Hard Boiled was John Woo’s last Hong Kong film before going to work in America and directing blockbusters such as Face/Off and Mission: Impossible 2. The film is charged with the same kinetic energy and flamboyantly choreographed action sequences that constitute the essence of Woo’s cinema. Like his earlier film The Killer, Hard Boiled delves into the familiar territory of Hong Kong’s underground triads. Tequila (Chow Yun-Fat) is an experienced cop who’s out to bring down the gangsters who killed his partner. Undercover agent Tony (Tony Leung) is on the verge of breaking into the most elusive and dangerous section of the mob. However, to maintain his cover, Tony has to make several quick and rash decisions that grey the lines between good and eviloanother popular theme in Woo’s films. The relentless pace builds to an extraordinary climax of sheer mayhem inside a hospital, where Tequila stands his ground with an automatic weapon in one hand and a baby in the other.
Hong Kong, 1992. English subtitles. Colour. 126 mins.