The Killer

Absolute masterpiece that combines brilliant cinematography and visuals, strong characterisation, brutal violence, and a manly, poetic tale that questions deeply the meaning of the words friend, sense of duty, and honour. This is a movie that deserves to be seen, known, and remembered for the ages. Inspired by brilliant 60's french films like Le Samouraï, it is to cinema what Beethoven's 7th was to music: perhaps not the most well-known of his works, but one of the most radical, expressive, memorable, powerful. From the genius of his camera to the brilliance of his actors, music, mood, scenes, and the questions it raises that go beyond the artistry and enter philosophy, The Killer is a must-see above all.

Nice Film with impressive acting, direction, editing and story. One of the greatest action crime films of all time

Brilliance! Along with Hard-Boiled, these are your Hong Kong action movie fix if you haven't seen them. Woo is beyond words.

Writer / director John Woo essentially invented a sub-genre with the string of hits he released in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Later dubbed “heroic bloodshed” films, their plots typically place a conscientious anti-hero in conflict with his superiors, pitting loyalty against a private code of honor. Essentially pure and simple action movies with an added dash of self-reflection and a jaw-dropping capacity for ammunition. This one, sandwiched in the middle of a six-year collaboration with star Chow Yun-Fat, would become the pair’s international breakthrough. In The Killer’s setup, Woo pays tribute to a personal influence. Calmly infiltrating a busy night club to fulfill a contract, Yun-Fat slays the manager and fatefully encounters a beautiful lounge singer, just like in Jean-Pierre Melville’s fashion-conscious 1967 gangster film, Le Samouraï. The similarities end there. In the ensuing firefight, the girl is inadvertently blinded and the killer has an epiphany, casting aside his career to atone for the collateral damage. At first, he’s tracked by a persistent undercover officer, but those two soon develop a sense of mutual respect and unite against a common enemy. Though the intention may have been for an even split between fierce, kinetic violence and soul-searching contemplation, only the former aspects are worth mentioning. Bad dialogue, ham-fisted delivery and a clunky, low-rate production may spoil the film’s deeper aspirations, but hey, at least the fight scenes are lights-out. Easy to see how the title character, and this film, has influenced action cinema for decades to come: he’s John Wick, twenty-five years ahead of the curve. Yun-Fat is perfect in that role, always the coolest guy in the room and a fluid natural with pistols and rifles of all sizes. That said, the constant gunplay can grow tiresome, especially during the jumbo-sized final shootout, and the main characters’ plot armor is outrageously thick. A fun ride, if perhaps a bit shallow. Remember to wear ear protection.

For many, "The Killer" is where John Woo finally found his footing as a pioneer or action, cinematic violence and all things "heroic bloodshed" and, while I still think "Hard Boiled" is the real truth, I see a lot to like here . The shootouts are just the bee's knees. I also quite enjoyed the dynamic between Chow Yun-fat and Danny Lee towards the end of the film, with the final set piece representing an easy highlight of the entire experience. For me, though, some of the melodrama was a bit heavy-handed, with all of it building to a conclusion that I felt trended towards "The Mist" in terms of ones that represent a middle finger to the audience.