Line #35 Film/War2007


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/warstatham.jpg]]
2
3	''War'' (also called ''Rogue Assassin'' in Europe) is a 2007 movie starring Creator/JasonStatham and Creator/JetLi. Originally titled ''Rogue'', the name of the movie was changed to avoid conflict with [[{{Film/Rogue}} another movie with the same name]].
4
5	----
6	!!Tropes this movie follows:
7
8	* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: The Japanese version uses [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti_OzY5bKQ4 "Strong Style"]] by Kreva.
9	* AmbiguousEnding: [[spoiler: The film ends with Lone shooting John in revenge for inadvertently getting Lone's family killed. If it killed him or not, however, is never revealed as the movie cuts to Lone escaping the scene and later seen taking the money he gained from Shiro, getting in his car and driving off to parts unknown.]]
10	* ArtisticLicenseFirearms:
11	** Rogue's weapon of choice is a 1st-generation Walther P99 with a stainless steel slide, chambered in FN 5.7x28mm, that uses depleted uranium rounds in a titanium casing. There are several things wrong with this:
12	*** First of all, the Walther P99 (and all it’s subsequent models/generations) have only ever been chambered for 9mm and .40 S&W and there has never been a P99 chambered in FN 5.7 round, which was originally made for the FN [=FiveseveN=] and the FN P90, the only two guns available at the time of the movie that would be able to use said ammo. Strangely, when Rouge loads the magazine for his P99, he's really loading a [=FiveseveN=] magazine, plus a [=FiveseveN=] later appears in the hands of another character. However, the P99 may have been used because Jet Li's hands appear too small to wield the beefier [=FiveseveN=].
13	** Another inaccuracy is the usage of depleted uranium bullets and titanium casings. While depleted uranium has been used as for bullets and has several offensive capabilities such as armor piercing, being able to self-sharpen as it goes through targets, mild toxicity that could kill or sicken an enemy, and [[RuleOfCool the fact that it's awesome]] for a guy to shoot [[AppliedPhlebotinum armor piercing, radioactive bullets made from an exotic metal]]. However, in real life, depleted uranium is only used in ''anti-aircraft ammunition'' because [[AwesomeButImpractical pistol cartridges lack the power for depleted uranium rounds to pierce through targets or self-sharpen, not to mention, depleted uranium is ''very'' expensive]]; on a similar note, titanium being used as cartridge casings is also impractical since titanium is also expensive and offers no purpose while being used as bullet brass.
14	* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking:
15	** Played straight with Shiro, who manages to hold his own against [[spoiler:Rogue/Lone]] in a SwordFight much longer than several of his assassins did earlier in the film.
16	** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with Li Chang, who is never shown to possess exceptional combat prowess and [[spoiler:is killed without putting up much of a fight]].
17	* BackStab: [[spoiler:Rogue/Lone shoots John in the back for being responsible for his family's death, even though John stops the sniper from shooting his friend.]]
18	* ButForMeItWasTuesday:
19	-->'''Shiro:''' I ordered many kills.
20	-->'''[[spoiler:Rogue/Lone]]:''' This ''one'' was different.
21	* CasualDangerDialogue: The movie opens with Crawford and Lone dicussing the benefits of OralFixation when you MustHaveNicotine. It's only gradually apparent that they are crouched behind cover while Rogue is doing his OneManArmy thing on a gang of Triads.
22	* TheChessmaster: Rogue ends up working for both sides in effort to bring both of them down.
23	* DaddysLittleVillain: Kira, the [[YakuzaPrincess Yakuza boss's daughter]], is a DarkActionGirl who is eager to please her father by working as his lieutenant. She briefly works alongside Rogue while not realizing that he's PlayingBothSides.
24	* DecoyProtagonist: For the most part, the film seems to follow John going after Rogue in revenge for the death of his friend. [[spoiler: However his importance is largely minuscule to the overall story and in truth, the film is really about Rogue or rather, Lone, and his quest for revenge for said death of his family.]]
