shaw's teammate Robert Bly corners the gunman but perishes, and Shaw is arrested by the NYPD. In the middle of a prison transfer, FBI agent Frank Capella's van is disabled by a roadside bomb, and an unconscious Shaw is captured by Triad members to be framed for the murder and disposed of. Shaw regains consciousness and frees himself from captivity, only to find his last remaining team member, Jenna Novak, murdered by a Chinese hitman. Shaw kills the hitman, recovers the audio file, and secures weapons and equipment from Novak's hidden armory. Shaw seeks Julia Fang's help after reading a news article stating Shaw's innocence. Shaw manages to save Fang from an ambush by a Chinese hitwoman at a hospital.

With Fang's aid, Shaw finds a Triad-owned bakery serving as a front for a gentlemen's club, setting up an unlikely alliance with Capella, and retrieving video footage of Chan's role in derailing the trade agreement. Fang delivers the evidence to Hooks while Shaw confronts Chan at the same hotel where the banquet is being held. Chan is shot dead by a masked gunman while being interrogated by Shaw. The pursuit ends when Shaw finds a scanner that is tuned to a tracking device embedded in Shaw's gunshot wound before being ambushed by Bly. Bly reveals himself as the assassin at the banquet and also engineered the tracking device implant from an earlier basketball game injury. Hooks reviews the evidence and reveals that she and Chan were the masterminds behind the conspiracy. A disgusted Fang tries to leave but attempts to hide from Bly only to be locked in a bathroom. Shaw eventually figures out Hooks's role behind the conspiracy and approaches Capella with his findings. Shaw surgically removes his tracking device and uses Capella's business card to give the Triads a business proposition. Shaw breaks into the U.N. building and enters into a shootout and hand-to-hand fight with Bly, where the latter dies after falling on a shard from a broken glass pane. The following day, Shaw calls Hooks in her limousine and lectures her about karma, revealing that Shaw's business proposition to the Triads was to assassinate Hooks for her betrayal. Shaw fakes his death before reuniting with Fang in France but is monitored by an unknown spy.

Cast

Jet Li was originally cast for the part but was eventually played by Wesley Snipes. [5] TV reporter Erin Selby appears as a reporter.

Reception

Box office

The film opened at #2 behind Bring It On , earning $10,410,993 in its opening weekend in the United States. [6] The Art of War went on to gross $40.4 million worldwide, against its production budget of $40–60 million budget. [4] [3]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 16% based on reviews from 81 critics, with an average rating of 3.8/10. The site's consensus says: "Excessively noisy and overly reliant on genre clichés, The Art of War wastes its star's charisma on a ridiculous, convoluted plot and poorly edited action sequences". [7] On Metacritic it has a score of 30 out of 100 based on reviews from 23 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews. [8] Audiences surveyed by Cinemascore gave it a grade B. [9] Emanuel Levy of Variety wrote: "Despite some effectively rousing set pieces, particularly in the long corridors of the U.N. building, The Art of War is ultimately much less than the sum of its parts". [10] Stephen Holden of The New York Times called it "ludicrous, impenetrable and headache-inducing". [11]

Sequels

Wesley Snipes reprised his role as Neil Shaw in a straight-to-DVD sequel released in August 2008. Athena Karkanis and Lochlyn Munro also star in the film. In the sequel, Agent Neil Shaw is called out of retirement as a Hollywood film consultant by the murder of his long-time martial arts mentor, "Broodmother".

The third and final film in the series stars Anthony "Treach" Criss, Sung-Hi Lee, Warren Derosa and David Basila, but neither Snipes nor any of his co-stars from the first two films.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Art of War</i> 5th century BC Chinese military treatise

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the late Spring and Autumn period. The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, is composed of 13 chapters. Each one is devoted to a different set of skills or art related to warfare and how it applies to military strategy and tactics. For almost 1,500 years, it was the lead text in an anthology that was formalized as the Seven Military Classics by Emperor Shenzong of Song in 1080. The Art of War remains the most influential strategy text in East Asian warfare, has influenced both East Asian and Western military theory and thinking, and has found a variety of applications in myriad competitive non-military endeavors across the modern world including espionage, culture, politics, business, and sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wesley Snipes</span> American actor (born 1962)

Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor and martial artist. In a film career spanning more than thirty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic feature films, and comedies, though he is best known for his action films. He was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his work in The Waterdance (1992) and won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance in the film One Night Stand (1997).

Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. Action films from Hong Kong have roots in Chinese and Hong Kong cultures including Chinese opera, storytelling and aesthetic traditions, which Hong Kong filmmakers combined with elements from Hollywood and Japanese cinema along with new action choreography and filmmaking techniques, to create a culturally distinctive form that went on to have wide transcultural appeal. In turn, Hollywood action films have been heavily influenced by Hong Kong genre conventions, from the 1970s onwards.

Lau Kar-leung was a Hong Kong martial artist, filmmaker, actor, and fight choreographer. He is best known for the films he made in the 1970s and 1980s for the Shaw Brothers Studio. His most famous works include The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) starring Gordon Liu as well as Drunken Master II (1994) starring Jackie Chan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Wang Yu</span> Taiwanese actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (1943–2022)

James Wang Yu was a Hong Kong-Taiwanese martial artist, actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. Initially a contract player for Shaw Brothers, he rose to fame for his starring role in The One-Armed Swordsman (1967) and its sequels, and was one of the first major stars of martial arts and wuxia cinema. At the height of his fame in the 1970s, he was the highest-paid martial arts actor in the world. According to The New York Times, Wang was "the biggest star of Asian martial arts cinema until the emergence of Bruce Lee."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosamund Kwan</span> Hong Kong actress

Rosamund Kwan Chi Lam is a Hong Kong former actress, best known for starring as the female lead "Thirteenth Aunt" in the 1990s Once Upon a Time in China film series. She had since retired from acting in 2007.

