War

War has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in Australia on Stan and Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels, and in the US on YouTube TV and MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. With 2,076 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch Jet Li work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Start it on Stan whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, War is worth clearing space for. The plotting gives War its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. FBI agent Jack Crawford is out for revenge when his partner is killed and all clues point to the mysterious assassin Rogue. But when Rogue turns up years later to take care of some unfinished business, he triggers a violent clash of rival gangs. Will the truth come out before it's too late? The writing gets a boost from Jet Li and Jason Statham, who sell every scene they're in. It hit screens in 2007. War is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in War. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Jet Li carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.