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Movies / On DVD / The Killer
The Killer

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The Killer (1989)

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Reviews Counted:30

Fresh:30

Rotten:0

Average Rating:8.7/10

Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins

Genre: Foreign Films

Synopsis: When Jeffrey, a hit man, accidentally blinds a young nightclub chanteuse, his guilt makes him leave the racket to take care of her. Falling in love with the vulnerable singer, he eventually agrees... When Jeffrey, a hit man, accidentally blinds a young nightclub chanteuse, his guilt makes him leave the racket to take care of her. Falling in love with the vulnerable singer, he eventually agrees to do one last hit to raise the money needed for a cornea transplant that might restore her vision. His assignment is to assassinate mob leader Tony Weng during the crowded Dragon Boat Festival. The hit is successful, despite all the police protection, and he almost gets away. But a child is injured during his escape, and Jeffrey nearly gets caught while taking the time to drive her to a nearby hospital for medical attention. Because his identity was revealed while saving the child, the new crime boss now wants him killed. Refusing to pay him for the successful hit, he puts a contract out on his life instead. [More]

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Chu Kong

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Chu Kong, Kenneth Tsang, Fui-on Shing, Barry Wong, Parkman Wong

Director: John Woo

Director: John Woo
Producer: Tsui Hark

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Killer

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1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

It's as much a doomed romance as a shoot-'em-up.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
03/01/07
Alan Morrison
Alan Morrison
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The most dementedly elegiac thriller you've ever seen.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Woo has cited Sam Peckinpah and Martin Scorsese as two of his influences, but he has established a touch all his own.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
10/23/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

The Killer is a welcome change from the typical action flick.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
07/25/01
Ryan Cracknell
Ryan Cracknell
Apollo Guide

The best marriage of intense, exciting, bloody action with a strong, affecting story I have ever seen.

Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | comment Comment
01/13/04
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com

[It] makes The Wild Bunch climax look lethargic by comparison.

Full Review Source: Nitrate Online | comment Comment
02/03/06
KJ Doughton
KJ Doughton
Nitrate Online

This is a rush of a movie.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Hal Hinson
Hal Hinson
Washington Post

The director repeatedly places the viewer at the center of the crossfire and turns the gyrating camera into the next best thing to a lethal weapon.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
02/11/06
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's one of the rare action movies in which you really care about the fate of the characters.

Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal

This latest example of the irrepressible and amazing filmmaking that's been going on in Hong Kong is the best yet.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Kathleen Maher
Kathleen Maher
Austin Chronicle

A blood-soaked and lead-poisoned calling card to Western audiences from John Woo and Chow Yun Fat.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
03/19/03
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

It's a frenetic, intense, visceral, and adrenaline-rushing film, filled with dizzying action sequences that thrill the viewer, leaving them giddy.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Ted Prigge
Ted Prigge
rec.arts.movies.reviews

It is one of the great movies (not film, but movie; there's a difference) of al time, as perfect an action film as one could ask for.

Full Review Source: Netflix | comment Comment
11/07/02
James Rocchi
James Rocchi
Netflix

A lot of claims have been made for this campy bloodbath concerto by Hong Kong director John Woo, and I must admit that he's even better than Brian De Palma at delivering emotional and visceral excess with staccato relentlessness.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
03/01/07
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader

Of course, Woo’s established strength is the shootout. Characteristically they exhibit each party’s strengths: the hero’s agility, the enemy’s numbers, and the formidable ratio between them.

Full Review Source: Not Coming to a Theater Near You | comment Comment
12/16/02
Rumsey Taylor
Rumsey Taylor
Not Coming to a Theater Near You

In the world of John Woo's over-the-top action movies, it seems there's no problem that can't be solved by a hail of bullets. Don't be fooled; The Killer is far more than the sum of its plot elements.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
07/30/03
TV Guide's Movie Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
02/27/01
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
11/28/08
Liam Lacey
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Goatdog's Movies | comment Comment
10/21/02
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Goatdog's Movies
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
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Latest News for The Killer

October 12, 2009: Total Recall: RT's Favorite Gunfights
We at Rotten Tomatoes abhor violence -- in the real world, anyway. However, expertly-staged gunplay is one of the reasons we love going to the movies -- there's nothing like the... More...

April 27, 2007: When Is A DVD Worth $400? A Look At Criterion Collectibles
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May 18, 2005: John Woo Makes a "Stranglehold" On Video Game Property
The Hollywood Reporter brings news of an upcoming non-movie project for acclaimed director John Woo ("The Killer," "Face/Off"). It was announced at the 2005... More...

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