The One (2001)

Released in November 2001 through Revolution Studios and Hard Eight Pictures, The One arrives at an interesting crossroads in early-2000s action cinema, when studios were still trying to work out what to do with the post-Matrix appetite for flashy, physics-bending fight sequences. The film's central conceit is a straightforward but genuinely inventive one: a law enforcement officer discovers that an alternate-universe version of himself is hunting down and killing every parallel variant of their shared identity across a multiverse, absorbing their strength and speed with each kill. It is the kind of high-concept science fiction premise that sounds like it was written on a napkin at two in the morning, but a napkin that someone actually kept. The film runs a tight 87 minutes, which, depending on your tolerance for this sort of thing, is either a mercy or barely enough time to register what you have just watched. For other early-2000s science fiction, it is worth glancing at what was happening in the genre around the same period, including Fire in the Sky and Futureworld, both reviewed here previously.

Director James Wong was coming off the back of Final Destination (2000) when he took this on, and his background in television (he was a writer and producer on The X-Files) gives him a reasonable comfort level with genre material and a clean, workmanlike approach to plotting. The film does not pretend to be anything other than a vehicle for its action sequences, and Wong keeps things moving efficiently enough. The production design and visual effects are polished but unremarkable, and the nu-metal soundtrack, all crunching guitars and aggression, fits the era like a well-worn leather jacket. Whether that is a compliment rather depends on when you grew up.

The casting is where things get genuinely interesting, for better and for worse. Jet Li, who had already established himself as one of the most physically gifted martial artists working in Hollywood by this point, pulls double duty here, playing both the heroic deputy and his murderous multiverse counterpart. It is a physically demanding performance, and Li's movement is, as ever, a pleasure to watch. Carla Gugino brings a natural warmth to her role, and Delroy Lindo, a reliably solid presence in almost anything, does what he can with the material. Jason Statham, then still relatively early in what would become a very long career in action films, also appears here. Fans of his later work might find this an interesting point of comparison, including those who have read the review of Unleashed or The Forbidden Kingdom, both of which also feature Jet Li and are covered elsewhere on this blog.

Great premise. Awful movie lol The acting from Jason Statham is absolutely dreadful, even by his standards. The only saving grace for the film is that the story is actually pretty cool and the fight scenes are fine. The soundtrack is great if you're into nu-metal but honestly I just found the whole things absurdly silly.

I think that more or less captures it. There is something almost admirable about a film that stumbles this consistently while still managing to conjure a premise worth caring about for at least thirty seconds. The fight choreography gives you just enough to hold onto, and Li's physicality is never less than watchable, but the whole thing feels like a rough sketch of a better film that never quite got made. If you are after something in a similar vein that actually delivers on its potential, the reviews linked above are probably a better use of your evening. As it stands, The One is the kind of film you half-remember seeing on a Saturday afternoon and can never quite decide whether you imagined it.

Rating: ★★  | Year: 2001  | Watched: 2025-05-15

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Trailer

▶ Watch the official trailer for The One (2001) on YouTube

Where to watch

Watch in the UK
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Sky Store
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Sky Store
Physical: Amazon UK · Zavvi

Watch in the US
Stream: YouTube TV
Rent: Amazon Video · Apple TV Store · Google Play Movies · YouTube
Buy: Amazon Video · Apple TV Store · Google Play Movies · YouTube
Physical: Amazon US

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Related on Movies With Macca

More with Jet Li: The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) · Unleashed (2005)
More from the 2000s: Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (2005) · Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) · Daredevil (2003) · Apocalypto (2006)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
More science fiction: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) · Fantastic Planet (1973) · Nightmare City (1980) · The Long Walk (2025)