The Killer (1989) User Reviews

One of Hong Kong's best films

[simon_booth · 9/10 · 12 May 2003]

The Killer is widely regarded as John Woo's best all round film, and makes an appearance on an extraordinary number of people's Top 10 lists. This may be because it was the first Hong Kong movie a lot of people saw, as it was one of the first to get any kind of widespread attention in the US. It doesn't feature in my own Top 10, but that's not because it isn't good

Chow Yun Fat plays the titular killer, an assassin who begins to regret his life of violence after accidentally blinding singer Sally Yeh during an assassination. Danny Lee plays the cop on his case, who begins to find he can relate to the killer more than he can to many of his colleagues. Both men are shown to be men whose values of loyalty and honour are increasingly being forgotten by the society in which they live.

THE KILLER pretty much defines the "Heroic Bloodshed" genre, taking the code of chivalry from the old swordplay films and bringing it into the world of guns and bullets. Woo basically started the whole genre with the seminal A BETTER TOMORROW, but THE KILLER is the most distilled vision of the concept he or anybody else in Hong Kong produced. It's a very romanticised film - even though the main characters earn their livings from violence, they're painted as very noble characters and starkly contrasted with the real villains (led by Shing Fui On in his best role ever) who kill without honour. There's a broad message of peace and restraint from violence there too, though it's somewhat conflicted with the romanticisation of some of the bloodshed.

John Woo and Chow Yun Fat were serious box office gold when THE KILLER was made - apart from another Jackie/Sammo/Biao collaboration there was probably no more anticipated collaboration than this one. As such, THE KILLER was afforded a budget and shooting schedule that most Hong Kong productions could never dream of (though still no doubt miniscule compared to any Hollywood film of the time). This is evident in the quality of the production on pretty much ever level. The film has as high production values as any Hong Kong film ever made, and is surely one of the most technically accomplished. Credit for this must be shared between cinematographer Peter Pau, producer Tsui Hark and of course director John Woo.

I've always suspected that the real talent behind the film was probably Tsui Hark - it's rumoured that Tsui & Woo fell out heavily because Tsui felt THE KILLER should be "A Tsui Hark Film" and not "A John Woo" film. Evidence for this is that Woo's earlier and later films have been largely lacking the substance and depth of THE KILLER (especially his Hollywood films, but everybody gets that in Hollywood). However, the interviews on the Hong Kong Legends DVD clearly show that Woo had a vision and pursuit of excellence that was the driving force in the project. He's spoken of very highly by his cast and DOP, who give him the full credit for the film's success. I'd like to hear Tsui Hark's side of the story though

The attention to detail in the film is most obvious in the cinematography. This was Peter Pau's first big film, and the one that established him as one of Hong Kong's top cinematographers. He gives Woo most of the credit for the film's visual style though, describing how much thought Woo would give to the way the camera should be positioned and move to bring out the emotional quality of the scene. I don't have the knowledge/education to be able to perceive how the camerawork in the film does contribute to the emotional depth, but I can acknowledge that it's effective.

Woo is often regarded by Western film makers as the best director of action in the world. I think Tsui Hark probably deserves that credit more, but Woo certainly redefined the way gunplay was choreographed and filmed. HARD BOILED is his finest work in this respect, but THE KILLER certainly comes second. The action was choreographed by Ching Siu Tung, who was evidently a little uncomfortable with choreographing gunplay when he worked on A BETTER TOMORROW 2 (sorry, but most of the shoot outs in that are just people running round randomly waving their guns at stuntmen). He'd obviously improved his skills a *lot* by the time of THE KILLER though, as the action scenes are exciting and violently beautiful. The grand finale in a church is surely one of the best gunplay sequences ever filmed, topped only by the finale of HARD BOILED.

Some Western audiences find THE KILLER too melodramatic, and for an audience not raised on the swordplay and kung fu films that influenced Woo the romanticised notions of loyalty, honour and integrity may seem rather alien and strange. It's a theme that has long been found in Hong Kong Cinema though, so perhaps it reflects a more Chinese set of values than the average American or European is used to experiencing. It would be especially rare to find such emotional scenes in a Hollywood action movie, where the action genre is usually considered to be wholly distinct from drama. Perhaps it's this that makes THE KILLER such a wide hit whenever it is screened in the US.

