Hard Boiled (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Important film that didn't age well...
  • A good introduction to the "Heroic Gun Play" genre
  • Not the "Ultimate" but Awesome Nonetheless
  • One of the greatest action films of all time
  • Nice enough release of this Hong Kong classic.
Hard Boiled (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition)
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat , Kwan Hoi-Shan , Cheung Jue-lin , Tsang Kong , and Philip Kwok
Director: John Woo
Manufacturer: Dragon Dynasty
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

CrimeCrime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Chow Yun-FatChow Yun-Fat | Action Stars | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
John WooJohn Woo | Action Directors | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
Chan, PhilipChan, Philip | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Yun-Fat, ChowYun-Fat, Chow | ( Y ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Kwok, PhilipKwok, Philip | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Lam, BowieLam, Bowie | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Lee, DannyLee, Danny | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Leung Chiu Wai, TonyLeung Chiu Wai, Tony | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Wong, AnthonyWong, Anthony | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Woo, JohnWoo, John | ( W ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $14.99DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( H )( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Ultimate EditionsUltimate Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. 300 (Two-Disc Special Edition) 300 (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  2. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
  3. Robocop (20th Anniversary Collector's Edition) Robocop (20th Anniversary Collector's Edition)
  4. Taxi Driver (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) Taxi Driver (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
  5. The Host (2-Disc Collector's Edition) The Host (2-Disc Collector's Edition)

ASIN: B000N4SHNK
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Amazon.com essential video

Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Chow Yun-fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage), Hard-Boiled is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. --Robert Lane

Description

A tough-as-nails cop teams up with an undercover agent to bring down a gun smuggling ring. Features some of the most amazing and influential action set pieces in cinematic history.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Important film that didn't age well..........2007-08-12

When Hard Boiled came out as a theatrical release I was blown away. It was utterly unlike any other film I had seen up to that point. Now though it's been imitated so many times, both by Hollywood and by Woo himself, it just doesn't hold up. It plays almost as a parody of itself.

It's worth seeing because it is such an important milestone, but don't be surprised if your memory of the film is stronger than the film itself.

4 out of 5 stars A good introduction to the "Heroic Gun Play" genre.......2007-08-12

This was my first experience with a movie from the "Heroic Gun Play" genre. I'm not a fan of American action pictures, so I had always shied away from John Woo's Hong Kong action flicks. I now see that I have definitely missed some great movies (I'm female, so a bunch of guys shooting guns at one another was never something I thought I would get into). I decided to give the movie a look because Tony Leung is my favorite actor at the moment and I knew that he co-starred in the film. Actually, Leung and Philip Kwok Choy (the killer Mad Dog in the film AND the action director) steal every scene they share with Chow Yun-Fat. Now I want to check out some of the Shaw Bros. films Kwok Choy was in to see more of this martial arts actor.

Maybe it is the surprising emotional complexity Leung brings to the film and the exhilerating action sequences (and that the killing looks so fake), but I thoroughly enjoyed the film. As a neophyte, the commentary and 3 interviews added to my understanding and enjoyment of the film. Since this is a cult film, I understand that die-hard fans of Woo and this particular film might be disappointed in various aspects of the presentation (this isn't a Criterion 2-disc premium treatment, afterall). But, as an introduction to this film, to Woo 's heroic gun play pictures and to the world of Hong Kong action films, it is as good a place to start as any. I am definitely looking forward to viewing other John Woo HK films.

5 out of 5 stars Not the "Ultimate" but Awesome Nonetheless.......2007-07-31

For those of you lucky enough to own the Criterion Collection edition of this movie, you might want to hold onto your copy as none of the extras from that edition are included on this one. That being said, the video and audio on this version easily surpass any previous Region 1 incarnations making this edition a must-have for fans of the movie.

The first disc features an audio commentary by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan. He shows off his impressive knowledge of HK geography by pointing out which locations in the film don't exist anymore and their significance in the country's culture. Logan also dishes out interesting factoids, like the teahouse in the opening sequence was going to be demolished and this happened right after they filmed the last scene in the place! As with other commentary tracks that he has done his encyclopedic knowledge about the film and HK cinema in general is quite impressive, making for an informative track.

Disc two starts off with "A Baptism of Fire: A Featurette with Iconic Director John Woo." He was a big fan of Steve McQueen in Bullitt and Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry and with Hard Boiled; he wanted to create his own Dirty Harry. Woo wanted to make Chow Yun-Fat like Eastwood's iconic character but with the Asian actor's warm charisma.

"Partner in Crime: An Interview with Producer Terence Chang." He talks about how he met Woo in the late 1970s but that they didn't start working together until ten years later. Chang also talks about the genesis of the film which was originally a psycho who kills baby (?!). Fortunately, after they filmed the teahouse shoot-out, Chang convinced Woo to discard this idea.

"Art Imitates Life: An Interview with co-star Philip Chan," the actor who played Tequila's boss in the film. He was real policeman before getting into film and brought that authenticity to his role. He actually ran a team of undercover cops and speaks admiringly of working with Woo.

"Mad Dog Bites Again: An Interview with Leading Villain Kwok Choi." He talks about working with Woo on the film. Originally, he was hired to only design the action sequences but Chow Yun-Fat recommended him to play the villain's right-hand man.

"Hard Boiled Location Guide": takes us on a fun, fascinating tour of many of the locations from the movie. Some places, like the teahouse (which is now a mall), don't exist anymore and a little historical background is given to some of the places.

Also included are two trailers, the U.S. and Hong Kong versions.

Finally, there is "Stranglehold Video Game Mini-Making Of." This is the John Woo-approved sequel to Hard Boiled that allows you to play Tequila. This extra shows how deeply involved he was in the game's production with Chow Yun-Fat returning to provide the voice for his character!

