Review of Hard Boiled (1992) by Craig H — 16 Nov 2009
The zenith of all Asian gun fu films, that took violence to its outlandish, illogical extreme. Imagine if you will a world where Hong Kong is positively swimming in firearms. Enter one "Tequila" Yuen (Chow Yun Fat, God amongst men), a cop on the edge, with a hair-trigger temper, lady troubles, insubordination, a fondness for confrontation, seltzer, sarcasm, and clarinet-laden jazz.
He *IS* the Chinese Dirty Harry. On the trail of a local arms dealer, he crosses paths with a hitman (Tony Leung) who isn't all he appears to be and the two of them team up to rid Hong Kong of the gun-running syndicate (led by Anthony Wong).
The violence in this film is, quite simply, ridiculous. RIDICULOUSLY ENTERTAINING, don't get me wrong, but still requires an "Invasion USA"-level of disbelief (as in "completely un-fricking believable").
There are shootings in libraries, gunfights in tea shops, gunfights on boats, gunfights in warehouses, and an extended gunfight in a hospital that goes on forever that has to be seen to be believed. The body count is somewhere in the low hundreds.
We've got infants in danger, cops dying by the gross, crippled patients being executed, Lionel Ritchie songs, trick shots so unrealistic I'm led to believe there is no Chinese word for 'credulity', guns, guns, guns, all while Tequila flies through the air, both his pistols blazing, saving the world one shell casing at a time.
This movie changed my life. I'm not lying. I've seen "The Killerâ??. Iâ??ve seen "A Better Tomorrow". I've seen "City on Fire". But THIS is the film that stole my heart.
Oh, and it's directed by John Woo, so that makes this film A++. Woodchuck sez, "Absolutely check this out.".
This review of Hard Boiled (1992) was written by Craig H on 16 Nov 2009.
Hard Boiled has generally received very positive reviews.
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