So, although I won't put THE KILLER in my Top 10 list, I definitely won't dispute the fact that it's one of the best realised films Hong Kong has produced. John Woo is unlikely to produce a film of this calibre again, and unfortunately it's unlikely Chow Yun Fat will do either. As for Danny Lee, this was undoubtedly the highlight of his career - Psychadelic Cop anyone? Sally Yeh also gives her most memorable performance, and a surprisingly convincing blind character for somebody that had no real acting training. Shing Fui On and Kenneth Tsang have never looked better either. In fact, for almost everybody involved this was probably the high point of their career.

9/10

Those Blood Stains Don't Wash On White

[Det_McNulty · 8/10 · 6 November 2007]

"Heroic bloodshed" and "gun fu" were sub-genres coined by John Woo during the mid-80s, starting with A Better Tomorrow. This was a film that marked Woo as a rising artist within Hong Kong cinema of the modern age. After making a sequel to A Better Tomorrow, Woo went and directed The Killer, followed by Bullet in the Head and Hard-Boiled, these films proved his talent as a director who was able to illustrate ultra-violence, through what closely resembled ballet (a.k.a. in this sense, a dance of death). These outrageously stylised methods of film-making hastily became noted by Hollywood producers and Woo –via a mistake on his behalf- decided to make his move to the place where financing was merely an accessory. Ever since this move, Woo has crafted numerous well-known works of commercial success, but critical failure (unlike his earlier pictures), including the likes of Broken Arrow, Face/Off, Mission Impossible 2 and Windtalkers. Shame, considering these lacked everything that his trademark works created, but can be expected with the restrictions Hollywood producers commonly put in place. Fortunately, his '80s legacy lives on and still has an acute influence on many mainstream directors of today.

The Killer propelled Woo's career, as well as that of Chow Yun-Fat, who took the title role of Ah Jong. Although, he plays an assassin, he is the kind who is out to get "the bad guys", and follows a strict code of honour and ethics. Compassionate, sympathetic and remorseful of the way in which he leads his life, Ah Jong begins to become more cynical of the brutality he savours. After accidentally blinding an innocent singer (who he later falls in love with) during a gunfight, Ah Jong's remorse overwhelms him to such a degree that he becomes determined to get a vital donor that could potentially save her eyesight. In order to finance this, Ah Jong settles a final hit, which soon spirals out of control. Law enforcement inevitably becomes aware of the destruction wreaking its way throughout Hong Kong because of the triads. Nonetheless, the cop on the case happens to be understanding of Ah Jong, and as both relate to each other they start to unexpectedly develop an unexpected partnership.

In 1992, Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs was released; now, it should be noted that the white suits used in The Killer admittedly inspired those now-infamous black suits. I bring this up because I wish to present one of the main techniques utilised in Woo's 1989, action classic. Such a procedure is contrasting the lashings of blood (shown during the countless fight scenes) against the calm, white clothing. Waving a white cloth, for example, is a sign of retreat, or peace and placing blood on white is an opposing confliction. Transcending everything that most action films can only dream of, The Killer combines a compulsory fusion of intelligence and entertainment. Then there is the paradox (as such) of both the cop and the killer using guns, but for differing reasons. Essentially, both are committing the same acts, through similar methods, but for different reasons. The two men have a certain confidence and an explicit willingness to seek fulfilment and justice, which enables a parable to be crafted between the two individuals.

Edited with a glaring visual stance, filmed through bright colour filters and following bare-knuckled narrative management, The Killer packs a well-placed gut-punch. Engaging the viewer through ultra-cool protagonists and beautifully choreographed fight scenes, this grand, wry take on the idealistic assumption of decency within the world of organised crime remains a work of bloodshed which holds artistic significance. Even with the overly dramatised screenplay (echoing a consistent waft of unsuited, moralistic sentimentality) and the dated '80s soundtrack, the piece is an extravagant and exciting take on a temperamental genre. Containing metaphors (the doves extinguishing the flames on a collection of candles) and the use of a church for a set-piece, the film is vastly unique for what is adrenaline-based action. Saying that, most directors would opt for endless cuts as a means of groping the viewer's attention, Woo on-the-other-hand avoids such an amateurish technique, choosing a cultivated approach. The finished result is a concoction of mind-boggling stand-offs and humanistic undertones, enabling it to become a motivating take on a seemingly predictable genre and an ode to the classic westerns (who said The Wild Bunch?). Remember, Chow Yun-Fat is for action, what John Wayne was for the western.