5 out of 5 stars One of the greatest action films of all time.......2007-07-29

Undoubtedly one of the finest action films ever made, Hard Boiled tops every single slam bang, big budget, mainstream action film you have ever seen. Chow Yun-Fat stars as a super tough cop on the trail of the murderous triad, only to learn that an up and coming triad soldier (Tony Leung) he has his sights set on is an undercover cop who gives the term deep cover new meaning. As loyalties shift and the bullet and body count rise, the two team up and help provide some of the most dynamic and exciting action scenes ever put to film, including a standoff at a hospital that concludes in a barrage of blood, bullets, glass, and incredible carnage. Before he came over to America and helmed watered down mainstream action films like Broken Arrow, Mission: Impossible 2, and Paycheck (personally, the only film of his I've liked that he's made over here is Face/Off), John Woo crafted the amazing action scenes that you've heard so much about with this film. This double disc Ultimate Edition released under the Weinstein Company's Dragon Dynasty label features a nice selection of extras (yet no commentary from Woo or Chow Yun-Fat) including an examination of how much Hard Boiled has influenced the action genre over the years. To this day Hard Boiled remains a masterpiece, and if you're an action junkie who has never seen the film before, you need to pick this up immediately.

4 out of 5 stars Nice enough release of this Hong Kong classic........2007-07-25

Forget the reviewer claiming that they cropped the picture and then stretched it back out. He probably doesn't know how to work his wide screen TV or hasn't set his DVD player to enhance anamorphic DVD's. Cropped and stretched? What a silly notion. And as for the subtitles, they seem to be pretty much the same as the Criterion version which wasn't bad, but not anamorphic. Unless you speak fluent Cantonese, how in the hell could you ever know which version was the most accurate? This release has the best transfer of the film to date, and I've owned four copies of it including this Dragon Dynasty edition. The colors are rich and the the images are sharp. This is the best version for your money, unless you want to wait for the Blu-Ray edition. I hate it!!!
Hard Boiled
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Chinese Die Hard
  • A classic
  • New Re-Release on the way
  • THE BEST ACTION MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Great action, messy plot...
Hard Boiled
Starring: John Woo , Chow Yun-Fat , Tony Leung Chiu Wai , Teresa Mo , and Philip Chan
Director: John Woo
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

CrimeCrime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
ThrillersThrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Police & Detective FilmsPolice & Detective Films | By Theme | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Race Against TimeRace Against Time | By Theme | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Hong Kong Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Chow Yun-FatChow Yun-Fat | Action Stars | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
John WooJohn Woo | Action Directors | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | By Genre | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Hong Kong | By Country | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
Cops & TriadsCops & Triads | Hong Kong | By Country | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
Chan, PhilipChan, Philip | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Yun-Fat, ChowYun-Fat, Chow | ( Y ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Kong, LauKong, Lau | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Kwok, PhilipKwok, Philip | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Lam, BowieLam, Bowie | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Leung Chiu Wai, TonyLeung Chiu Wai, Tony | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Hong KongHong Kong | Asian Cinema | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Martial ArtsMartial Arts | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Mystery & SuspenseMystery & Suspense | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $14.99DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( H )( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Killer The Killer
  2. Once a Thief Once a Thief
  3. Infernal Affairs (Wu jian dao) Infernal Affairs (Wu jian dao)
  4. Full Contact Full Contact
  5. City on Fire City on Fire

ASIN: B00004W458
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Amazon.com essential video

Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Chow Yun-fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage), Hard-Boiled is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. --Robert Lane

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars A Chinese Die Hard.......2007-06-28

Hard Boiled was the last film John Woo did on location in Hong Kong before his eventual move to Hollywood. Part reaction to the escalating violence Hong Kong was experiencing at the time, the film pays homage to the Hong Kong Police.

Starring Chow Yun Fat and Tony Lueng as two policeman out to stop an arms smuggling triad. The two actors exhibit all of the characteristics of any actor in Woo film. Woo also uses his trademark filmmaking style and ulta violence to make his points. Look for freeze frames and Sam Peckinpaugh like slow motion throughout the film.

This is not for the squeamish or those not fond of gun violence. Approximately 100,000 blanks were fired making the film and the body count tops 200. Part of the point here is that violence affects us all. Bystanders are not spared by Woo. The only hope may lie in the next generation. Woo states in his commentary track that this is why he often employs infants in his films. Woo says that he was angered with the Hong Kong situation at the time of filming and his anger shows.

The version I viewed was the Winstar edition. The quality of the transfer was fine but the subtitling could have used some improvements. However, we find out in the commentary that Woo is not too concerned with dialogue he would rather have images tell the story. The sound is also adequate. We have a mono track that would really be improved by at least a stereo remaster. This is not the best edition of the film out there but unless you are willing to shell out the big bucks for the out of print Criterion this is the best you are likely to get.

This edition has production notes and filmographies, trailers for Hard Boiled and The Killer and an excellent commentary track by Woo and Terrence Chang.

Worth seeing.

5 out of 5 stars A classic .......2007-03-28

This movie truly is a classic action movie. Chow Yun Fat at his best. I loved it. Be warned, Dragon Dynasty is re-releasing a 2 disc edition in July with all new bonus features.

4 out of 5 stars New Re-Release on the way.......2007-02-24

I love this movie so much. I haven't watched it in a while mostly because I have a widescreen TV and the old Criterion version is non-anamorphic. The good news is that Dragon Dynasty will be re-issuing this John Woo classic in May. I cannot wait and those of you who can't find it, stop wasting your money on ebay and stop spending way too much. You'll be able to get your own very soon. Start the countdown...

5 out of 5 stars THE BEST ACTION MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-01-27

THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST ACTION MOVIE EVER MADE! JOHN WOO IS A MASTER DIRECTOR. CHOW-YUN-FAT IS THE MAN. THIS MOVIE HAS THE BIGGEST BODY COUNT IN ANY MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN. THIS IS ACTION FILM-MAKING AT ITS UTMOST FINEST. DEFINATELY ONE FOR ANY HARD-CORE ACTION FANS COLLECTION.

