Review of Hard Boiled (1992) by Al M — 24 Jun 2010
In terms of substance, Hard Boiled feels like a 1980s action flick--Commando or Red Heat with Schwartzenegger come to mine--but unlike those films it brought an artistry and directorial power to the genre that had never existed in this stlye before.
One cannot really imagine Tarantino, the Bourne films, or The Matrix films without John Woo's action film's having paved the way. Hard Boiled is slick, stylish, and bad ass from its opening moments up until the credits role.
Hard Boiled alternates humor and drama to develop its characters into people we care about, and it also hints at the angst in Hong Kong over the impending return to Chinese ownership. Hence, Woo's film is not simply a brain-dead series of explosions and gun fights.
However, while it does contain these slightly deeper elements, it also builds exponentially in terms of action. The testosterone-fueled battle sequences build from the opening scene of the film up until the very end--each new battle scene tops the previous one in terms of intensity.
Woo pushes us over the top in a way that is always fun but also always cool and stylish as hell. Hard Boiled is a testament to the way in which even the most seemingly superfluous film genres can be crafted in a manner that makes them pieces of art.
This review of Hard Boiled (1992) was written by Al M on 24 Jun 2010.
Hard Boiled has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