25	* DemandingTheirHead: Kira Yonagawa orders Rogue to kill Chang ''and'' his wife and daughter, so she can [[DaddysLittleVillain present their heads to her father]]. [[spoiler:Rogue does kill Chang but [[EvenEvilHasStandards helps his family escape]], and at the end of the movie they receive a metal case containing a valuable statuette, and a note telling them to "make a new life" for themselves. Kira gets the same note and metal case...[[HeadInABox containing the head of her father]].]]
26	* DidNotThinkThisThrough: [[spoiler:Crawford was told that the Yakuza only wanted to work over his partner to teach him a lesson. Instead they send Rogue who proceeds to execute Lone's wife and child.]]
27	* DirtyCop: [[spoiler: FBI Agent Crawford is revealed to have been on Shiro's payroll for quite some time and willingly gave up his partner, albeit under both threat of their dealings being exposed and the impression that the Yakuza were just going to work over his partner, not send a trained assassin to murder him and his entire family.]]
28	* DownerEnding: John's obsession in chasing Rogue and avenging his partner Lone took a toll in his family life. [[spoiler: In the end, he gets killed (presumably) by "Rogue", who's really Lone, as revenge for working with Shiro who sent Rogue to kill him and his family.]]
29	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Rogue seems reluctant to kill Li Chang's wife and daughter, despite previously killing Lone's family. [[spoiler:However, it was revealed that Rogue is really Lone]].
30	* EyesNeverLie: [[spoiler:John realizes that Rogue is Lone by looking into his eyes at the end of the film, recognizing his partner's eyes]].
31	* FaceHeelDoubleTurn: [[spoiler: John turns out to be the one who sold Lone out, while "Rogue" turns out to be the real Lone alive and well having taken his identity and altered his face.]]
32	* FakingTheDead: [[spoiler: After killing Rogue, Lone put his wedding ring on Rogue's finger and burned his house down so Rogue's body would be unrecognizable.]]
33	* FriendlySniper: Goi is an [=FBI=] marksman who loyally assists Crawford in his pursuit of Rogue and cracks jokes about the size of his sniper rifle.
34	* GratuitousNinja: Somehow the attack on Chang's home requires the Yakuza to dress in black clothing and ski masks, then sneak up and kill the guards with swords, even though they've been quite happy to use firearms up to then.
35	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:Rogue let his guard down long enough for Lone to get a chance to strangle him to death.]]
36	* ItsPersonal: John had always been obsessed in apprehending Rogue. But it becomes more personal when Rogue murdered his partner Lone and his family on Shiro's orders. [[spoiler:It turns out this is due to guilt over having tipped off the Yakuza to their location; he thinks getting Rogue will somehow atone for their deaths. Meanwhile the "Rogue" he's after is really Lone, having survived and disguised himself as the former in order to get close enough to Shiro avenge his murdered family on his own.]]
37	* KillAndReplace: [[spoiler: Officer Lone sets this in motion after he kills the real Rogue and takes his place.]]
38	* LawmanGoneBad: Rogue is said to be an ex-CIA agent with an informed habit of [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor switching sides]] even before he defected for good. [[spoiler: His last target, FBI Agent Tom Lone, ends up pulling a KillAndReplace on him and continues his bloody legacy in order to avenge his family against the Yakuza boss who ordered the hit against them.]]
39	* LetTheBossWin: All of Shiro's men fear the consequences that may follow should they actually score a hit on him in sparring. When he is momentarily distracted, one of them accidentally strikes him, and the minion fully expects the worst. Instead, Shiro seemingly subverts this by reassuring the terrified {{mook\|s}} that it was Shiro's own fault for being distracted/letting his guard down and congratulates him on the hit. Then he [[DoubleSubversion double subverts]] this by ripping the poor guy's ear off, though whether he expected the mook to heed his implied advice and guard against the hit is up for question.
40	* MagicPlasticSurgery: Rogue. He changes his face so many times no one knows what he originally looked like, and even then his face is usually obscured by shadow. [[spoiler:Which makes it easy for Lone to change his own face and being able to pass himself off as Rogue.]]
41	* MobWar: Rogue is PlayingBothSides, inciting a war between Triad and Yakuza.
42	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:John realized his mistake of working with Shiro and causing the death of his partner and his family. John tells Lone he's sorry for everything, but Lone doesn't forgive him.]]