4 out of 5 stars Great action, messy plot..........2006-12-27

This was the last film John Woo made in Hong Kong before he left for Hollywood (which has royally screwed him over, but that's another review). Many people debate whether Hard Boiled or The Killer are Woo's best. My money is on The Killer, but I still really admire the hell out of this film. It has some of the most amazing action sequences ever committed to celluloid. Are they realistic? Absolutely not. One of the funniest things about Woo films is that the characters rarely, if ever, reload their guns. The teahouse shootout is a great example. Yun-Fat picks up the bad guys' guns, and fires at least 40 rounds or so with each gun. Automatic guns hold 10 bullets or so in a clip, so where Yun-Fat found the extra clips is unknown at this point. The plot of this film leaves quite a lot to be desired. The film was a troubled production. The original script had Tony Leung's character as a pyschotic killer who was planning on poisoning little children by tampering with baby formula. After shooting the teahouse shootout, the film shut down for a month, and a major rewrite took place. They ended up making Leung's character an undercover cop. This was due to the fact that Chow Yun-Fat thought the Hong Kong public would find a baby killer too disturbing. Woo agreed, and shut down the film (Hong Kong films are quite similar to Hollywood in that respect). A lot of this film doesn't make an ounce of sense when Leung's character kills many people, just in order to stay in character. I'm not really sure about that. Thematically, the film is a mess. But the opening shootout at the teahouse, the warehouse raid, and the utterly amazing shootout at the hospital (it lasts nearly 45 minutes, including an unbroken take of 2 minutes and 42 seconds) make this film worthwhile. This film didn't have as much depth as Woo's other Hong Kong work, but it still manages to outdo all Hollywood films in terms of character and depth.
Hard Boiled - Criterion Collection
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Chinese Die Hard
  • A classic
  • New Re-Release on the way
  • THE BEST ACTION MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Great action, messy plot...
Hard Boiled - Criterion Collection
Starring: Bobbie Au-Yeung , Philip Chan , Yun-Fat Chow , Michael Dingo , and Jun Kunimura
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

CrimeCrime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
ThrillersThrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Police & Detective FilmsPolice & Detective Films | By Theme | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Race Against TimeRace Against Time | By Theme | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Hong Kong Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Chow Yun-FatChow Yun-Fat | Action Stars | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | By Genre | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Hong Kong | By Country | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
Cops & TriadsCops & Triads | Hong Kong | By Country | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Crime | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
Chan, PhilipChan, Philip | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Yun-Fat, ChowYun-Fat, Chow | ( Y ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Kong, LauKong, Lau | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Kwok, PhilipKwok, Philip | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Lam, BowieLam, Bowie | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Leung Chiu Wai, TonyLeung Chiu Wai, Tony | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video
InternationalInternational | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video
AllAll | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video
ActionAction | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Hong KongHong Kong | Asian Cinema | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Martial ArtsMartial Arts | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Mystery & SuspenseMystery & Suspense | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
( H )( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Killer The Killer
  2. Once a Thief Once a Thief
  3. Infernal Affairs (Wu jian dao) Infernal Affairs (Wu jian dao)
  4. Full Contact Full Contact
  5. City on Fire City on Fire

ASIN: 1559408677
Release Date: 1998-06-10

Amazon.com essential video

Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Chow Yun-fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage), Hard-Boiled is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. --Robert Lane

Description

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.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars A Chinese Die Hard.......2007-06-28

Hard Boiled was the last film John Woo did on location in Hong Kong before his eventual move to Hollywood. Part reaction to the escalating violence Hong Kong was experiencing at the time, the film pays homage to the Hong Kong Police.

Starring Chow Yun Fat and Tony Lueng as two policeman out to stop an arms smuggling triad. The two actors exhibit all of the characteristics of any actor in Woo film. Woo also uses his trademark filmmaking style and ulta violence to make his points. Look for freeze frames and Sam Peckinpaugh like slow motion throughout the film.

This is not for the squeamish or those not fond of gun violence. Approximately 100,000 blanks were fired making the film and the body count tops 200. Part of the point here is that violence affects us all. Bystanders are not spared by Woo. The only hope may lie in the next generation. Woo states in his commentary track that this is why he often employs infants in his films. Woo says that he was angered with the Hong Kong situation at the time of filming and his anger shows.

The version I viewed was the Winstar edition. The quality of the transfer was fine but the subtitling could have used some improvements. However, we find out in the commentary that Woo is not too concerned with dialogue he would rather have images tell the story. The sound is also adequate. We have a mono track that would really be improved by at least a stereo remaster. This is not the best edition of the film out there but unless you are willing to shell out the big bucks for the out of print Criterion this is the best you are likely to get.

This edition has production notes and filmographies, trailers for Hard Boiled and The Killer and an excellent commentary track by Woo and Terrence Chang.

Worth seeing.

5 out of 5 stars A classic .......2007-03-28

This movie truly is a classic action movie. Chow Yun Fat at his best. I loved it. Be warned, Dragon Dynasty is re-releasing a 2 disc edition in July with all new bonus features.

4 out of 5 stars New Re-Release on the way.......2007-02-24

I love this movie so much. I haven't watched it in a while mostly because I have a widescreen TV and the old Criterion version is non-anamorphic. The good news is that Dragon Dynasty will be re-issuing this John Woo classic in May. I cannot wait and those of you who can't find it, stop wasting your money on ebay and stop spending way too much. You'll be able to get your own very soon. Start the countdown...

5 out of 5 stars THE BEST ACTION MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-01-27

THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST ACTION MOVIE EVER MADE! JOHN WOO IS A MASTER DIRECTOR. CHOW-YUN-FAT IS THE MAN. THIS MOVIE HAS THE BIGGEST BODY COUNT IN ANY MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN. THIS IS ACTION FILM-MAKING AT ITS UTMOST FINEST. DEFINATELY ONE FOR ANY HARD-CORE ACTION FANS COLLECTION.