John Woo homage to Melville " Le Samouraï "

[jimniexperience · 8/10 · 21 March 2018]

Bloody Heroic Bloodshed - Featuring: beginning hit when he blinds woman, assassination hit in the oceans, shootout on the beach, standoff in hospital, standoff in woman apt, shootout in killer apartment, shootout(s) in parking garages, shootout in ocean shore hideout, and finale in the church

A Hit-man takes a job offer from his boss to take out a drug kingpin. He successes at the price of getting double-crossed and now he has a try-hard cop riding his tail. He's on a mission to track down his employers and get his money - all for sake of eye surgery for a woman he blinded in a hit 6 months prior.

The first half of this movie pays homage to Melville's "Le Samouraï": the entire premise of a hit-man falling in love with a singer to a point of risking his life due to his identity exposure, his employers double-crossing him, his relentless pursuit to get his money regardless of any escape options, and the police detectives getting close with the woman the hit-man admires because they know she'll lead him to them. Practically the entire story of "Le Samouraï" John Woo pays tribute to in this film.

John Woo is the master

[Anardil · 10/10 · 12 July 1999]

Before seeing a genuine Hong-Kong produced John Woo movie, I thought I knew what action was, and what the action-movie genre was capable of. I was wrong. The Killer was the single most impressive, awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping action movie I had seen in years, and is now one of my favourite movies of any genre. It is #2 on my all-time list.

Why? First of all, the well-known poetic violence of the super-charged action scenes make for a tremendously exciting film. These combine choreographed bloodshed (there is an almost constant stream of bullets) with raw emotion that puts even the best Hollywood actioners to shame. Look at Hollywood action movies today; almost all Hollywood action is inspired (not to mention plagiarised) from the "heroic bloodshed films," the best of which is The Killer.

Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez are only the most obvious examples of American directors to put Woo's trademark stylized violence to use, and neither handle it as well as Woo.

But beyond this, the characters and the story are what drive this movie and what truly set it apart. The story of the relentless cop and the vicious killer is only the latest in a long line of detective stories, starting with Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Allan Poe in the 19th century, and continuing in every cop show on TV today. The hero and the villain are practically the same; they are only divided by an almost arbitrary line called the law. In The Killer, both "Mickey Mouse" and "Dumbo" are unrelenting, capable, though misunderstood, professionals. Their motivations differ, but they both have the killer instinct. The classic storyline of the interaction of the two characters who eventually realize their similarities and end up working together has been seen before, but never has it been used to such effect as in The Killer.

Woo's familiar themes of brotherhood, betrayal and loyalty also reach their cinematic peak in this movie. The viewer not only wants to see the next pyrotechnic action scene, but is actually concerned with the lives of the characters, an element that is almost always lacking in typical Hollywood fare.

Finally, the gun-battle scenes, when they come, are simply the most spectacular, mind-blowingly violent, yet strangely beautiful, action scenes ever imagined or filmed. And last but not least, is the unbelievably powerful screen presence of Chow Yun-Fat, as always cool incarnate. His effortless lead and the tension created by his playing off of co-star Danny Lee make The Killer as close as I have yet seen to the perfect action movie. I recommend it to any hard-core action fan and also suggest Hard-Boiled, though Woo's American efforts thus far have not been up to his Hong Kong works.

Rating: 10

A true masterpiece

[lordhood · 10/10 · 30 December 2004]

I first watched the killer on recommendation i thought i would hate it...how wrong i was. It was obvious i was watching a classic from the opening credits with a lingering shot of hong kong and a somewhat sad tune playing in the background. The story starts with ah jong an assassin hired to pull off a hit job at a nightclub during the assassination he accidentally blinds a piano singer-jenny. Feeling guilty for what he has done he decides the only way to redeem himself is too help her get a cornea transplant and the rest...you will have to find out yourself.

