Review of Hard Boiled (1992) by Naoya K — 23 Jun 2009
Having struck gold with 'A Better Tomorrow' (1986), ''City on Fire' (1987) and 'The Killer' (1989) the golden Oriental director and actor duo of John Woo and Chow Yun Fat perhaps reached their pinnacle with Hard Boiled: a breathtaking action film of jaw-dropping precision and shoot-outs that come straight from the wet dreams of a dedicated teenage action movie junkie.
By this time, the mere fact that these two were working on a project together was enough to send Hong Kong and the rest of Asia into an absolute frenzy of expectation, and by heck they were not disappointed by this one.
Drawing comparison with some of the best Westerns ever made, 'Hard Boiled' tells the story of a macho lawman, guilt-ridden following the untimely death of his partner, who seeks revenge against the motorcycle crew terrorising his part of town.
He sees it as a one-man mission but is reluctantly joined by fellow agent Tony Leung who proves the perfect foil to Fat's machismo. Stunning cinematography, inventive settings and legendary shoot-outs and stand-offs underpin a virtuoso action classic which had Hollywood personnel creaming their pants.
Set in the future, Hard Boiled appears as if it were made in the future. Looking back, only Woo could have gotten away with the series of improbable scenarios to which we are treated here with a style reminiscent of Sergio Leone or Sam Peckinpah at their very best (I'm thinking here of 'The Wild Bunch' (1969) in particular, that decadent western in which a group of seasoned outlaws fight their way back to the United States).
Could 'Hard Boiled' be the best action film ever made?
This review of Hard Boiled (1992) was written by Naoya K on 23 Jun 2009.
Hard Boiled has generally received very positive reviews.
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