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Film: The Killer
Release date: 21st October 2002
Certificate: 18
Running time: 111 mins
Director: John Woo
Starring: Chow Yun-fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Kong Chu, Kenneth Tsang
Genre: Action/Crime/Drama
Studio: Hong Kong Legends
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong
During the 1980s and early-90s, Hong Kong cinema was introduced to a new subgenre, ‘heroic bloodshed’. These movies featured similar themes of gangsters, gunfights, lots of blood, and would usually involve the main hero either dead or dying as they look for redemption in the violent world they inhabit. A seminal movie of this genre is John Woo's The Killer. Its influence can be seen in many action movies since, both in Hong Kong itself and across the world.
The film opens with a nameless killer, who later uses the alias Ah Jong, undertaking a hit on a mob boss. During the ensuing gun battle, a singer is caught in the crossfire and blinded. Driven by a desire to put right this wrong, the killer watches and slowly befriends this woman. He finds that his feelings, originally based on guilt and remorse, soon turn to affection and finally love. He is forced to do one last job in order to raise the money he needs to take her to America for the operation that will return her sight.
This last job brings him into the sights of a rogue cop, Inspector Li Ying. What starts as a routine search for a killer becomes much more after Ling witnesses Ah Jong risk his own life to help a child who is accidentally shot when Jong is betrayed by the Triad boss who hired him. Ling soon becomes obsessed with finding this enigma of a man, who seems to follow a set of rules and codes that are becoming defunct among the new breed of gangster that walk the streets of Hong Kong.
As Ying and Ah Jong face off against each other, an unlikely friendship develops. However, it is not long before they are beset on all sides as the man who wants Jong out of the way comes to finish the job. Finally, trapped and surrounded inside a church, these two men must put their differences aside to save the girl they both care for…
Underneath the action is also a good story which in some ways feels like, had it been in a more subdued film, would have gotten much more attention than it receives as a bridge for the action here. It puts a mirror between Ling and Jong and asks the question, is all that separates the hunted and the hunter a badge? The two men are both similar, from their wanting to do what is right to how far they will go to protect and uphold their ideals. This is an interesting comparison as, at times, it is shown that the killer is the more compassionate of the two. They are both men who no longer fit into the jobs they do; Ying is an embarrassment to the rest of the police, whilst Jong lives by rules that are now non-existent in the profession he works in. A scene that perfectly captures their similarities visually is a panning shot of a chair both men have sat in. The scene cuts between the two and shows them to be almost of one mind. They are the last of a dying breed and this cements a friendship that could easily have fallen flat on its face without the two charismatic leads.
Chow Yun-fat once again appears as Woo's alter ego. Outwardly, he is handsome, funny and deadly, though behind this we can see a man struggling with himself and the things he has done. Danny Lee, as a cop on the edge, is more self assured than Jong. He believes what he is doing is right and is frustrated at others for not being able to see it. Their relationship is played well and the two show a wide range of acting skills when they share the screen, whether exchanging pleasantries whilst pointing guns at each other (a dramatic yet comic highlight to the film), their interactions as they slowly start to become friends or, as they spend much of the film doing, fighting for their lives.
Sally Yeh does a good job with what she is given. Admittedly, she is mainly there to facilitate the relationship between the two and is given little to do when not in focus as the object of both the men's affection. She also provides some of the songs that help drive the film, reminding the heroes and the audience what they are fighting for.
Shing Fui-on as the Triad leader who wants Jong dead, is everything you want in a villain. He is ruthless, power hungry, has an army of killers on his payroll and the annoying ability to survive almost everything the protagonists can throw at him. Whilst this doesn't give much scope for the actor, his willingness to throw himself into the role makes for a satisfying antagonist to root against.
One of the best yet under-rated performances comes from veteran actor Paul Chu Kong as Jong's manager/mentor. Like Jong, he has no place in this new world of killers. An injury hinders him from being able to perform the job and his code of honour lead him to being seen as little more than a relic of days gone by. He is the one who betrays Jong to the triads, and spends the rest of the movie trying to rectify this mistake and regain the self respect he has lost over the years.