John woo is known for directing heart pounding action sequences and these are as heart pounding as they get the final shoot out in the church is tense and exciting. The cinematography is excellent and often beautiful th camera works wonders and extreme close ups of faces are used effectively SPOILERS AHEAD. The ending of the killer is possibly the most downbeat in the history of cinema and nearly brought me too tears(ah jong's eyes explode after being shot several times). The killer is something you do not see in modern day movies...a film with a true meaning this story is of ethics honour and redemption and thats what makes it a classic.

No Competition

[Spiku · 10/10 · 30 June 2003]

First of all, I am disgusted by some of these reviews. Modern action has been overrun by special effects and stuntmen with death wishes (not that I'm complaining), but one must consider the time and the place. It's not the world of the Matrix or the Human-Cyborg War (or whatever it's called) in the Terminator, it's Hong Kong in the 1980's with counterfeiting, hostile Chinese syndicates. It doesn't have to be a big budget feature to be great. Clerks by Kevin Smith had a minute budget, but it made Smith famous.

I digress. Woo creates a sensitive and emotionally complex... assassin. To make him reconsider his job as a professional killing machine Jeffrey, the killer, blinds a lounge singer, Jenny. He swears to himself that he will end his career after one last job. Woo introduces us to the concept, like you see in A Better Tomorrow, that you can never leave a Triad even if you try your hardest. With an hour of attempting, Jeff realizes the horrible truth. Rarely does Woo bring in this feeling of absolute futility in his work. After losing his best friend, Jeff has crossed the Rubicon in his attempts and must end his ties to it by ending his everyone's but his own, excluding Jenny and Inspector Lee. Some people dislike the final shootout, but the doves and the Christian symbology adds a touch that drives religious and heroic bloodshed to the minds of the audience. On a personal note, I love it. The last few seconds depict a man, perhaps Lee, playing a harmonica in front of the church for reasons I don't know.

Woo's Best; An Amalgamation of Drama and Action

[Runinrider · 9/10 · 20 June 2004]

John Woo's "The Killer" shows a master at the height of his powers. Woo, today working in the United States, gained fame in Hong Kong through the two "Better Tomorrow" films. He became popular and used his success to go to greater things. In fact, much of Woo's HK work is similar, including the work he did in the early 90's like "Bullet in the Head" and "Hard Boiled". But "The Killer" shows John Woo as a perfectionist, the top director of action films who can perfectly blend in over-the-top violence with emotional drama.

"The Killer" follows John (Jeff in other versions of the film), who's played to utter perfection by Chow Yun Fat. John is a hit-man planning retirement. On one job, however, he accidentally shoots a singer (Jenny) near her eyes. She survives, but her vision is blurry. John saves her from a gang of rapist thieves, and the two ultimately fall in love with each other, despite Jenny never having seen John's face. On John's case, however, is Inspector Li, hard at work, who is intent on always getting his man. Much of the movie involves John and the results of his final job which ultimately pits him up against the entire mob, who want him dead for overexposing his identity. And the rest of the film follows John catering to Jenny's needs and helping her at every moment, all the while evading Li, who's getting closer and closer to stopping him.

To make the movie the memorable film that it is, Woo perfectly orchestrates some of the best shoot-outs ever seen on film. Much of what Woo did here, he was never able to follow up. "Hard Boiled" was interesting, but its final shoot-out, over 20 minutes in length, just couldn't keep up. It got boring by the end. What Woo does in "The Killer" is give you a sample of his powers and then leave you begging for more. And that what you'll be literally doing: begging for just a glimpse of the next dude victim to Fat's two beautiful handguns.

It's only sad to see that, not so much Woo doesn't do these films anymore, but that Woo rarely does good films now.(Period) He's too busy, working on ego with top stars and killer budgets. His two films that came as far as making an impact with me from his U.S. catalog will probably include "Broken Arrow" and "Face/Off", both primarily due to just how much I like Travolta (though the former was also an early film of mine that I really remember liking, since it was different from all the Disney and kid stuff I was used to). But Woo, intent on fulfilling his dreams of making a musical and captivating audiences with his powerful style, can just show the people a screening of this film. It's quoted as being "Violence as poetry", and that's exactly what it is. With the beautiful music adding feeling and depth to the characters and the great writing and direction, this is easily Woo's tour-de-force.

