Directed by:
John WooCinematography:
Hang Sang PoonComposer:
Violet LamCast:
Cherie Chung, Yun-fat Chow, Paul Chu, Kenneth Tsang, Leslie Cheung, John Woo, David Wu, Fung Woo, Kwok-ping Choy, Gwok-keung Choi, Douglas Kung, Leila Tong (more)Plots(1)
Joe (Chow) Jim (Cheung) and Cherie (Chung) have been partners in crime ever since their childhoods spent on the streets stealing to survive. Now world-class art thieves their relationships and lives are put on the line when they agree to one last mission: steal a multi-million dollar painting for a mysterious client who's bent on revenge. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (3)
Brilliant shootouts, guns of all kinds, wheelchair shooting, and C4 kickboxing. An action-packed flick with all the trimmings.
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Once a Thief is a pleasantly light version of the friendship motif, typical of John Woo, spiced up with brisk action. It’s a more cheerful and positive film than the master’s greatest gems and accordingly a bit less exciting. But the characters are likable, the action is at Woo’s traditionally high standard, and there’s even a surprising twist.
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In terms of Woo’s Hong Kong movies, this is unusually mediocre, and should be ignored, while concentrating on his serious stuff. Although John Woo gets the comedy timing right, it doesn’t suit the serious story and so what we get is a humdrum hybrid. As always, this is held above water by the charisma of Chow Yun-Fat, but I probably don’t even have to remind anybody of that fact. The pleasant thing about this is that the central acting duo headed by the director doesn’t balk at making fun of his own greatest hits, although this has no positive influence on the movie as a whole.
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