Apparently there isn't just one universe; there are multiple parallel universes and it is possible to travel between them, although this movement is heavily policed. The agency responsible for the policing is the Multiverse Authority. Gabriel Yulaw was one of the agency's officers but after he killed another version of himself in another universe he realised he got stronger and smarter… he then went rogue and started hunting all other versions of himself. Now there is only one left; Gabe Law of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Since Yulaw began killing his doubles Law has also started feeling stronger and smarter; he also senses when Yulaw is around. Yulaw isn't bothered who he kills so Law's colleagues think he has gone rogue. The only people who believe that there is a double are Law's wife and Funsch and Rodecker, two Multiverse Authority cops who have been pursuing Yulaw for some time.This is hardly a classic film but it is a fun enough was to pass the time and like sci-fi/martial arts. As others have mentioned the plot feels like a cross between 'Highlander' and 'Time Cop'; this isn't really a problem though as it is done effectively. The action is pretty impressive; the final confrontation between Law and Yulaw where we see Jet Li fighting himself was particularly well done… it really did look like there were two versions of Jet Li fighting. There are also shootouts and explosions. The only weakness in the action is when Jet Li's characters display their superior strength; sometimes the effects used don't look as real as they might… although the sight of Yulaw picking up two motorbikes and battering a cop between them was so silly it was funny! Jet Li is pretty good in the lead role and is ably supported by Carla Gugino as his wife, Jason Statham as Funsch and Delroy Lindo as Rodecker. Overall this is fun sci-fi action; not a must see film but worth checking out if you are a fan of Jet Li or Jason Statham.

The multiverse-premises as potentially plot-hole full as they are, in the shadow of star trek and some before it, particularly when it comes to the combinations of short-time escapes involving teleportation/matter-materialization , are sometimes of two main kinds of films, when in film - stinkers that have far too much self-importance with convolutions of plot-devices/premises that end up one way or another disappointing as the conclusion approaches/the film ends, usually with too much major-strings orchestral music , OR ones, that have a minimum of travel through sci-fi potentials-upon characters - in adversity - what the characters go through because of the sci-fi that wouldn't in a similar film set without it, that although often with less grandiose/over-importances , often have shallow characters in limited kinds of plot-development opportunity instead - not too many things of sci-fi-opportunities happening to the same character in one film 'principle' that makes ones that do, too absurd , then, too far away from the ordinary person.This film is more-so the former, but in an absurdly limited plot wherein there is, after, the realization aimed for, a vague sense of one-ness per the too-easy to understand title ... a sci-fi premise that WOULD affect everyone (or so the producers/writers would like to think/hope ), but because of the poor writing/editing , then is so pathetically narrowly aimed at a fraction of a fraction of a prison-acting-convinced-by-religion 'person', that it is totally discard-able , and should be resigned to the show-someone-and-see-how-they-react-then-throw-it-away category of not film , but exposure-content guised AS, film.The power-mad ambitions of the who is making these things? question posed by the chooser of content or freedom-giver of slaves in a sci-fi apocalypse, where people cannot help but consume exposure-content , 'genuinely' hoped to affect the people en mass ... *spit*.Pityfully over- confident if not not delusional , such aims ... as well as totally disrespectful of people's capacities to protect themselves mentally / choose content when OMG ... AWARE ... of such content being amongst other choices in the DVD bin.Seems powerful , but its hopelessly unaware of how something that might work upon prisoners in controlled conditions , does NOT work , in public / in such a freedom of choice - freedom of a beggar , is still a freedom in which to choose, etc.Don't try to connect with THAT guy , he's unappreciative, the dismal street-bug , with a surprisingly high resistance , from it being AROUND them , in the city , all the time , in contrast to protected , family and home , loving people , needing protection.Patronizing and if not delusional , then hopelessly out of date , in contrast to no-nonsense type films like the Tower ... people already not worth our time ... heads-explode. classic.Also has unnecessary prison-sadist content best worth FF past / cutting from the end.Also contains a obvious Judau-Christian reference that aims to pretend as though the sci-fi dimensionality theories of the over-excited in astrophysics , have somehow been there all along ... the comb-over of "god" , being in multiverses 'already' ... which as intolerable as it already is ... is so obviously placed on stage , as of the 'beleifs' , of the authority figures in charge of the technology (not theological-learning ) , that you'd have to be blind to miss it.Unnecessary hero-survives another close-shave moment action scenes beyond real-isms of the anti-hero, and impatiently-thought out / cheap camera-work at times, as well as annoying focus upon characters rather than whole scenes per newer hand-held-camera-work-period viewpoints, and a on-and-off audio with constant drumming-affects-heartbeat BS anxiety testing stimulations 'designed' , by the kinds of directors that think they are somehow 'preppers' , for ACTUAL care/treatments , as perceived only, by the INexperienced / over-sentimentalist.Little sentimentality itself, tho - skippable.On the positive side , some OK chase/fight scenes , but of the annoying neo-wrestlers can't be moved commercial-wrestling-franchises type standing-taking-damage gullibility-guff.The limit on the number of dimensions coming into the world/s of the setting is solid tho , perhaps because of the limited plot per my initial paragraph , but to its credit , the limits placed on the characters , particularly the difficulties of the two dimension-jumping police characters in contrast to the anti-hero , is done well enough to maintain enough consistency to follow that part of the plot without difficulty / character value in those two, perhaps, at most.If really not wanting to have to think too much when wanting to watch a sci-fi blast and feel temporarily invulnerable for a moment, and this seems to work for you , then maybe id think for that kind of rating, a 4 maybe a 6 at most, for a bonus star or two for the indirect extra-dimension jumping police's need to have to do some lateral thinking / quick thinking , in contrast to predictable patrol areas , usual amounts of different kinds of crime allocations of officers at different stations experience, etc etc - potentially imagination-expanding.Apart from that , little remains in comparison with much better sci fi.