John Woo's ability to mix the ballistic and the balletic are fully on display in this movie. The action scenes, directed by martial arts maestro Ching Siu-tung, take gun fighting to a new level. They play out more like a dance number than a series of men taking pot shots at each other, which was the norm at the time. John Woo uses techniques that have since become synonymous with his name. Slow motion, doves, bodies that are literally ripped apart from gunfire, plus just the right mix of action and melodrama. The use of a church in the finale is a beautiful touch; it adds a sense of hopelessness for these two men. Whilst they seek redemption, they are forced to battle for their lives in the very building that is usually associated with peace and sanctuary.
Saying this, Woo's style does come with its own caveat of annoyances for anyone unwilling to embrace the suspension of disbelief that is required to enjoy this movie fully. The heroes can fire an unending stream of bullets, usually running out only when it adds dramatic tension to the scene. Their aim is almost always perfect whilst the villains appear to have no knowledge of what the sight on their gun is used for. Lastly, whilst the bad guys are taken down with minimal fuss, the two leads seem to almost absorb the few bullets that actually hit the mark - and use this slight inconvenience to spur them onto greater acts of violence. Whilst fans of the genre and Woo himself will take these with a pinch of salt, the excessive carnage and overblown action may put some off.
A true action classic. A great story, brilliantly choreographed action and an ending that is both touching and controversial. When it comes to ballistic gun play, Woo's touches bring this head and shoulders above most rivals in the genre. This story of a killer and a cop turns the tables on similar themed movies by forcing the two to confront their core beliefs and realising that, underneath it all, they really are two sides of the same coin. DM
Film: Hard Boiled
Release date: 27th September 2004
Certificate: 18
Running time: 122 mins
Director: John Woo
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Teresa Mo, Philip Chan, Philip Kwok
Genre: Action/Crime/Drama/Thriller
Studio: Tartan
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong
Long before he was playing a bastardised version of Master Roshi in Hollywood's 'retelling' of Dragonball, Chow Yun-fat actually made films that mattered. As perhaps John Woo's best received film (by western critics at least), Hard Boiled tells the story of a maverick cop whose guns and clarinet are his only friends as he sets out to right the wrongs of ‘90s Hong Kong and kill hundreds of people along the way. Think Dirty Harry with more guns – a LOT more.
Hong Kong is a city being torn apart by gun-running gangs, as evidenced by the opening scene where civilians are forced to flee a tea room in terror as bullets and birds start flying in almost equal measure. Enter Tequila (Chow Yun-fat) who quite frankly seems to have had about enough of such nonsense, and proceeds to shoot first and ask questions later in the most unequivocal manner possible. One dead partner and some snappy dialogue with a former flame later, and we realise this man is pretty much Hong Kong's answer to John McClain. This is not a bad thing.
What follows is something that could charitably be called exposition, as we are made aware that much of the chaos within the city is the result of two rival gangs competing for leverage in the illegal arms trade. Tony Leung plays Tony, an undercover cop who has infiltrated the slightly more philanthropic of the gangs and become the heir-apparent; however, his obvious talents are coveted by the nefarious leader of the opposing gang: Johnny Wong (Anthony Wong Chau-Sang).
A showdown – in the loosest sense possible, as it boils down to Tequila versus dozens of gangsters – in a warehouse changes the balance of power irreparably, introduces our two protagonists to one another, and sets up Wong as a man with a plan that will spell trouble for all of Hong Kong. However, Tequila's attitude problem and Tony's rapid descent into the criminal underworld place these two men who represent law and order's last line of defence on either side of a war that threatens to erupt at any moment…
Tequila, as a character, is probably a good place to start for any retrospective look at Hard Boiled because so much of what makes this film appealing relies on him. He's an every-man; a down-on-his luck cop who puts the job first, sacrifices personal relationships for his work, and goes outside of the rules when they can't get the job done. This is a stereotype of a stereotype - albeit one of the first – and a character built upon clichés, but that doesn't stop him being unabashedly awesome. Part of this is due to Yun-fat's performance, which lends a perfect amount of smarmy indifference to how Tequila responds to violence. But a large part of what makes him great is down to Woo's decision to just make him do the most plainly ridiculous stuff because it looks great.
