The One (2001)
The One is a 2001 American science fiction action film directed by James Wong, written by Wong and Glen Morgan, and starring Jet Li, Delroy Lindo, Carla Gugino, and Jason Statham. The film, which deals with the concept of multiverses and interdimensional travel, follows Gabriel Yulaw (Jet Li), a rogue agent who travels to parallel realities in order for him to kill other versions of himself to become a mythical super-being known as “The One”. Li plays a dual role as Yulaw and Gabe Law, an LASD cop who teams up with a multiverse agent to prevent Yulaw from becoming the One. The film was released in the United States by Columbia Pictures on November 2, 2001, and received negative critical reviews but grossed $78,5 million worldwide.
Plot.
Gabriel Yulaw (Jet Li), once an agent of the MultiVerse Authority (MVA) which polices interdimensional travel, seeks to hunt down all variations of himself in alternate universes. By killing 124 versions of his other selves and absorbing their life energies, Yulaw believes that he will become a superpowered-godlike being called “The One”. After killing Lawless, the 123rd variation in the Anubis Universe, Yulaw is captured by MVA agents Roedecker (Delroy Lindo) and Funsch (Jason Statham) and taken back to the MVA headquarters in the Alpha Universe. After he is sentenced to life in the Stygian penal colony in the Hades Universe, Yulaw manages to escape and teleports to the Charis Universe where the last variation of himself lives. The last known variation, Gabe Law, is a police officer working in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. For two years, Gabe has been experiencing increases in strength, speed, and mental ability, but neither he nor his wife T.K. (Carla Gugino) can understand why. While transporting a prisoner, Gabe “feels” Yulaw’s presence in time to avoid being shot. Gabe sustains an injury after falling from a wall which Yulaw scales with ease.
Roedecker and Funsch arrive in time to stop Yulaw from finishing off Gabe.
Although unfamiliar with interdimensional travel, Gabe realizes that Yulaw is identical to him in every way. Rodecker and Funsch track Yulaw to the hospital where Gabe is being examined. Yulaw deters them from shooting him because if he is killed, Gabe would then be left as the One. Dressed alike and identical to each other, Gabe and Yulaw’s battle confuses the other police officers. Both Gabe and Yulaw manage to escape the hospital.
The MVA agents deviate from their orders and split up. Roedecker pursues and fights Yulaw but is killed when the latter breaks his neck. Funsch catches up with Gabe and explains to him that there are multiple universes with wormholes briefly connecting them at uncontrollable times. Yulaw sneaks into Gabe’s residence where T.K., believing him to be Gabe, agrees to hide him from the police. She realizes that Yulaw is deceiving her but not in time to avoid being captured. Gabe arrives, only to watch helplessly as Yulaw kills T.K. Funsch finds a guilt-ridden Gabe and both team up to find Yulaw at the next wormhole.
Production.
Originally the film was to have starred Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, before Li assumed the lead role. The hospital scenes were filmed at the North Hollywood Medical Center. The documentary Jet Li is ‘The One’ on the special features section on the DVD explains that both Gabriel Yulaw and “Gabe” Law use martial arts that represent their personalities. Yulaw uses Xingyiquan (The Shape-Will Fist), characterized by aggressive linear movements, while Gabe uses Baguazhang (The Eight Trigram Palms) which uses subtle, circular movements. These martial arts are confirmed by their own personalities as Yulaw is very direct, not caring whom he hurts, while Gabe believes life goes in a circle, perfectly balanced.