4 out of 5 stars Great action, messy plot..........2006-12-27

This was the last film John Woo made in Hong Kong before he left for Hollywood (which has royally screwed him over, but that's another review). Many people debate whether Hard Boiled or The Killer are Woo's best. My money is on The Killer, but I still really admire the hell out of this film. It has some of the most amazing action sequences ever committed to celluloid. Are they realistic? Absolutely not. One of the funniest things about Woo films is that the characters rarely, if ever, reload their guns. The teahouse shootout is a great example. Yun-Fat picks up the bad guys' guns, and fires at least 40 rounds or so with each gun. Automatic guns hold 10 bullets or so in a clip, so where Yun-Fat found the extra clips is unknown at this point. The plot of this film leaves quite a lot to be desired. The film was a troubled production. The original script had Tony Leung's character as a pyschotic killer who was planning on poisoning little children by tampering with baby formula. After shooting the teahouse shootout, the film shut down for a month, and a major rewrite took place. They ended up making Leung's character an undercover cop. This was due to the fact that Chow Yun-Fat thought the Hong Kong public would find a baby killer too disturbing. Woo agreed, and shut down the film (Hong Kong films are quite similar to Hollywood in that respect). A lot of this film doesn't make an ounce of sense when Leung's character kills many people, just in order to stay in character. I'm not really sure about that. Thematically, the film is a mess. But the opening shootout at the teahouse, the warehouse raid, and the utterly amazing shootout at the hospital (it lasts nearly 45 minutes, including an unbroken take of 2 minutes and 42 seconds) make this film worthwhile. This film didn't have as much depth as Woo's other Hong Kong work, but it still manages to outdo all Hollywood films in terms of character and depth.
John Woo Collection DVD 2-Pack: The Killer/ Hard Boiled
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • You are gonna be really hard pressed to find 2 better Hong Kong action movies than this
  • Hard Boiled is worth it alone.
  • Bullets, bullets and more bullets!!!!
  • Great flicks last forever-special effects age!
  • Two influential action classics
John Woo Collection DVD 2-Pack: The Killer/ Hard Boiled
Starring: John Woo
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
John WooJohn Woo | Action Directors | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Lee, DannyLee, Danny | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Yeh, SallyYeh, Sally | ( Y ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
( J )( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. Once a Thief Once a Thief
  2. Full Contact Full Contact
  3. Oldboy Oldboy
  4. The Killer The Killer
  5. Hard Boiled Hard Boiled

ASIN: B00004W459
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Amazon.com essential video

The Killer
John Woo's 1989 Hong Kong action classic, a stylish, bullet-riddled elegy to friendship under fire, firmly established him as the maestro of mayhem. Superstar Chow Yun-fat, Asia's king of cool, plays the most charming hit man ever (and yes, he only takes contracts on those who deserve it), but when one of his killings leaves an innocent nightclub singer (Sally Yeh) blinded, he dedicates his life to giving her back her sight. Danny Lee is the cop on his tail, but the two adversaries become unlikely comrades when the mob decides to cancel its debt to Chow by taking him out, leading to a beautifully filmed and incredibly violent confrontation. Woo places the showdown in a church and punctuates the acrobatic gunfight with images of religious icons, flying doves, and burning candles. An ode to Jean-Pierre Melville's existential gangster classic Le Samourai, Woo's delirious mix of melodrama and stylized action recalls the balletic bloodletting of Sam Peckinpah, the elegant camerawork of Martin Scorsese, and the operatic, larger-than-life grandeur of Sergio Leone. Woo's love of American musicals (and his own background as a dance instructor) adds a touch of grace to the fluid choreography of the action scenes. In terms of sheer action, Woo topped himself a few years later with Hard-Boiled, his Hong Kong swan song, but most critics still rate The Killer as his masterpiece. --Sean Axmaker

Hard-Boiled
Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Chow Yun-fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage), Hard-Boiled is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. --Robert Lane

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars You are gonna be really hard pressed to find 2 better Hong Kong action movies than this.......2006-09-14

Both movies are brilliantly acted but the Killer has a very good story and is Chow Yun Fat's best role ever and then watch Hard-Boiled after to that to see an even darker movie that you will get a huge rush from. Guns are blazing like no other movie has shown before!

5 out of 5 stars Hard Boiled is worth it alone........2004-12-19

"Give a man a gun and he is a hero. Give him two and he is God"

Nothing can quite prepare you for the amount of bullets that are used in this film - all done to an impeccable action style that has still not been beat. If there was ever a Guinness Book of Records for the "Most bullets shot in a film" John Woo's Hard Boiled would be first place for a very long time. It is a terrible shame that this director has only been toned-down by Hollywood. There is not a hope that he would be allowed to do what he has done here with Hong Kong actors to the Hollywood cream of the crop. It seems that it is okay to have a Hong Kong Asian to shoot the hell out of everything but this same action when applied to Western culture would only shock and shame. The same can be said for the star of Hard Boiled - Chow Yun-Fat (Crouch Tiger, Hidden Dragon) who since moving to the West has fired less bullets in all his Hollywood films put together than he does in the first five minutes of this film. Does that really matter? In many ways - Yes it does. Unlike THEIR Hollywood films the gun violence here is not gratuitous. It is artistic and warrented. No one can come away from this film to say that have seen unjustified and unnecessary amounts of actions. It is all integral to the style and plot of this movie. Yes, innocent people do get mowed down in a hail of hot lead and yes the violence is bloody, but is that not what gun violence is? Here you see exactly what guns do to people. Forget Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine" - The true message of gun control is right here! The plot is even about the dangers of gun smuggling!

One thing for sure is that there is more gratuitous gun violence in most Hollywood productions than there is here. Here we have a hard boiled cop who is assigned to tracking down gun smugglers. He is a hard boiled cop because he knows how to use his guns. His superiors are using him to fight fire with fire. The action gets going from the word go as the hard boiled cop busts a gun dealing operation. His buddy cops and innocent people get killed in the process. He then goes to extract some revenge and put the big gun runners out of business - only problem is there are literally thousands of them he must cut down. Cue unrelenting battle sequences from start to finish all done in excellent style and slow-mo. You have not seen anything like Hard Boiled before, nor will you again. The ending in the hospital is like DIE HARD with ten thousand times more suspense.

