Dr. Wai in "The Scriptures of No Words" (1996)

Starring: Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Charlie Yeung, Law Kar Ying

Before I start, there are two versions of this film: the Hong Kong version and the International version. The latter is cut by a fair margin and features Jet as the King of Adventures, a type of Chinese Indiana Jones, on his missions set in pre-WW2 China. The Hong Kong version features Jet as a modern day novelist, writing the "King of Adventures" novels.

Watching the International version is just like watching an Indiana Jones flick, although not as good, but if you get the chance, I would recommend watching the Hong Kong version as it offers a good side story that is truly enjoyable to watch, as it influences the King of Adventures plot.

Jet is Chow Si Kit, a novelist who is on the verge of writing his 98th KoA novel for his publisher, but because of his marital problems with his wife Monica (Rosamund Kwan), he develops writer's block, and unable to finish his story. His colleagues, Shing (Takeshi) and Yvonne (Charlie Yeung) help Chow with the story by inputting their own ideas.

And from this we witness King of Adventures' missions get even more absurd, as he is approached by a general to retrieve a letter from the Japanese embassy, meeting Cammy (Rosamund Kwan), a Japanese woman with different agendas. Then KoA is on another mission to find the Scriptures of No Words, believed to have supernatural powers. Along the way he meets strange people, and evil people.

All this is influenced by each of the modern day people's input into the story. I'm not going to tell you what happens at the end, but really, this film offers more yawn than brawn, and all the mish mash ideas does not provide the film the proper direction it needs. Jet Li is great as King of Adventures, and he is given some great action scenes to strut his stuff, but his co-stars doesn't get to do much except provide comic relief. Rosamund Kwan appears in a film yet again with Jet Li, but their chemistry in this film doesn't match their performances in the Once Upon a Time in China series, nor in Swordsman 2 for that matter.

Overall, the film lacks heart, and doesn't offer enough entertainment on a historic level (unlike the Indiana Jones films) to make us care whether they get the Scriptures or not. The ending is a laugh as well. But what this film shows is that it offers the opportunity for Jet Li to act in a non-action role (the modern day Chow Si Kit). He's no stage thespian, but at least he can act, something that is missing in his recent American offerings.

I first watched this film in 1996 and quite liked it back then. But this recent viewing gave a bad taste in my mouth as I found the film to be wanting. Action-wise, it can't compare with other Jet Li films made around the same time, and the story is weak as well. Amazing how a few years could change your thoughts on a film.

RATING

6 / 10