And indeed, the artistry of the gun-fighting in this film reaches far beyond its own celluloid boundaries. Modern attempts to recreate the brutal style and the visceral pace of Hard Boiled are numerous; from True Romance and Max Payne to Equilibrium and The Matrix, John Woo's influence has rippled outward from this film, even as far as that most impregnable of bastions - Hollywood action movies. And with good reason – Hard Boiled is a beautiful example of how to maintain grittiness and violence while utilising the kind of excessive acrobatics and bullet-time dives that would become so popular both in film and video games several years after its release.
With its commitment to its own visual glory, Hard Boiled seems to throw the script out of the window occasionally, but this doesn't really matter. Leung and Yun-fat deliver consistently good performances for what they have to work with, and in a film where getting to the next mind-blowing action sequence is the name of the game, words just get in the way. This might be a problem for some who tend to want a bit more depth from their film, but you shouldn't be deceived into thinking that these aren't well-layered characters. They prove from first to last to be likeable, cool and tough as nails.
If you fancy watching a film that is considered by many to be one of the greatest action films of all time then Hard Boiled is for you. It isn't the most subtle of beasts, but then subtlety is overrated anyway. Amazing action sequences interspersed with good acting and a cool story - watch this film. JD
Film: Hard Boiled
Release date: 27th September 2004
Certificate: 18
Running time: 122 mins
Director: John Woo
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Teresa Mo, Philip Chan, Philip Kwok
Genre: Action/Crime/Drama/Thriller
Studio: Tartan
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong
John Woo directs this high octane action fest, which is to date, the last film made in his native land. Bullets fly, men are gunned down left, right and centre, and Chow Yun-Fat is forced to run out of an exploding hospital carrying a baby. It is certainly a dazzling finale to Woo’s Hong Kong directing career.
After his partner is killed in a brutal triad shootout, hard boiled cop ‘Tequila’ Yuen launches an all out attack on a gang of gun smugglers sneaking weapons into Hong Kong, much to the annoyance of his boss Superintendant Pang who warns him off the case.
Meanwhile Alan, an undercover policeman working as a gang member with mob boss Uncle Hoi, is coerced by rival triad lord Johnny Wong into turning on Hoi, so that he can take over his business. Whilst reluctant at first, Alan eventually relents; massacring Hoi and his men. However, he is plagued by guilt and doubt as to where his allegiances lie.
After learning from Superintendant Pang that there is an undercover cop working with the gun runners, Tequila tracks Alan down. The two then form an uneasy alliance to bring Wong and his gang to justice, whilst dealing with their own doubts about their lives in the police force…
Woo shows us in this particular film that he is the master of destruction, as he directs several high calibre action sequences, all with very high body counts. You don’t even have to wait very long for the action to begin, as the first key shootout scene blasts into action at around the five minute mark. A great deal of care and attention has gone into each scene, and it’s remarkable that the film was made for just four million dollars.
Whilst this film has no pretensions of being anything much more than a big, dumb, loud action movie, Woo also manages to cram in some deft touches of exposition, by using visual reminders – such as showing parallel views of a scene at different times to show what has happened, or what the characters are thinking, which are both stylistic and allow the audience to follow the plot more easily. Yes indeed, the stabilisers are truly on for this film, yet this doesn’t feel demeaning as there are more than enough plot threads and explosions to distract you away from that.
It is also noteworthy that Hard Boiled, for an action film, contains a rather rich and interweaving plot; considering we effectively have two central protagonists in Alan and Tequila. Both are similar in that they are both cops, and both are having crisis of confidence about their work. However, whilst they are on the same side, they are effectively working against each other, too, and the pain of teaming up together is more than palpable, considering Tequila wants revenge on Alan for murdering his partner, and Alan just wants to get away from Hong Kong to find a new life untainted by killing. It is not until near the end that the two plots really converge.