Hard Boiled is also a wonderfully acted movie with excellent first rate action direction. The story is also coherent and good, especially for an Asian production. This is every action fans wet dream. Believe me if you have not seen Hard Boiled then it is about time that you did.

Majestic Filmmaking, not to mention John Woo's greatest film. This is the stuff of Legend with an action hero to root for.

5 out of 5 stars Bullets, bullets and more bullets!!!!.......2004-08-13

The only thing I have to say is that this movie is one of the most action pack and non stop shooting,I can easily said that i saw this movie a few times and beleive me i never ever saw so much bullets in a movie, that why i have this "masterpiece of gold"
All i can say is that if you buy it you'll not be dissapointed!!! Booommm!!! trararartatatat!!!!

5 out of 5 stars Great flicks last forever-special effects age!.......2002-11-17

Must see action films that are timeless.special effects only last a few years than we the public tire of them. Great direction last. The Godfater was made 30+ years ago in the past but its good diction and actors makes it timeless so is the case with The Killer & Hard Boiled.The actors portray thier rolles like taking a breath no Hollywood effects(ecept YODA) can compare with natual people.

5 out of 5 stars Two influential action classics.......2002-11-01

I don't understand the other reviewer. The Killer is, with Die Hard, the best and most influential action movie of the 1980s, period. Sure, the budget is visibly tighter, but there's more energy and drama in here than just about any action flick ever made!

Hard-Boiled was made later and is essentially just a setup for a one-hour-long shootout -- which is great! It has some of the best-designed (and bloodiest) action scenes ever made, but it's not perfect.
Note: I have the Video versions, not the DVD.
Blue Tiger [Region 2 Import]
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Blue Tiger [Region 2 Import]

    Manufacturer: Contender
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

    GeneralGeneral | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
    GeneralGeneral | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
    Product Features:
    • Trailer

    ASIN: B000M4D484

    Product Description

    A dark and tense story of courage and danger set in the deadly world of the Japanese Brotherhood of terror - The Yakuza. A courageous mother vows to avenge the death of her young child. Killed in the crossfire of a Yakuza 'Hit'. Her only clue is the lurid blue tiger tattoo on the hitman's chest. Infiltrating the Yakuza's shadowy world. She seduces suspect after suspect to uncover the killer and exact burning revenge.
    Hard-Boiled
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • A Chinese Die Hard
    • A classic
    • New Re-Release on the way
    • THE BEST ACTION MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Great action, messy plot...
    Hard-Boiled
    Starring: Chow Yun-Fat , Kwan Hoi-Shan , Cheung Jue-lin , Tsang Kong , and Philip Kwok
    Director: John Woo
    Manufacturer: Import [Generic]
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

