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The Killer
1989
In John Woo's THE KILLER, a hired assassin (Chow Yun-Fat) accidentally blinds a beautiful nightclub singer during what was supposed to be his last murder. When he falls in love with her and accepts another contract in order to finance her cornea surgery, the stage is set for a long and bloody confrontation. A boisterous bullet .. Read more
| Starring | Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Ken Tsang |
|---|---|
| Director | John Woo |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller, World Cinema |
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The Killer
In John Woo's THE KILLER, a hired assassin (Chow Yun-Fat) accidentally blinds a beautiful nightclub singer during what was supposed to be his last murder. When he falls in love with her and accepts another contract in order to finance her cornea surgery, the stage is set for a long and bloody confrontation. A boisterous bullet opera from Woo, tempered as usual with his fascination with the notion of the honorable killer and with the doubling of similar men whom circumstances have placed on opposite sides of the law. The film is very heavy on Catholic imagery and redemption motifs.
| Starring | Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Ken Tsang, Shing Fui-On, Chu Kong, Barry Wong, Parkman Wong |
|---|---|
| Director | John Woo |
| Studio | E1 ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 46 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller, World Cinema |
| Language | Cantonese, Chinese |
| Released | DVD: not available Production year: 1989 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (6)
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A Hong Kong gangster movie that's directed with such over-the-top verve by John Woo you're transfixed by its audacity, despite several stomach-churning scenes of violence. Chow Yun-Fat plays the assassin who decides to quit his profession after accidentally blinding a singer (Sally Yeh) during a hit in a nightclub. When he learns that her sight could be restored through an operation, he decides to fund it by doing just one more job. Of its amoral kind it's great bullet-dodging fun, but it's definitely not for the faint-hearted.
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"...Woo pushes the already gonzo conventions of Hong Kong action-melodrama into the stratosphere....It's a hellzapoppin' gunfight festival..."
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Most helpful member's review
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14 out of 14 people found this review helpful
My favourite John Woo flick
I still find it hard to believe that it took so long for John Woo to make it big in Hollywood when he was turning out films like this years ago. Anyone who hasn't seen this before will be familiar with the storyline (Hitman with a conscience vs maverick but honourable cop with similar personality traits) but consider that this came out in 1989 and was revolutionary at the time. We all know this plot has been copied again and again since then.
For me, this is the complete film. The acting is top-notch (the female lead hams it up a LITTLE bit sometimes), the story is strong, the action sequences are well thought out and don't have to dominate the film and Chow Yun Fat & Danny Lee are utterly believable in the the quiet, reflective scenes.
This film, for me anyway, rates alongside the legendary Scarface in the 'frequently copied, never bettered' genre of cinema.
OWN THIS FILM!!! -
Most recent members' review
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6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
WOW
Incredible John Woo action film, doubly incredible when you bare in mind this was made fifteen years ago, before the special effects that emerged in Jurassic Park four years later and notably before anyone had heard of Tarantino or even Raimi's `Desperado`. Indeed many have mimicked Woo's action artistry and imagery, I like to view him as the Japanese Peckinpath - films with emotion and feeling but normally an utterly enormous bloodbath at the end of the film. Bullets zip through the air, Woo zooms in on Yun-Fat's expression, a dove hovers near a candle - this all occurs in a split second in Woo films. Conclusion - a definitive action film that set the tone and theme for 90's action films. Would we have seen Kill Bill if it wasn't for Woo?
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