History Film / RomeoMustDie

* BetterToDieThanToBeKilled: [[spoiler: Han informs Chu that if the police don't get him, the other Chinese families he crossed over the course of the movie will. Realizing what the latter would likely [[ColdBloodedTorture entail]] and that even if he does go to jail he won't necessarily be safe from their wrath, Chu opts for suicide by self-inflicted headshot instead]].

* TheDragon: [[spoiler: Kai to Chu. Mac is ostensibly this to Issac, but ends up being TheStarscream instead.]]

* TheDragon: [[spoiler: Kai to Chu.]]

* FatalFlaw: Chu's is greed. [[spoiler: He killed his youngest son and several others over it, leading to his eldest son escaping prison and unraveling his plans anyway. By the end, he has his money, but has lost his top lieutenant and most of his allies, with the police hot on his heels and the other Chinese families calling for his blood once they figure out what he's done]].

An African-American gang in Oakland, headed by Isaak O'Day (Creator/DelroyLindo), and a [[TheTriadsAndTheTongs Chinese gang]] out of Chinatown, headed by Chu Sing (Henry O) are [[MobWar at war]] on the streets of UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco over Bay Area waterfront property rights. This rivalry culminates in the death of Po Sing, Chu's son, by an unknown assailant. In Hong Kong, Po's brother/Chu's other son Han Sing (Li), learns of Po's death, and promptly busts out of prison and heads to San Francisco to avenge him. Trish O'Day (Aaliyah) is the daughter of Isaak who does not want anything to do with her family's mob activities. Han meets with her and she ends up assisting him in trying to find his brother's killer. A romance also burgeons between them. Isaak has since decided to go legitimate for the sake of his children and become the part-owner of a stadium that will be built on the waterfront. The owners of waterfront properties who refuse to sell are being murdered, but by who? And are they the same persons that murdered Po?

The film is regarded as Jet Li's breakout role in Hollywood (though he had formerly played the villain in ''Film/LethalWeapon4''.) It was also Aaliyah's first film and, due to her untimely death the following year, considered the best of her limited filmography.

Though the title, and the fact that it involves a guy and girl from rival crime gangs hooking up might give you the impression that this is a send-up of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'', in reality, Han and Trish's romance is not really a major plot point.

** When Chu finds out about Po's death, his eyes are slightly red but his expression doesn't really change. [[spoiler:That's because he's the one who arranged Po to be killed]].

* {{Foreshadowing}}: When Colin's girlfriend opens the door [[spoiler: right before they're both thrown to their deaths out the window]], she's smiling at whoever's there. [[spoiler: A subtle hint that the killers were either familiar to them, or at least people who wouldn't look suspicious.]]

* {{Irony}}: [[spoiler:Han arrives where Trish is held hostage to save her, only to be saved by her when Mac was about to shoot him.]]

* InspirationNod: Besides the title, there are a few nods to ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''. The movie starts with a fight between two gangs that is broken up by an authority figure. There's also a scene involving a balcony.

* HeyWait: When Han is escaping from prison at the beginning, he tells a guard he passes that he's leaving early because he got a tip for a race at the track. Just as he starts leaving the alarm goes off to alert the prison that somebody has escaped, and the guard he was speaking too runs after him and stops him - [[BaitAndSwitch then gives him some money so he can get a bet placed too]].

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Han is generally a {{nice guy}} but he will kick your ass if you ask for a fight.

* BigBrotherInstinct: The death of Han's little brother Po, for whom he willing went to ''prison'' for in order to let him escape China, is what starts the plot.

* HeyWait: When Han is escaping from prison at the beginning, he tells a guard he passes that he's leaving early because he got a tip for a race at the track. Just as he starts leaving the alarm goes off to alert the prison that somebody has escaped, and the guard he was speaking too runs after him and stops him - then gives him some money so he can get a bet placed too.

* HeyWait: When Han is escaping from prison at the beginning , he tells a guard he passes that he's leaving early because he got a tip for a race at the track. Just as he starts leaving the alarm goes off to alert the prison that somebody has escaped, and the guard he was speaking too runs after him and stops him - then gives him some money so he can get a bet placed too.

%%* TheDragon: [[spoiler: Kai to Chu.]]
* DrivenToSuicide: After Han confronts his father about Po's murder, the latter admits he's the one responsible. When Han says he'll leave him to the cops or rival Chinese gangs, his father shoots himself.