Directed by:
John WooScreenplay:
Barry WongCinematography:
Horace WongComposer:
Michael GibbsCast:
Yun-fat Chow, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Anthony Wong, Phillip Kwok, Stephen Tung, John Woo, Pai Wei, Jun Kunimura, Philip Chan, Teresa Mo, Pau-chung Tong, Fa-yuan Li (more)Plots(1)
Violence as poetry, rendered by a master—brilliant and passionate, John Woo’s Hard Boiled tells the story of jaded detective “Tequila” Yuen (played with controlled fury by Chow Yun-fat). Woo’s dizzying odyssey through the world of Hong Kong Triads, undercover agents, and frenzied police raids culminates unforgettably in the breathless hospital sequence. More than a cops-and-bad-guys story, Hard Boiled continually startles with its originality and dark humor. (Criterion)
(more)Reviews (9)
Tequila slammers, toothpicks, babe in arms, hundreds of smashed tiles and thousands of spent rounds. A perfect piece, down to the smallest detail, from John Woo, Fat and everybody else involved. This ode to action is incredible not only for a John Woo movie. Especially the brothers’ finale in the hospital is inimitable and unmatchable. If you are used to politically correct American productions, you will be shocked by the mass shooting of civilians or the brutal action overflowing with visuals typical for John Woo. Often in his pictures the action element plays just a supporting role to a drama involving two men, and here it is the same, although that motif takes much more of a back seat here. Even the scenes with kids, which elsewhere would be superficially cheap, are handled perfectly here. The entire movie gets by without any humorous element, with the honorable exception of two “sorta" snappy lines at the very end. The only negative aspect of this movie is the rather too disruptive music. One of the zeniths of Hong Kong “gun" movies.
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Neat action and cool lines. Both John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat are on their best form here. Technically almost perfect action scenes, ingenious and still surprises after all these years. I’m telling you, this movie suited me down to the ground. Tequila’s apt remarks were really to my taste. A classic that I plan on watching again soon.
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As a film critic, watching Hard Boiled was a missing piece in my collection, especially since most viewers claim it’s the greatest classic in the action genre in cinema. And I must admit, in terms of this rating, it truly has no competition. John Woo created a revolutionary film where shootouts need to be both effective and visually striking; his depiction of these sequences is truly unparalleled—it’s a feast for the eyes, whether it’s the moments in the warehouse or the final half-hour showdown in the hospital (I wouldn’t even want to count how much ammunition was fired in total; that number would probably have a lot of zeros), which left my jaw on the floor. So, in this respect, the film is excellent. On the other hand, the story doesn’t offer a thrilling experience full of unexpected twists that will blow you away. It’s a template-like linear affair that moves along nicely (at least it avoids boredom). Yun-fat Chow is perfect. So, I definitely recommend watching the film; it’s worth it. I give it 80%.
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Hard Boiled is a perfectionistic work that overshadows all other action movies. It is perhaps impossible for a film that is so long and packed with shootouts not to come across as over-the-top and spasmodic and not become boring after some time. But this one does the exact opposite. The last half hour is proof that John Woo is not from this planet.
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At my age, a person usually already knows what brings them joy and what they should avoid. However, it doesn't hurt to confirm one's priorities and prejudices from time to time. A film in its genre rated as top quality should serve for that. Action films are not my cup of tea, but why not try one of the highest-rated films in its category for a change? Well, I won't lie, in a way, it was quite a spectacle. Action completely devoid of any dependence on physical laws, guns with eight rounds that fire fifty times in a row, a simple story without any elementary logic, flat characters that fit perfectly into their boxes, fighters who take out ten opponents without even breaking a sweat - and so forth. Thank you, I have confirmed all the negatives I feel toward such productions, and if I ever feel the need to be distracted by an action film in the future, I'll watch The Bourne Identity. Practically no genre is as overrated on FilmBooster as East Asian action films. In any other genre, whether it's horror, fantasy, sci-fi, or anything else, there are enough naysayers who can tarnish the enthusiasm of uncritical fans. Surprisingly, it doesn't work like that in this group. Hard Boiled is a one-dimensional film without any significant impact, but it is filmed with professionalism and actors who behave with absolute certainty within the confines of the script. Overall impression: 25%.
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