War - what is it good for? Absolutely nothing, as far as the careers of its two main stars are concerned.

Its arrival has, however, prompted much record-straightening from Jet Li’s PR machine. You may recall 2006’s Fearless being widely proclaimed to be his "last action movie". Not true. Apparently it was his last "martial arts epic". Sorry, our mistake.

On the evidence of this humdrum actioner, they could actually be right on both counts: Jet spends most of his time standing around with his hands in his pockets, looking either impassive or - when required to speak English - self-conscious.

Of course, his fans would be happy to see him make as many comebacks as Status Quo. But they're in for a few letdowns if he doesn't pull his chop-socks up with more enthusiasm than he does here.

And after proving himself to be one of the most entertaining gladiators in the action arena with two Transporter movies and the uproarious Crank, Jason Statham should stick to projects that maximise his talents.

As it is, his troubled FBI agent John Crawford is the sort of role that Michael Madsen and the Baldwin brothers slouch through every day on Movies4Monkeys.

For three years, Crawford has been chasing an elusive hitman called Rogue (Jet). Thanks to Rogue, his partner is dead and his marriage is over... but at least he’s off the fags and thus fighting fit when the killer leaves a trail of dead plastic surgeons to follow.

Not that Rogue has kept his profile particularly low anyway, driving as he does the flashiest sports car in San Francisco while regularly shooting up Chinatown as an enforcer for the Triads… and the Yakuza.

You see, Rogue is stirring up more trouble between the two sides than a vindictive referee in an Arsenal-Man U match. One minute he’s helping Triad boss Chang (John Lone, formerly The Last Emperor) retrieve a pair of priceless horse statuettes, the next, he’s sticking swords in Chang’s henchmen.

Then he goes out of his way to meet Crawford face-to-face and, to cap it all, upsets the Yakuza chief’s stroppy daughter (Sin City’s Devon Aoki). This guy is working to a very strange agenda.

So are the filmmakers, since most thrill-seekers will be left underwhelmed by the handful of uninspired action sequences and a final twist that’s about as convincing as Jet’s vow of retirement.

Like Chang and his precious horses, all you’ll want is your brass back.

Elliott Noble