9.5/10 (****/****)

"Easy to pick up, hard to put down."

[Backlash007 · 28 July 2002]

Chow Yun Fat and John Woo strike again. The Killer is not your run of the mill action flick. It features characters you care about, jaw-dropping action sequences, and , best of all, Chow Yun Fat. He's always supercool. Chow and co-star Danny Lee play very similar characters but are on opposite sides of the law. It makes the film work very well. The heroes can relate to one another because they have both injured the innocent while doing their jobs. Another great actor in the film is Kong Chu in the role of Sydney, the one handed hitman. Being in the middle of the fray, he makes for an interesting character. There is a great scene involving Sydney's betrayal. Chow is so amazing with his emotions in this scene. He's not just an international action superstar, he's an underrated and incredible actor as well. That's what makes The Killer more than just another action movie. Woo's direction always helps too. The Killer boasts one of the best and most epic shootouts in film history. Woo's older films are as stylistic as they get, I mean stylistic as hell. Chow Yun Fat and John Woo make an incredible duo. Nicholas Cage is no replacement, it's high time they work together again.

Among Revenge and Forgiveness, Among Bullets and Faithfulness

[CihanVercan · 7/10 · 14 November 2009]

Chow Yun Fat and John Woo teams up together with strong commitment to this highly melodramatic action film. The Killer was so ahead of its time especially with its signature shootout scenes and fast paced action sequences in its time of production in Hong-Kong. Without any special, visual or sound effects; it's a high achievement on both sound and vision. It's high on thematic values, but low on production values.

Woo benefited a lot from a team of action-coordinators as part of the production crew he assigned with. 20 years from its screen release, today still there are not many action films in which the sequences are coordinated as good as in The Killer. The rest of the production was standing by its plot, which becomes unbearable due to extremely melodramatic events. Woo tries to hurt our feelings as much as he can by killing and injuring innocents so ruthlessly: Passengers on a train, children on a beach, singers at a night club etc.

Lowell Lo's heart-wrenching theme and background music was one of the finest of the thematic values. Story development is also very effective that everything seems going fine at the beginning of Jong(the hit-man)'s last mission, then for he wasn't paid for his successful assassination he decides to show up back from underground with his alias: "Jeffrey". When he did, a stage singer ends up losing her sight and becomes blind from shot blasting. Jong helps her get well; she falls in love with him. He introduces himself as Jeffrey to her. No matter what romance they share together, no matter how close they are to each other; there is absolutely no accordance no chemistry between Sally Yeh and Chow Yun-Fat. Sally Yeh acts so poorly, especially while she keeps screaming needlessly every other scene.

For whoever likes this film, I strongly advise Léon to them. The same idea also works in Luc Besson's film, too: In a hit-man's life; there is no certain way to go, there is nobody to trust, there is no repentance. In Luc Besson's film of 1994, Jean Reno and Natalie Portman builds up a better harmony using emotions but not melodrama.

Additionally in John Woo's film, even though Chow Yun-Fat is not fast enough he just stands by the bullets by running, or guards himself with armchairs and seats of the cathedral which are vulnerable to bullets with the gaps between backrests. So many bullets are used... Were they shot by children or blind hitmans? How could you explain not getting shot while 4 hitmans are aiming at you running inside the cathedral and running on the beach? On the other hand, every single bullet that's used in Léon, hurts one person or another; or leaves marks, tracks and holes on walls, and in the texture of the floor. It's not an acquirement to waste 10 thousand bullets in a movie; but it's really an achievement when you configure a sub-production plan just to preview and review the bullets in both pre-production and production.

Woo Woo

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 12 January 2018]

I won't spend my time dissing this film. Because I saw it on a list of significant films, I decided to order it. I knew quickly, it wasn't my kind of movie. It takes violence to the nth degree and is almost cartoonish in its efforts. Boy these guys can shoot. But this is a fan movie and I'm invading someone else's turf. If I watched the best of the "Fast and Furious" movies, I would find it ridiculous, but that doesn't mean they aren't well made and fulfill the wishes of their fan base. So once I put aside the fact that none of this could possibly happen, I sat back and watched. I can at least say that I have seen a John Woo film and have some understanding of his art and the Hong Kong school.

