John Woo’s ‘Hard-Boiled’ is the best action-crime film ever made. Fight me.
The 1992 movie, with its dazzlingly choreographed bullet ballet sequences, raised the bar and paved the way for ‘The Matrix’ and ‘John Wick.’
Thirty-three years ago this month, John Woo’s crime thriller “Hard-Boiled” had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and immediately rewrote the action-movie playbook. Its dizzyingly choreographed scenes of bullet-ridden mayhem, a staple of the run-and-gun Hong Kong filmmaking scene of the ’70s and ’80s from which it flowered, influenced a generation of filmmakers including the Wachowskis (“The Matrix”), Quentin Tarantino (“Pulp Fiction”), Chad Stahelski (“John Wick”), Gareth Evans (“The Raid”), Timo Tjahjanto (“Nobody 2”) and Guy Ritchie (“Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”).
It was also the film that proved to be a career launchpad for Woo. Subsequently, he began working in Hollywood, turning out the likes of “Face/Off,” “Mission: Impossible II” and “Windtalkers.”
I couldn’t find the movie in any of my services, so I bought it from Amazon to see if the person who judged it was correct or even close to being accurate. Naw, he was wrong; it doesn’t even come close to being one of the best.
I wonder if the writers get paid to promote movies the same way radios used to get paid to promote records. I am an action buff, and there’s no way I’d consider Hard Boiled the best. If I had to pick one movie for its action, I would choose “The Man From Nowhere.” In fact, The Man From Nowhere is considered by some as having inspired the John Wick films.
AI Summary below
The Man from Nowhere is a 2010 South Korean action thriller film, not a John Wick movie, but it was a significant inspiration for the John Wick franchise, particularly the character of the main protagonist, Cha Tae-sik, and the themes of a quiet, solitary man with a violent past seeking vengeance. Director Chad Stahelski has confirmed that the film’s themes and action sequences influenced John Wick, and the John Wick creative team is even developing an English-language remake of The Man from Nowhere.
Key Similarities to John Wick
- Protagonist: Both films feature a near-unstoppable, highly skilled lone avenger with a tragic past.
Motivation: A deep, personal motivation drives the protagonist, leading to a quest for vengeance against those who wronged him and those he cares about. Action: Both films showcase stylish, intense, and well-choreographed action sequences, establishing the protagonist as a formidable force. Tragic Backstory: The heroes have a violent history that they try to escape but are ultimately drawn back into, with their past actions shaping their present