<i>Rob-B-Hood</i> 2006 film by Benny Chan

Rob-B-Hood is a 2006 Hong Kong action comedy drama film written, produced and directed by Benny Chan, feature an ensemble cast include Jackie Chan, Louis Koo, Yuen Biao, Michael Hui, Gao Yuanyuan, Charlene Choi, Chen Baoguo and Matthew Medvedev. It tells the story of a kidnapping gone wrong in Hong Kong; a trio of burglars consisting of Thongs (Chan), Octopus (Koo) and the Landlord (Hui) kidnap a baby from a wealthy family on behalf of triads. With the Landlord arrested, Thongs and Octopus take care of the baby for a short time, developing strong bonds with him. Reluctant to hand the baby over, the two are forced to protect him from the triads who hired them in the first place.

James Jene Fae Lew is an American martial artist, stuntman, and actor. He has made 80 on-screen film and television appearances and 46 more as a stunt coordinator or stunt double. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Stunt Coordination for his work on the series Luke Cage.

<i>The Art of War II: Betrayal</i> 2008 action film

The Art of War II: Betrayal is a 2008 action film directed by Josef Rusnak and starring Wesley Snipes, Lochlyn Munro and Athena Karkanis. It is the sequel to the 2000 film The Art of War. The film was released on direct-to-DVD in the United States on August 12, 2008.

<i>Dragon Squad</i> 2005 Hong Kong film

Dragon Squad is a 2005 Hong Kong action film co-written and directed by Daniel Lee, co-produced by Steven Seagal and starring Vanness Wu, Sammo Hung, Michael Biehn, Maggie Q, and Simon Yam.

<i>A Moment of Romance</i> 1990 Hong Kong film

A Moment of Romance is a 1990 Hong Kong action romance film directed by Benny Chan, produced by Johnnie To, and starring Andy Lau, Jacklyn Wu and Ng Man-tat. For his performance in the film, Ng was awarded Best Supporting Actor at the 10th Hong Kong Film Awards.

<i>Killer Constable</i> 1980 Hong Kong film

Killer Constable is a 1980 Hong Kong martial arts-action film directed by Chih-Hung Kwei, starring martial arts star Chen Kuan-tai. The movie was produced by the Shaw Brothers studio and is a loose reworking of the 1969 movie The Invincible Fist by the film director Chang Cheh, a frequent collaborator of Chih-Hung Kwei.

Christian Duguay is a Canadian film director.

<i>Push</i> (2009 film) 2009 superhero film by Paul McGuigan

Push is a 2009 American superhero thriller film directed by Paul McGuigan and written by David Bourla. Starring Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, and Djimon Hounsou, the film centers on people with superhuman abilities who band together to take down a government agency that is using a dangerous drug to enhance their powers in the hope of creating an army of super soldiers.

<i>The New Exploits of Elaine</i> 1915 film

The New Exploits of Elaine is a 1915 American action film serial directed by Louis J. Gasnier, Leopold Wharton and Theodore Wharton. It is presumed to be lost.

Jack Kao is a Taiwanese actor.

<i>Shanghai 13</i> 1984 Hong Kong film

Shanghai 13, also known as The Shanghai Thirteen, is a 1984 Hong Kong-Taiwanese martial arts film written and directed by Chang Cheh and starring an ensemble cast of notable film stars such as Andy Lau, Jimmy Wang Yu, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan-tai, Danny Lee, Bryan Leung, David Chiang, Chiang Sheng, Chi Kuan-chun, Chan Sing, Lu Feng and more.

<i>A War Named Desire</i> 2000 Hong Kong film

A War Named Desire is a 2000 Hong Kong action film co-written and directed by Alan Mak and starring Francis Ng, Daniel Chan, Pace Wu, Sam Lee, David Lee, Dave Wang and Gigi Leung.

The Art of War III: Retribution is a 2009 American direct-to-video action film directed by Gerry Lively and starring Treach, Warren Derosa, Sung-Hi Lee and Leo Lee. It is the third installment in The Art of War film series. It is the sequel to The Art of War II: Betrayal, though was the first sequel to that film to be produced. The film had a negative critical reception.

<i>Wu Assassins</i> American web television series

Wu Assassins is an American supernatural action television series, created by John Wirth and Tony Krantz that premiered on Netflix on August 8, 2019. The series stars Iko Uwais, Byron Mann, Lewis Tan, Lawrence Kao, Celia Au, Li Jun Li, Tommy Flanagan, and Katheryn Winnick. The first season received positive reviews, with critics praising the fight choreography, although there was criticism of the plot.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Art of War (2000)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films . Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  2. 1 2 "The Art of War (2000)". British Film Institute . Archived from the original on April 15, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "The Art of War (2000) - Financial Information". The Numbers . Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  4. 1 2 3 "The Art of War". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved 2014-08-14.
  5. ↑ Carver, Benedict (1999-02-25). "Pics slated in Samaha-Stone deal". Variety . Retrieved 2014-08-14.
  6. ↑ "Cheerleader Satire 'Bring It On' Debuts In Top Spot At Weekend Box Office". Tyler Morning Telegraph. August 28, 2000. p. 13. Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  7. ↑ "The Art of War (2000)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  8. ↑ "The Art of War". Metacritic . Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  9. ↑ "ART OF WAR, THE (2000) B". CinemaScore . Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
  10. ↑ Levy, Emmanuel (2000-08-21). "Review: 'The Art of War'". Variety . Retrieved 2014-08-14.
  11. ↑ Holden, Stephen (2000-08-25). "The Art of War (2000)". The New York Times . Retrieved 2014-08-14.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.