The Killer

In a direct comparison, a full class better than Hard Boiled. John Woo replaces the endless (although effective) shootouts with shorter but more impactful fights, with a simple but thankfully strong storyline. Besides, Chow Yun-Fat is better as a tough killer than as a tough cop. (08/31/2006)

Chow Yun-Fat is a great character, his killer Jeffrey has charisma, a conscience and is a darn good shot. It’s not every day that you see the kind of action that we get in Killer. Incredible massacres alternate with moments so emotionally intense that you almost feel sad. In places, the theme of friendship and fate play a much greater role than the action itself and John Woo masterfully combines everything to form this riveting picture. (09/18/2006)

The Killer is mainly a timeless action romp that is hard to compare with anything. Unlike the action-packed Hard-Boiled, John Woo here places more emphasis on the characters and their personalities. The direction is different, but the outcome is similarly good. (02/20/2005)

It’s a mix of fascination with sadness. Fascination with an extremely creative personality, as Gilliam undoubtedly is, a filmmaker who is always several steps ahead thanks to his imagination. Fascination with the fierce struggle against adversity, the mediocrity of a world that does not understand him and the producer's mistakes. A struggle that, given the predetermined outcome, may resemble Don Quixote's foolish confrontation with the windmills. And the sadness? This stems from the fact that rich imagination full of fantasy can go to waste with the author losing a lot of energy and time in a futile and useless struggle that cannot be won. Filmmaking is a trade, and Don Quixote is probably a cursed material that has already broken many filmmakers. (08/06/2004)

I can't help but be impressed by this film. Yes, it's a massacre, no question about it. It also manages to project emotion quite well. But having seen both episodes of A Better Tomorrow, you'd think that this has been here before. It's bloody, no doubt about that, and those slow-motion shots are at their peak here. I'm not completely sold on it, but still, it's a great action flick. (02/05/2014)