Chow Yun-Fat is on fire as ever – literally, at one point – and takes on all manner of ridiculous stunts, which are both outlandish and impressive (such as swinging into a warehouse through its glass ceiling, with an assault rifle in hand). However, praise also has to be credited to Philip Kwok who does an excellent turn as ‘Mad Dog’, Johnny Wong’s personal body-guard and all-round hard man. Kwok looks as mad, bad and dangerous as his character’s name suggests, and, needless to say, is very hard to kill.
Hard Boiled is a good old fashioned romp of an action film. Somehow Woo has managed to combine a solid plot and characters, with a helping of action movie silliness when needed. It all makes for a very entertaining, and surprisingly complete film experience. DJ
Film: Red Cliff
Release date: 5th October 2009
Certificate: 15
Running time: 142 mins
Director: John Woo
Starring: Chang Chen, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Zhang Fengyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhao Wei
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama/History/War
Studio: Entertainment In Video
Format: DVD
Country: China
The father of heroic bloodshed returns to his roots with a majestic re-telling of the Battle of the Red Cliffs and the birth of the three kingdoms. Revered for his work in the action genre, Woo journeyed west where his talent was diluted by the Hollywood studio system. In 2009, he returned with this, a lavish experience that brings that distinct Woo signature to the period epic.
During the Han dynasty of imperial China, ambitious Prime Minister Cao Cao is given power by the weak willed emperor Xian. Cao Cao seeks to dominate the southern regions by defeating the armies of Lui Bei and Sun Quan.
Cao Cao’s forces are overwhelming, displayed through several bloody skirmishes, yet many brave and skilled warriors still fight for the south.
Liu Bei’s chief advisor Zhuge Liang feels the only way to get a foothold in the war is to recruit the services of Sun Quan and the Wu Empire. Zhuge quickly bonds with Sun’s most trusted official, Zhou Yu, and together they persuade Sun Quan to enter the war against Cao Cao.
Meanwhile, Cao Cao’s forces approach the Wu stronghold of Red Cliff from all directions. As the vast armada approaches from sea and land, the southern alliance prepare to defend themselves against Cao Cao’s assault…
Red Cliff came as a refreshing change for a western audience gorged on Wuxia adaptations. Thanks to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the crossover appeal of period Chinese cinema increased tenfold, audiences flocked to see gravity defying assassins, colour coded armies and CGI arrows. Yet, as undoubtedly wonderful as those films are, they adhere to an almost fairytale like formula, complete with the fanciful dream logic that formula allows.
In John Woo’s triumphant return to Chinese cinema, there is no flouting of Newton’s law, no stylish and aesthetically pleasing swordfights, just nationwide warfare painted with epic brushstrokes.
It’s clear from the outset that we are not in familiar Woo territory. A sweeping score accompanies us through the clouds and across the lush vistas of a perfectly re-created 3rd century China. The set design, costume and photography is painstakingly meticulous - spectacle is the film’s chief characteristic.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about Red Cliff when comparing it to the director’s other work is the strength of the story and characters. Adapted from ancient literature concerning the tribulations of the three kingdoms, the script is surprisingly diplomatic with some of the historic figures. Cao Cao isn’t the moustache twirling, merciless villain that he could have been, Fengyi Zhang instead offering a ruthless yet ignoble portrait of the dictator. Elsewhere, Takeshi Kaneshiro is a joy to watch as the brilliant strategist Liang, and Tony Leung once again displays stoic confidence as Zhou Yu.
Strangely for a John Woo film, Red Cliff has some impressively strong female performances, a considerable departure from the wafer thin plot devices that usually populate the director’s work. In a film replete with almost superhuman men, it’s refreshing to see some ‘girl power’.
The highlights of Red Cliff, though, are its many spectacular battle scenes. The bloody opening battle is just the tip of the iceberg - later there is the tortoise formation, in which the southern forces lure Cao Cao’s army into a deadly maze of shields and spears. This is just one of many inventive gambits cooked up by Liang, another being the almost comedic acquisition of arrows from Cao Cao’s legion of archers to replenish his own supply.
It is during these epic action scenes that Woo can cut loose and unleash those beloved filmmaking tics. The heroes of the south stalk through the battlefield, cutting a swath through the opposing forces in glorious slow motion. While his career has been stagnating in Hollywood, it has been easy to forget how much of an accomplished technician of carnage Woo actually is.