    CrimeCrime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
    GeneralGeneral | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
    ThrillersThrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
    Police & Detective FilmsPolice & Detective Films | By Theme | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
    Race Against TimeRace Against Time | By Theme | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
    GeneralGeneral | Hong Kong Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
    Chow Yun-FatChow Yun-Fat | Action Stars | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
    John WooJohn Woo | Action Directors | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
    Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | By Genre | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
    GeneralGeneral | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
    GeneralGeneral | Hong Kong | By Country | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
    Cops & TriadsCops & Triads | Hong Kong | By Country | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
    Chan, PhilipChan, Philip | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Yun-Fat, ChowYun-Fat, Chow | ( Y ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Kwok, PhilipKwok, Philip | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Lam, BowieLam, Bowie | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Lee, DannyLee, Danny | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Leung Chiu Wai, TonyLeung Chiu Wai, Tony | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    ( T )( T ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video | Tabori, Kristoffer | Tafler, Sydney | Tagawa, Cary Hiroyuki | Taggart, Rita | Tagore, Sharmila | Taguchi, Hiromasa | Taguchi, Tomoroh | Tahir, Faran | Takada, Miwa | Takakura, Ken | Takanashi, Aya | Takarada, Akira | Takayama, Akira | Takei, George | Takenaka, Naoto | Takeuchi, Warren T | Talbert, Charlie | Talbot, Lyle | Talbot, Nita | Talbott, Gloria | Tallchief, Maria | Tallman, Patricia | Talman, William | Talvela, Martti | Tam, Alan | Tamada, Paige | Tamba, Tetsuro | Tamblyn, Russ | Tambor, Jeffrey | Tamia | Tamiroff, Akim | Tamura, Takahiro | Tanaka, Kinuyo | Tanaka, Kunie | Tanaka, Min | Tandy, Jessica | Tandy, Mark | Tang, Alan | Tani, Yoko | Tann, Tyrone | Tanner, Antwon | Tanner, Joy | Tapley, Colin | Tapping, Amanda | Tarantina, Brian | Tarantino, Quentin | Tarascio, Enzo | Tarbuck, Barbara | Tate, Larenz | Tate, Nick | Tate, Sharon | Tati, Jacques | Tatsuo, Endo | Tatum, Bradford | Tatum, Roy | Taube, Sven Bertil | Tavernier, Nils | Tayback, Vic | Taylor, Benedict | Taylor, Buck | Taylor, Christine | Taylor, Courtney | Taylor, Deborah | Taylor, Don | Taylor, Dub | Taylor, Duffy | Taylor, Elizabeth | Taylor, Estelle | Taylor, Forrest | Taylor, Grant | Taylor, Holland | Taylor, James | Taylor, Joan | Taylor, Johnnie | Taylor, Joyce | Taylor, Karin | Taylor, Kent | Taylor, Kit | Taylor, Lili | Taylor, Marjorie | Taylor, Mark L | Taylor, Meshach | Taylor, Noah | Taylor, Priscilla | Taylor, Regina | Taylor, Rip | Taylor, Robert | Taylor, Rocky | Taylor, Rod | Taylor, Sandra | Taylor, Tamara | Taylor, Vaughn | Teagarden, Jack | Teague, Marshall | Teal, Ray | Teale, Owen | Tebaldi, Renata | Tedeschi, Tony | Tedeschi, Valeria Bruni | Tefkin, Blair | Tellefsen, Rut | Temple, Shirley | Tench, John | Tennant, Nicholas | Tennant, Victoria | Tenney, Anne | Tenney, Jon | Tenuta, Judy | Tenzin, Jamyang | Tenzin, Tulku Jamyang Kunga | Teo | Terao, Akira | Terfel, Bryn | Terhune, Max | Terlesky, John | Termo, Leonard | Terry, John | Terry, Nigel | Terry, Sheila | Terry, Sonny | Tessier, Robert | Tester, Desmond | Tethong, Gyurme | Tetlow, Christopher | Teuber, Karl Heinz | Tewes, Lauren | Thai, Tai | Thal, Eric | Thalbach, Katharina | Thames, Byron | Thatcher, Heather | Thatcher, Torin | Thaw, John | Thaxter, Phyllis | Thayer, Brynn | Thayer, Julia | Thayer, Lorna | Thedford, Marcello | Thelen, Jodi | Theron, Charlize | Theroux, Justin | Thesiger, Ernest | Thewlis, David | Thicke, Alan | Thigpen, Kevin | Thigpen, Lynne | Thinnes, Roy | Thivisol, Victoire | Thomas, Terry | Thomas, Alex | Thomas, Betty | Thomas, Damien | Thomas, Danny | Thomas, Dave | Thomas, David Jean | Thomas, Frankie | Thomas, Heather | Thomas, Henry | Thomas, Isiah | Thomas, Jameson | Thomas, Jay | Thomas, Jonathan Taylor | Thomas, Kristin Scott | Thomas, Marlo | Thomas, Rachel | Thomas, Richard | Thomas, Robin | Thomas, Serena Scott | Thomas, Sian | Thomas, Sunset | Thomassin, Florence | Thomerson, Tim | Thompson, Andrea | Thompson, Brian | Thompson, Emma | Thompson, Fred Dalton | Thompson, Jack | Thompson, Kay | Thompson, Kenan | Thompson, Kevin | Thompson, Lea | Thompson, Marshall | Thompson, Randy | Thompson, Reece P | Thompson, Rex | Thompson, Sada | Thompson, Scott | Thompson, Shawn Alex | Thompson, Slim | Thompson, Sophie | Thompson, Susanna | Thomsen, Greg Gomez | Thomson, Helen | Thomson, Pat | Thomson, Scott | Thonden, Phintso | Thor, Cameron | Thorburn, Jim | Thorlakson, Wendy | Thorley, Ken | Thorn, Frankie | Thornbury, Bill | Thorndike, Sybil | Thornton, Billy Bob | Thornton, David | Thornton, Frank | Thornton, Noley | Thornton, Sigrid | Thorsen, Sven Ole | Thorson, Linda | Threlfall, David | Thring, Frank | Throne, Malachi | Thrush, Michelle | Thulin, Ingrid | Thundercloud, Chief | Thurman, Bill | Thurman, Uma | Tichy, Georg | Ticotin, Rachel | Tien, James | Tiernan, Andrew | Tierney, Gene | Tierney, Jacob | Tierney, John | Tierney, Lawrence | Tierney, Malcolm | Tierney, Maura | Tiffe, Angelo | Tiffin, Pamela | Tighe, Kevin | Till, Jenny | Tiller, Stephen | Tillis, Mel | Tilly, Jennifer | Tilly, Meg | Tilton, Charlene | Timmins, Cali | Timothy, Christopher | Timsit, Patrick | Tin, Rin Tin | Tippo, Patti | Tissot, Marc | Tobey, Kenneth | Tobias, George | Tobias, Oliver | Tobolowsky, Stephen | Tocha, Paulo | Tochi, Brian | Todd, Ann | Todd, Beverly | Todd, Hallie | Todd, Richard | Todd, Thelma | Todd, Tony | Todorovic, Bora | Tognazzi, Ugo | Toji, Marcus | Tokui, Yu | Tolan, Michael | Toler, Sidney | Tolkan, James | Tolsty | Tom, David | Tom, Lauren | Tom, Nicholle | Tombes, Andrew | Tomei, Adam | Tomei, Concetta | Tomei, Marisa | Tomelty, Frances | Tomelty, Joseph | Tomisaburo, Wakayama | Tomita, Tamlyn | Tomlin, Lily | Tomlins, Jason | Tomlinson, David | Tomlinson, Ricky | Tompkins, Angel | Tompkinson, Stephen | Tone, Franchot | Tong, Jacqueline | Tong, Ken | Toomey, Regis | Toone, Geoffrey | Tootoosis, Gordon | Topic, Velibor | Topjar, Tenzin | Topol | Torey, Hal | Torgov, Sarah | Torme, Mel | Tormey, John | Torn, Rip | Torrence, Ernest | Torrent, Ana | Torres, Fernanda | Torres, Liz | Torreton, Philippe | Torry, Guy | Torry, Joe | Torti, Robert | Toscanini, Arturo | Tosh, Peter | Tossberg, Robert | Toth, Nick | Totter, Audrey | Toub, Shaun | Touliatos, George | Tour, Frances De La | Tour, Nick La | Tousey, Sheila | Toussaint, Beth | Toussaint, Lorraine | Tovar, Lupita | Towb, Harry | Towers, Constance | Towers, Robert | Towles, Tom | Towne, Aline | Towne, Robert | Townes, Harry | Townsend, Jill | Townsend, Robert | Townsend, Vince | Townshend, Pete | Toyokawa, Etsushi | Tracey, Ian | Trachta, Jeff | Trachtenberg, Michelle | Tracy, Lee | Tracy, Spencer | Tracy, William | Trainor, Mary Ellen | Trainor, Saxon | Tran, Tung Thanh | Traum, Happy | Travanti, Daniel J | Travers, Bill | Travers, Henry | Travis, Greg | Travis, June | Travis, Kylie | Travis, Nancy | Travis, Randy | Travis, Richard | Travolta, Ellen | Travolta, Joey | Travolta, John | Traylor, Susan | Treacher, Arthur | Treadwell, Laura | Treanor, Michael | Treas, Terri | Trebor, Robert | Treen, Mary | Trejo, Danny | Tremayne, Les | Tremblay, Johanne Marie | Tremblett, Ken | Tremko, Anne | Trenker, Luis | Trese, Adam | Treves, Frederick | Trevisi, Franco | Trevor, Austin | Trevor, Claire | Tricky | Trieste, Leopoldo | Trifunovic, Sergej | Trigger | Trigger, Sarah | Trilling, Zoe | Trimble, Jerry | Trinley, Tenzin | Trintignant, Jean Louis | Trintignant, Marie | Tripplehorn, Jeanne | Trissenaar, Elisabeth | Tristan, Dorothy | Tritt, Travis | Trost, Scott | Trotta, Margarethe Von | Trotter, Kate | Troughton, David | Troughton, Patrick | Trowbridge, Charles | Troxell, Richard L | Troyanos, Tatiana | Trudell, John | True, Rachel | Truex, Ernest | Trujillo, Raoul | Tryon, Tom | Tsamchoe, Lhakpa | Tsang, Eric | Tsarong, Tenzin Thuthob | Tsarong, Tsewang Jigme | Tso, Yee Jee | Tsoppi, Viktor | Tsou, Ce Ce | Tsubouchi, Mikiko | Tsugawa, Masahiko | Tsukamoto, Shinya | Tubb, Barry | Tubb, Ernest | Tucci, Michael | Tucci, Stanley | Tucci, Tony | Tuck, Jessica | Tucker, Chris | Tucker, Forrest | Tucker, Joe | Tucker, Jonathan | Tucker, Michael | Tucker, Richard | Tucker, Tanya | Tufts, Sonny | Tuiasosopo, Peter Navy | Tully, Tom | Tung, Bill | Tung, Eileen | Tunie, Tamara | Tunney, Robin | Turco, Paige | Turk, Brian | Turkel, Ann | Turman, Glynn | Turner, Douglas | Turner, Frank C | Turner, Guinevere | Turner, Janine | Turner, John | Turner, Kathleen | Turner, Lana | Turner, Leonard O | Turner, Tina | Turner, Tyrin | Turpin, Ben | Turturro, Aida | Turturro, John | Turturro, Nicholas | Tushingham, Rita | Tutin, Dorothy | Tutor, Tracy | Tutt, Julian Rhind | Tuttle, Lurene | Twardowski, Hans Von | Tweed, Shannon | Tweedle, Carolyn | Twiggy | Twomey, Anne | Tydings, Alexandra | Tyler, Harry | Tyler, Liv | Tyler, Tom | Tylo, Michael | Tyrrell, Susan | Tyson, Barbara | Tyson, Cathy | Tyson, Cicely | Tyson, Hayley | Tyson, Mike | Tyson, Pamala | Tyson, Richard | Tyzack, Margaret
    Wong, AnthonyWong, Anthony | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Woo, JohnWoo, John | ( W ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
    GeneralGeneral | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
    Hong KongHong Kong | Asian Cinema | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
    Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
    Martial ArtsMartial Arts | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
    Mystery & SuspenseMystery & Suspense | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
    ( H )( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
    Similar Items:
    1. The Killer The Killer
    2. Once a Thief Once a Thief
    3. Infernal Affairs (Wu jian dao) Infernal Affairs (Wu jian dao)
    4. Full Contact Full Contact
    5. City on Fire City on Fire