In an alternate universe, superhuman Gabriel Yulaw (Jet Li) kills his double Lawless who is a prisoner being transferred. MVA agents Harry Roedecker (Delroy Lindo) and Evan Funsch (Jason Statham) manage to capture him. Yulaw has been traveling to other universes to kill 123 of his doubles to gain their powers. He is sentenced by the Multiverse Authority to prison in the Hades Universe. He escapes to our universe where his double Gabe Law is a L.A. sheriff deputy married to T.K. (Carla Gugino). It's his last double and the survivor becomes The One.There are the backbones of an interesting sci-fi idea. It's Highlander in a Multiverse. It has good possibilities but this movie has too many problems. First, I love some of the fights. Putting everybody else in slow-motion is a genius idea that actually fits Jet Li's reputation. However he is not a good actor and this is not a simple acting exercise. He has to be different people and he has to be convincing as opposing Jet Li's. He's not up to the challenge especially back then.There are also annoying things about the story. The fact that they keep trying to capture him rather than kill him is problematic. Later they come up with a questionable reason. If he's that dangerous, these people would do more to neutralize him. At least, wing him or chop off his hands. Evil Jet Li should never be captured until the climax. This multiverse world has too many questions that isn't worked out that well.

Given the interesting idea behind the story, 'The One' could have been an entertaining flick. However, the contrived script, lack of character development and poor execution are what majorly let it down. Given the many plot turns, the writers could have done loads and easily turned this into better material. In all fairness, they do provide some funny lines. Jet Li is a good actor and his amazing martial arts skills can sometimes make an entire movie worth viewing. Yet, the way the film portrays his skills is very poorly done (close cropped camera limits the magnitude of the fight sequences). There are some good visual effects and some very bad ones. Performance-wise Jet Li does well with the limited characterization. Jason Statham and Delroy Lindo are passable. Carla Gugino is very good and she has great chemistry with Li. Overall, it's a missed opportunity.