Boasting impactful action as well as surprising emotional resonance, Hard Boiled is a powerful thriller that hits hard in more ways than one. Read critic reviews
Hard-Boiled
1992, Action, 2h 6m
36 Reviews 25,000+ RatingsWhat to know
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Hard-Boiled Photos
Movie Info
A cop who loses his partner in a shoot-out with gun smugglers goes on a mission to catch them. In order to get closer to the leaders of the ring he joins forces with an undercover cop who's working as a gangster hitman. They use all means of excessive force to find them.
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Rating: R
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Genre: Action
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Original Language: Chinese
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Director: John Woo
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Producer: Terence Chang, Linda Kuk
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Writer: Barry Ping-Yiu Wong, John Woo
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Release Date (Theaters): wide
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Runtime:
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Sound Mix: Stereo, Mono
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Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)
Cast & Crew
Critic Reviews for Hard-Boiled
Audience Reviews for Hard-Boiled
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John Woo's 1992 action film "Hard Boiled" has some of the most exciting choreographed action sequences ever put on camera. Also like many of John Woo's Hong Kong pictures, it stars Chow Yun-Fat as Tequila, a hard boiled cop who is determined to bring down the gun smugglers who killed his partner in a botched arrest turned gang war in a teahouse. While on the trail he comes across Alan (Tony Leung Chu-wei) who is an undercover cop working in a rival triad before being recruited by Johnny Wong (Anthony Wong). Together the two work to bring down Wong's gun smuggling activities. This leads to one of the most chaotic climaxes in movie history leading to a gun battle between the triad and the police at a hospital. This would be Woo's last film in Hong Kong before heading to Hollywood to make action pictures here. Although, at times "Hard Boiled" plays out like a first person shooter video game where unnammed gangmembers appear out of nowhere only to be killed by the good guys, this may be Woo's best film. It builds more of a story than 1989's "The Killer." And like "The Killer," the movie takes many cues from Jean-Pierre Melville's "Le Samourai" as well as American cop films like "Dirty Harry" and "Bullitt." This film definitely glorifies the police and show their regard for human life as that is contrasted with the triad's disregard for anyone and everyone that stands in their way, regardless of age or their physical condition. Overall, this film is one of the greates action films of the late 1980's to early 1990's and it's no wonder Hollywood wanted John Woo.
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What it lacks in convincing characters, it more than makes up for with insane/brilliant action sequences. Woo threw anything resembling realism out the door, but unlike some of his later stuff, the endless gun battles in "Hard Boiled" never get tedious.
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Whilst 'The Killer' may overshadow 'Hard Boiled', the film still punches its audience right in the chest, pulls them by the lapels into the story, and then doesn't let go until the very end. Powerful and punchy, whilst 'The Killer' is the best of action films, the title for best action sequences ever, with extremely close competition from 'Seven Samurai' must go to this wonderful piece of cinema. Chow Yun Fat returns with Woo, this time as a cop, who following the death of his partner, wants revenge on the Triad gang who killed him. He teams up with Tony Leung, in his best screen role, apart from 'Bullet in the Head', an undercover cop who is more in tune with the Triads than his police allegiance. 'Hard Boiled' doesn't pretend to be a deep journey into certain themes, or a mysterious suspense story. It is an action film through and through with all the usual heroic bloodshed ideas and tone. But it still explodes like fireworks and is a great film to watch. Hollywood should sulk in shame at their level of action, compared to this import from the Hong Kong masters John Woo and Chow Yun Fat. Brilliant, stylised as always, brutal as always, honest as always, 'Hard Boiled' is a racing and bold affair.
Verified