    ASIN: B0000WN1KY
    Release Date: 2003-11-25

    Amazon.com essential video

    Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Chow Yun-fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage), Hard-Boiled is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. --Robert Lane

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars A Chinese Die Hard.......2007-06-28

    Hard Boiled was the last film John Woo did on location in Hong Kong before his eventual move to Hollywood. Part reaction to the escalating violence Hong Kong was experiencing at the time, the film pays homage to the Hong Kong Police.

    Starring Chow Yun Fat and Tony Lueng as two policeman out to stop an arms smuggling triad. The two actors exhibit all of the characteristics of any actor in Woo film. Woo also uses his trademark filmmaking style and ulta violence to make his points. Look for freeze frames and Sam Peckinpaugh like slow motion throughout the film.

    This is not for the squeamish or those not fond of gun violence. Approximately 100,000 blanks were fired making the film and the body count tops 200. Part of the point here is that violence affects us all. Bystanders are not spared by Woo. The only hope may lie in the next generation. Woo states in his commentary track that this is why he often employs infants in his films. Woo says that he was angered with the Hong Kong situation at the time of filming and his anger shows.

    The version I viewed was the Winstar edition. The quality of the transfer was fine but the subtitling could have used some improvements. However, we find out in the commentary that Woo is not too concerned with dialogue he would rather have images tell the story. The sound is also adequate. We have a mono track that would really be improved by at least a stereo remaster. This is not the best edition of the film out there but unless you are willing to shell out the big bucks for the out of print Criterion this is the best you are likely to get.

    This edition has production notes and filmographies, trailers for Hard Boiled and The Killer and an excellent commentary track by Woo and Terrence Chang.

    Worth seeing.

    5 out of 5 stars A classic .......2007-03-28

    This movie truly is a classic action movie. Chow Yun Fat at his best. I loved it. Be warned, Dragon Dynasty is re-releasing a 2 disc edition in July with all new bonus features.

    4 out of 5 stars New Re-Release on the way.......2007-02-24

    I love this movie so much. I haven't watched it in a while mostly because I have a widescreen TV and the old Criterion version is non-anamorphic. The good news is that Dragon Dynasty will be re-issuing this John Woo classic in May. I cannot wait and those of you who can't find it, stop wasting your money on ebay and stop spending way too much. You'll be able to get your own very soon. Start the countdown...

    5 out of 5 stars THE BEST ACTION MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-01-27

    THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST ACTION MOVIE EVER MADE! JOHN WOO IS A MASTER DIRECTOR. CHOW-YUN-FAT IS THE MAN. THIS MOVIE HAS THE BIGGEST BODY COUNT IN ANY MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN. THIS IS ACTION FILM-MAKING AT ITS UTMOST FINEST. DEFINATELY ONE FOR ANY HARD-CORE ACTION FANS COLLECTION.

