A supercharged thriller.
Hard Boiled (1992)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:31
Fresh:29
Rotten:2
Average Rating:7.8/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins
Genre: Foreign Films
Synopsis: After a deadly shoot-out with a ruthless band of gunrunners, Inspector "Tequila" Yuen (Yun Fat) is reprimanded by the police brass for excessive use of force. He soon gets himself into even more... After a deadly shoot-out with a ruthless band of gunrunners, Inspector "Tequila" Yuen (Yun Fat) is reprimanded by the police brass for excessive use of force. He soon gets himself into even more trouble by trying to arrest a gangster who is actually an undercover agent. But Yuen gets one last chance to redeem himself in the film's blood-soaked finale. Teaming up with the undercover cop, Yuen battles the mob in an apocalyptic gunfight at the city hospital. In addition to subduing the criminals, he also has to rescue a newborn baby mistakenly left behind in the flames of the burning nursery. [More]
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Theresa Mo, Philip Chan
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Theresa Mo, Philip Chan, Anthony Wong, Philip Kwok, Kwan Hoi Sang, Tung Wai, Bowie Lam, Meng Lo, Ng Shui-Tung, Benny Lam, Lau Kong
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Story: John Woo
Screenwriter: Barry Wong
Composer: Michael Gibbs
Reviews for Hard Boiled
Infinitely more exciting than a dozen Die Hards, action cinema doesn't come any better than this.
The action sequences here are less overtly beautiful than in his previous films, but they're far more complex and explosive.
The kinetic action set pieces of Hard-Boiled are so tightly-wound, so intense, that they will either exhilarate or scare off action fans bred on the relatively lame offerings provided by major Hollywood studios.
Hard Boiled takes Woo's signature gunplay to even more hyperbolic extremes than he had previously achieved.
Choreographically stunning like most of Woo's work, especially before he headed West.
John Woo's poetically violent action sequences are his trademark, and Hard-Boiled features three stunning examples.
A master stylist, Woo is similarly brilliant at examining the moral and social hierarchies of his patriarchal crime worlds.
Weak John Woo film. Some good action scenes, but no heart. See Bullet in the Head instead.
Mr. Woo does, in fact, seem to be a very brisk, talented director with a gift for the flashy effect and the bizarre confrontation.
Short on plot or brains, but miles-long on fantastic action and ultra-hipness. Chow Yun Fat displays a level of excellence not seen in his American-made films.
This film is capital -N Not For Everyone, but it is also one of the best action films of all time.
Latest News for Hard Boiled
March 15, 2009:
Woo's Stranglehold Will Be Hard Boiled "Reinvention" ![]()
Remember last week's reports of a "Hard Boiled" sequel, based on the "Stranglehold" videogame? According to John Woo's production partner Terence Chang, those reports were only... More...
March 08, 2009:
John Woo Gets Hard Boiled All Over Again ![]()
John Woo is developing a sequel to "Hard Boiled" -- one which will take its inspiration from the Woo-produced 2007 videogame "Stranglehold." More...
August 05, 2008:
Sam Jackson's Top 10 New Classic Asian Films ![]()
Wondering if you've seen the latest, greatest Asian movies? Samuel L. Jackson is here to help: he's drawn up a list of his Top 10 New Classic Asian Films for Entertainment Weekly. More...
March 16, 2006:
Chow Gets on Board a "Hard Boiled" Remake?
ComingSoon.net shares some news from Kaiju Shakedown, and it seems that Chow-Yun Fat has signed on to star in a remake of his John Woo's well-admired "Hard Boiled." More...
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