43	* {{Ninja}}: The five Yakuza {{Elite Mook}}s all wear black masks and use katanas.
44	* NotHimself: Shiro ordered Rogue to kill Chang. But he seems to show reluctance when he's ordered to also kill Chang's wife and daughter. Kira points out Rogue that he never had problems killing women and children before. [[spoiler:That's because he's not Rogue.]]
45	* NothingUpMySleeve: When a Yakuza goon baulks at taking orders from Kira, she drops a knife from her sleeve and holds it to his neck. She tries the same trick on Rogue only to find her hand empty. Rogue then [[SleightOfHandiness casually hands her the knife]]. "You dropped this."
46	* TheNthDoctor: Rogue is infamous for wearing a mask and undergoing frequent plastic surgeries in order to alter his face. [[spoiler:Which makes it easy for Lone to pose as him.]]
47	* PublicSecretMessage:
48	** Rogue kills Joey T and makes it look like the Yakuza did it. Chang orders his brother not to seek revenge at this time, but Rogue follows him out of the building and lights a cigarette for him, pointedly telling him to keep the matchbook. The matchbook [[GoingByTheMatchbook shows the name of a tea house]] where the Yakuza will be meeting that night.
49	** When John turns up with his fellow federal agents, brandishing the [[spoiler:photos of Rogue's treachery in Yonagawa's face, the latter mutters, "Thanks for the tip." It looks like he's being sardonic, but he later reveals that John is on his payroll, so he really is tipping him off.]]
50	* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:John has been continuously guilty after he sold out Lone only to get his family killed. After discovering that Rogue is actually his 'dead' partner, he steps into the field of fire of an FBI sniper to stop him firing, only for Lone to shoot him immediately afterwards.]]
51	* RogueAgent: Rogue is a former CIA assassin who turned on his own handlers. He appears to regard himself as a modern ronin, claiming to have no master, and even InUniverse he's known for being a HeelFaceRevolvingDoor.
52	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: The last {{Ninja}} Mook tries to run away after his companions are killed or incapacitated in less than a minute. Rogue shoots him InTheBack.
53	* SetAMookToKillAMook: Rogue does this throughout the movie, playing the Triad and the Yakuza mobs against one another. At one point, he disguises himself as a Yakuza biker and goads some Triads into riding through Yakuza territory, where they mostly end up taking each other out.
54	* ShooTheDog: Surprisingly, the BigBad gets to do this. Yakuza boss Yonagawa is an awful excuse for a person and WouldHurtAChild. However, he does care about his [[DaddysLittleVillain loyal daughter and lieutenant Kira]], and makes an excuse to send her back to Japan, out of harm's way, before his final confrontation with Rogue.
55	* SiblingsInCrime: Chang's CoDragons are brothers. When one of them is killed, the other wants revenge on both Chang (for allowing it to happen) and the actual killer.
56	* SleightOfHandiness: Rogue is holding his pistol when Chang's daughter enters the room. He puts the gun underneath a newspaper, and when she demands to know what's there, he lifts the paper to show the gun has disappeared. When the girl leaves and a mook then tries to threaten him, Rogue makes the pistol appear again.
57	* ThatManIsDead: [[spoiler:"Tom Lone is dead. My name is Rogue."]]
58	* WasItReallyWorthIt[=/=]WhatTheHellHero:
59	-->'''[[spoiler: Rogue/Lone]]:''' [[spoiler: Why did you do it? What did Shiro promised you that worth my life for the life of some petty assassin?]]
60	* YouKilledMyFather: "You killed my partner and his family." [[spoiler:However, he learns he himself was responsible.]]
61	* YouGetMeCoffee:
62	** After Crawford rudely takes over the case from the local police, they ask what they're supposed to do. As Crawford has gotten himself bloody doing a JackBauerInterrogationTechnique, he says they can do his laundry.
63	** Kira arrives in the United States to find the local Yakuza chapter gearing up for war with the Triads. She makes it clear that no-one is going to war without her father's approval, and when they start waffling, she holds a knife to the boss's throat and tells his minion to get her a salad. Chef, blue cheese. With dressing on the side.

Context Film / War2007