John Woo's masterpiece one of his best HK classics action films ever!

[ivo-cobra8 · 10/10 · 18 January 2016]

The Killer (1989) is in my opinion John Woo's masterpiece and one of the best classic action films from Hong Kong I have ever seen. It is one of my personal favorite John Woo action movies. This film has everything, it has even a sad ending, which neither one action movie has that kind of ending. Chow Yun-Fat gave us one of his best performances ever, Danny Lee was outstanding as Hong Kong Police officer. The action, the gore, the violence, the gun play everything is in this movie. The final showdown in the church was one the best action scenes ever made in a film.

It is my fifth favorite John Woo film! The first four will be Hard Target (1993), Hard Boiled (1992), Broken Arrow (1996) and Paycheck (2003) this is the fifth John Woo favorite action film of mine that I love to death. Chow Yun-Fat's character Ah Jong was well written and well done, but it isn't close as is his character Insp. 'Tequila' Yuen from Hard Boiled. This is was the first film with John Woo as I have saw when I was 10. Years old, I think I was 12 or 13 when I first time saw Hard Boiled, but still I had no Idea both of the movies are from same director with the same actor. I love this movie to death and it is one of my favorite action movies.

Plot: Chow Yun-Fat stars as an expert assassin who finds himself conflicted with his work in his one last hit in hopes of using his earnings to restore vision to a singer he accidentally blinded, only to be double-crossed by his boss. Danny Lee co-stars as the Hong Kong Police Force inspector determined to catch the assassin and take down the organization that employs him. These two guys from the opposite worlds end up becoming friends and working together to bring down their bigger enemy.

The Killer gained numerous international accolades for Woo and its influence can be seen in countless action films in the following decades including in the movies directed by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. The action is, as always with a John Woo movie, spectacular but the characters are well developed and the story is very engaging. It's not quite as big in scale as Hard Boiled but it's still very well paced with plenty of great action. What is it about Hit men in movies that they are always so damn cool? Like Hard Boiled, the music is pretty cheap and forgettable sounding but it doesn't detract from the action. We get the doves, the slow-mo and the religious imagery aplenty in this film and as with Hard Boiled there is little to find fault with.

I still love Hard Boiled better than The Killer because Hard Boiled has happy ending and The Killer has not a happy ending, but still I love this movie and it is an action Classic and John Woo directing this movie did the best job ever as been the director and a writer the same time. This man John Woo is outstanding and the actors are just amazing, the characters are well written and the chemistry between Chow Yun-fat and Danny Lee is well written and are making a great due as the opposite team. You know Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang and Walter Hill should all take a school of action movies from John Woo's The Killer, because those three American guys sucked at making an action film in 2012 Bullet to the Head failed and it sucked ass. Sylvester Stallone and Sung Kang as a hired hit-man and a police detective had no written chemistry working together and they both suck! Chow Yun-Fat and Danny Lee are the real team as hired professional hit-man and a Hong Kong police officer. Those two guys are the real team, I will rather watch this movie than Walter Hill's Bullet to the Head!

This movie it is a perfect 10, it takes the vision of one of the most creative intelligent action directors in HK cinema eve! The film is filled the most explosive showdowns in cinematic history. It is loaded with some with the most outrageously choreographed action sequences ever committed to film and an absolute hailstorm of bullets. It is fast paced, better more choreographed stylized action. The Killer is a perfect action film as one could ask for.

Overall: I think The Killer is on par with Hard Boiled but there's maybe a little more focus on the story than action....but the action in that delivers too. A pair with Hard Boiled is a it's truly bad ass. My favorite action movie with Hard Target and Hard Boiled! I love them to death it get's a perfect 10!

To John Woo, Thanks For Everything

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 18 May 2015]

A disillusioned assassin (Chow Yun-fat) accepts one last hit in hopes of using his earnings to restore vision to a singer (Sally Yeh) he accidentally blinded, only to be double-crossed by his boss.