    4 out of 5 stars Great action, messy plot..........2006-12-27

    This was the last film John Woo made in Hong Kong before he left for Hollywood (which has royally screwed him over, but that's another review). Many people debate whether Hard Boiled or The Killer are Woo's best. My money is on The Killer, but I still really admire the hell out of this film. It has some of the most amazing action sequences ever committed to celluloid. Are they realistic? Absolutely not. One of the funniest things about Woo films is that the characters rarely, if ever, reload their guns. The teahouse shootout is a great example. Yun-Fat picks up the bad guys' guns, and fires at least 40 rounds or so with each gun. Automatic guns hold 10 bullets or so in a clip, so where Yun-Fat found the extra clips is unknown at this point. The plot of this film leaves quite a lot to be desired. The film was a troubled production. The original script had Tony Leung's character as a pyschotic killer who was planning on poisoning little children by tampering with baby formula. After shooting the teahouse shootout, the film shut down for a month, and a major rewrite took place. They ended up making Leung's character an undercover cop. This was due to the fact that Chow Yun-Fat thought the Hong Kong public would find a baby killer too disturbing. Woo agreed, and shut down the film (Hong Kong films are quite similar to Hollywood in that respect). A lot of this film doesn't make an ounce of sense when Leung's character kills many people, just in order to stay in character. I'm not really sure about that. Thematically, the film is a mess. But the opening shootout at the teahouse, the warehouse raid, and the utterly amazing shootout at the hospital (it lasts nearly 45 minutes, including an unbroken take of 2 minutes and 42 seconds) make this film worthwhile. This film didn't have as much depth as Woo's other Hong Kong work, but it still manages to outdo all Hollywood films in terms of character and depth.
    Hard-Boiled
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Hard-Boiled
      Starring: Chow Yun-Fat , Kwan Hoi-Shan , Cheung Jue-lin , Tsang Kong , and Philip Kwok
      Director: John Woo
      Manufacturer: Import
      ProductGroup: DVD
      Binding: DVD

      CrimeCrime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
      GeneralGeneral | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
      ThrillersThrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
      Police & Detective FilmsPolice & Detective Films | By Theme | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
      Race Against TimeRace Against Time | By Theme | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
      GeneralGeneral | Hong Kong Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
      Chow Yun-FatChow Yun-Fat | Action Stars | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
      John WooJohn Woo | Action Directors | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
      GeneralGeneral | Hong Kong | By Country | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
      Chan, PhilipChan, Philip | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Yun-Fat, ChowYun-Fat, Chow | ( Y ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Kwok, PhilipKwok, Philip | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Lam, BowieLam, Bowie | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Lee, DannyLee, Danny | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Leung Chiu Wai, TonyLeung Chiu Wai, Tony | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Wong, AnthonyWong, Anthony | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Woo, JohnWoo, John | ( W ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
      Hong KongHong Kong | Asian Cinema | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
      Martial ArtsMartial Arts | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
      DVDs Under $14.99DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
      ( H )( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
      ASIN: B0007VY5NK
      Release Date: 2003-11-25
      Infernal Affairs (Tartan Asia Extreme) [Region 2 Import - UK]
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Infernal Affairs (Tartan Asia Extreme) [Region 2 Import - UK]

        Manufacturer: Tartan Video
        ProductGroup: DVD
        Binding: DVD

        GeneralGeneral | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
        DTSDTS | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
        GeneralGeneral | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
        GeneralGeneral | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video
        ASIN: B000I3OT5G

        Product Description

        Ming (Andy Lau) and Yan (Tony Leung) lead parallel lives: Ming is a Triad mole in the police department; Yan is a police stooge in mob boss Sam's (Eric Tsang) Triad gang. Both men have a desire to put their false lives behind them and to take up their rightful places in a society that eludes them. One night, during a police raid to bring down Sam's mob empire, the two men's paths finally cross. Both the police and the mob soon realise that there is a mole amongst them, and a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues. In this race against time nobody is safe, and the lives of everyone involved becomes threatened. In the meantime, Superintendent Wong (Anthony Wong) does his best to keep Yan's secret safe, but how long can the men's hidden lives remain undiscovered? The first in an explosive and internationally praised trilogy, Internal Affairs sets a stylish benchmark for modern thrillers and broke all-time box office records in Hong Kong.
        Hard Boiled Criterion Collection and The Killer Criterion Collection (John Woo Classic Collector's Series) 2 DVD Set
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Hard Boiled Criterion Collection and The Killer Criterion Collection (John Woo Classic Collector's Series) 2 DVD Set

          ProductGroup: DVD
          Binding: DVD

          GeneralGeneral | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
          AllAll | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video
          GeneralGeneral | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
          Product Features:
          • Both of these DVDs are made by the Criterion Collection and are Long Out of Print and now Rare to find.
          • The inscribed Nimbus letters on the bottom of the discs and White Rings indicate they are authentic and not Bootlegs.

          ASIN: B000FTFUCO

          Product Description

          Both of these DVDs are made by the Criterion Collection and are Long Out of Print and now Rare to find. The inscribed Nimbus letters on the bottom of the discs and White Rings indicate they are authentic and not Bootlegs.
          Amped
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Amped

            Manufacturer: Poche Pictures
            ProductGroup: DVD
            Binding: DVD

            DVDs Under $14.99DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
            GeneralGeneral | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
            ASIN: B000VA600S
            Release Date: 2007-08-30

            DVD:

            1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Widescreen Edition) (Harry Potter 4)
            2. Hatari!
            3. Homeward Bound - The Incredible Journey
            4. Ice Station Zebra
            5. In Harm's Way
            6. In Search of the Castaways
            7. Interview with the Vampire
            8. James Bond Ultimate Edition Boxed Sets Bundle
            9. James Bond Ultimate Edition Boxed Sets Bundle
            10. Joe Versus the Volcano

            DVD

            DVD