A triumph for all concerned. Strong performances lead what must surely be John Woo’s finest work. Epic battle scenes punctuate a wonderfully told story of political turmoil intrigue. Woo presents a lovingly recreated depiction of 3rd century China, with extra doves. KT
Film: A Better Tomorrow
Release date: 30th April 2007
Certificate: 18
Running time: 90 mins
Director: John Woo
Starring: Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, Emily Chu
Genre: Action/Crime/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong
Perhaps the most influential director the action genre will ever see, John Woo honed his craft at the legendary Shaw Brothers studio before joining with producer Tsui Hark and finding his true calling in the crime genre. Woo’s signature style, consisting of balletic action sequences alongside themes of religion, family and, of course, doves, is established with A Better Tomorrow.
Ho and best friend Mark run counterfeit money for the Triads; they live a life of luxury and ease. At the same time, Ho’s little brother Kit climbs the ranks of the Hong Kong police force.
Ho and Triad initiate Shing are sent to Taiwan to close a deal. While at the meeting they are ambushed by police and narrowly escape with their lives, although Ho is later arrested and sentenced to prison. Ho’s father is attacked and killed by an assassin, and in his dying breath he pleads with Kit to forgive his criminal brother. Kit is furious at his brother, who he blames for their father’s death. Meanwhile, consumed by anger at Ho’s imprisonment, Mark takes revenge on those responsible, but is crippled in the process.
All of this has been orchestrated by Shing, who quickly rises to power in the Honk Kong organisation. Ho is released from prison and quickly finds Shing in charge and Mark reduced to cleaning duties at a Triad owned taxi firm. Driven by jealousy and hatred for Ho, Kit and Mark, Shing makes plans to have them all killed…
A Better Tomorrow is a rare treat, a chance to watch a maverick auteur crafting his own signature. Some may believe that artistic intentions are wasted on the action genre, not John Woo, who can make the bloodiest battle a thing of majestic beauty. Cutting his teeth at Shaw Brothers with traditional swords and chivalry epics, Woo soon teamed up with legendary producer Tsui Hark and gave birth to the ‘heroic bloodshed’ sub-genre. Characterised by honourable career criminals and world weary cops blasting chunks out of each other in slow motion, these films remain the most influential series in the action genre, responsible for, among other things, The Matrix, which functions as a love letter to heroic bloodshed cinema (and is highly influential in its own right).
For his first action film, Woo crafts an effortlessly cool crime fable about brotherhood and redemption. ABT establishes many of the themes Woo would revisit throughout his career; religion, family, honourable friendship and the economic state of modern China all feature heavily in the film. His distinctive style is at its most prototypical here, the slow motion sequences, juxtaposition montages and freeze frames are all here. Most of these stylistic ticks are borrowed from the nouvelle vague and the early work of the American Zoetrope crowd, but Woo uses them to craft a succinct form out of the chaotic tenets of the action genre.
Many of the cast of A Better Tomorrow would return for future Woo films, and the principal cast is uniformly strong throughout. Leslie Cheung excels as the headstrong Kit, whose duty to the law is not always conducive to his shaky relationship with his brother. Ti Lung is strong in the central role, offering a great early representation of the symbolic Woo hero. Best of all, though, in a role that made him the go to guy for action heroes, and a by-word for Eastern cool in the west, is Chow Yun-fat. In a brilliantly typical Woo action sequence, we see Yun-fat’s Mark striding down a restaurant corridor, girl on each arm, planting guns in plant pots so as to avoid the hassle of reloading. Later, Mark stalks down the same corridor and, dual wield 9mm pistols, massacres a room full of goons. Long black trench coat, toothpick, charisma, this is the moment when Yun-fat embodies an archetype.
The Matrix, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, True Romance, Desperado, in fact, any film with a standoff, a dove, some slow motion or a black suited criminal owes a great debt to a signature style that was established with this film. John Woo has made better films, and he has made films that are much, much worse, but he will never come close to making the impact he did with this, his first slice of heroic bloodshed. KT
