Isaiah Washington plays Isaak s right hand man , Mac, the main player in a volatile organization. Isaak and Mac compete with a Chinese organization for a business deal that will allow them to conduct legitimate business on the waterfront. Rapper DMX has an important, but small role as a night club owner caught in the middle of the rival syndicates. Director Andrzej Bartkowiak uses great cinematography to paint a sharp mix of city lights and shadows for his eclectic characters. The story drops clues about each character s motives, especially Mac, and cleverly uses assumptions to build up tension and mild drama.
Tragedy results when certain characters use revenge as a solution to their problems.
Trish, a clothing store owner, wants a good life and remains a respectable character except for an odd scene where she joins some kids dancing to music filled with sexual moans in her store. In a lead role, Aaliyah shows a good presence and athleticism required in some action scenes. The emotion struggles she conveys stay real and helps you connect with her character. Li s role as Han gives him some nifty fighting sequences and some surprisingly smart sleuth scenes as he traces his brother s activities. Some fighting scenes illustrate effective new camera techniques that shows you an internal glimpse inside characters during violent confrontations.