Director John Woo has said this film is a tribute to directors Jean-Pierre Melville and Martin Scorsese, specifically "Le Samourai" and "Mean Streets". The influence is definitely there, but it seems that Woo ended up influencing another generation even more than he himself was influenced.

We see a strong influence on many directors, including Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez and Johnnie To. Film scholars have noted the similarities between Woo's style and The Killer with the films "Nikita" (1990) and "Léon" (1994), directed by French director Luc Besson. The Tarantino connection is obvious, and indeed there could be a parallel for Besson. Can it be we owe much of our 90s action film style to 1980s Hong Kong?

Woo the Master!?! Hardly...

[fishwad · 1/10 · 18 April 2001]

I'm not going to waste too much time on this movie; it sucked. I have no idea why everyone is so enamored of John Woo. His filmmaking is cliched and pretentious. If you feel that Mexican standoffs and slow-motion shots of birds are seriously underrepresented in cinema today then Woo is your man. But if it's a decent plot, interesting characters or well-written dialogue you're after you'll have to look elsewhere. I honestly could not believe it when Chow Yun Fat told the detective to have the doctors save his corneas for Jenny if he was killed! How embarrassingly corny was that!?! Chow Yun Fat is a much better actor than he shows here, though that's probably attributed to Woo more than anything. Roger Ebert, in his review of "Le Samourai" (the French film that supposedly inspired Woo to write and direct "The Killer"), says "Better to wait for a whole movie for something to happen (assuming we really care whether it happens) than to sit through a film where things we don't care about are happening constantly." I can't think of a more fitting condemnation of "The Killer" than that.

Amazingly fantastic action movie filled with substance.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 10/10 · 16 January 2008]

I wish more action movies would be like this! I didn't expect to love this movie as much as I did. The more the movie progressed, the simply better it got.

The movie was made before John Woo's coming to Hollywood but this movie already gained him some cult status in the States. It's a typical Woo movie, which shows once more that he is a real master in making action movies. His action directing in this movie is really flawless.

The movie is basically non-stop action, with a lot of gun fights, explosion and fights. But it's not just a mindless action-flick, it also pays lots of attention to its story and development and interesting character building. The emotions within this movie are also really truly powerful, especially toward the ending.

The characters are really strong within this movie. Yun-Fat Chow plays a great and intriguing 'good' hit-man, who is being chased by cop Danny Lee. The whole game and chase and the eventual teaming up between those two is done great. They are like each other and also fall for the same woman (at least that was the original concept) but are on the different side of the law. They have a certain respect for each other, which makes it all the more meaningful and interesting to follow. You also really start to care about those characters. The movie is also filled with plenty of other interesting and backstabbing characters, cops, gangsters and fellow hit-men. It's not hard to see why John Woo in his early days was often called the Asian Martin Scorsese.

But it's of course mostly the action that makes this movie such an amazing one to watch. There is plenty of Woo-ism present, so expect lots of slow-motion and stylish action, including Mexican stand-offs, running, car chases, boat chases, flying doves. Yes, this movie has got it truly all. There are a couple of sequences toward the end that really stand out and are among the best the genre has to offer. Yeah, it's a real testosterone driven guy flick, with also typical important guy themes such as loyalty, bravery and friendship in it, with added to that a whole load of bullets and killings. The body count of this movie is 120, all being committed by about 3 guys, that should really say something about this movie.

It's a movie with a great style. The movie is Asian, so the editing and such might seem off to you if you're not accustomed to it but it's all part of the Asian film-making style.

The violence and graphic is quite explicit. Definitely different from his Hollywood movies, where he obviously has to hold back with the blood. The blood is literally flying around in this movie and people get shot through the head at close range. Even small children can't escape the violence.

Truly an incredible movie within its genre!

10/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

As Influential as any cinema...

[Bishop832 · 10/10 · 20 March 2006]

I was 18 when I first saw this film. I'll admit it.. I was not sure about it because it wasn't in English. I was working at Blockbuster at the time and I had a set number of movies that I could rent for free. My manager knew I had enjoyed Face-Off, which had been released just a few weeks earlier. He recommended that I check out the imported films of Woo. I'm glad I did.

I credit "The Killer" with a lot of things. It introduced me to a new style of cinema, a new genre and it showed me that films could be done as Opera and still be engaging. If you haven't ever checked this movie out, I sincerely recommend it. Not only is it an intense action film, but it's also an amazing human and emotional story.

I'm now a young film maker. And I look back at a number of movies before I begin any project. This movie is always very high on that list.

So - if you still haven't seen it... go out and rent it now. And please, steer clear of the dubbed version. Get the true experience with the subtitles.

The Master of Action shows why action IS art!

[Sharkey360 · 10/10 · 1 May 2001]

There is no doubt in mind that "The Killer" is easily the MOST ARTISTIC ACTION FLICK in the world. Not only that, it's also the BEST ACTION-DRAMA film around!

Directed by John Woo (now at his popular peak with "M:I-2" as his vehicle), "The Killer" tells the story of a professional killer (Chow Yun-Fat), a cop and a lady caught in crossfire. Chow Yun-Fat's act for his character is very solid, and at the same time he perfectly fits the action sequences.

Also written by John Woo, you can clearly see many of The Master's trademarks like slow-motion action, stunts, deep characterization, drama, doves, two-fisted gunplay, and missing from his Hollywood flick...gore! This movie is full of blood and gore, and from my point of view it does not make the film dirty but rather more realistic and expressive.

About the action, the level of violence is very high like that of the gore. Since this is a Hong Kong-made movie, Woo had all the freedom he wants and it clearly shows why this is considered by his millions of fans as their favorite Woo flick.

Two-fisted gunplay is very well presented here. Seen Tom Cruise (M:I-2), Nicolas Cage (Face/Off), Christian Slater (Broken Arrow), Dolph Lundgren (Blackjack) and John Travolta (Face/Off) all fire with 2 guns each? Well, for newcomers here, two-fisted gunplay has gotten of to a great start even before Woo directed the above-mentioned Hollywood stars. Chow Yun-Fat's 2-gun firing is simply perfect and it shows! Chow is NO MARTIAL ARTIST or STUNTMAN like Jackie Chan, but his use of guns and acting makes him exceed with quality.

Chow Yun-Fat was not even a popular action star before teaming with Woo. But Woo made the difference for him and Chow's image has gotten better since.

John Woo's directing is really perfect. As mentioned above, he had all the creative freedom he wanted with this movie...something missing from his Hollywood films. "The Killer" is considered to be his biggest teamup with Chow.

Woo is known to make non-action stars look great in action...Tom Cruise is a perfect example of this when he made "M:I-2".

Contrary to popular belief among newcomers, "The Killer" is an ART FILM. Those newcomers who've seen "M:I-2" might think that this classic is another "blockbuster" or brainless-action film. Anyone who understands the link between action and art will easily recognize the greatness Woo made here. Eventually, YOU'LL CARE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS AS THE STORY MOVES ON.

That said, the story is not about violence and money. The story presents CHARACTER, EMOTION, SORRY and HONOR. As a viewer, you should not just look at the action scenes, but you should concentrate on the story and characters within.

My conclusion: "The Killer" is a PURE QUALITY MOVIE THAT NEEDS TO BE SEEN BY EVERYONE. Whether you're a casual movie fan, quality viewer, blockbuster lover or whatever type of viewer you are, "The Killer" is film excellence as long as the viewer understands it.

Want the most artistic of action? REMEMBER THE KILLER!

Incredible action thriller

[The_Void · 9/10 · 20 July 2004]

Some films focus on action to draw their thrills, others put the emphasis on drama and character interaction to draw theirs; The Killer manages to do both, seemingly effortlessly. You would think that in a pure action movie, the drama would come off as a little forced and out of place, but in The Killer it doesn't; John Woo fuses the two together magnificently.

The story of the movie is most certainly secondary to the amazing visuals and the adrenaline fueled shootouts, which is, of course, no bad thing. The movie, however does have a plot which strings the gunfights together, and it follows the story of Jeffrey, an assassin that, while on a job, accidentally blinds a young singer, Jennie. However, this assassin is different from most assassins in that he has a heart; and he decides to fix his mistake by doing one last job in order to earn the money needed for a cornea transplant. However, things are never that easy as after his last job, his employer refuses to pay and, because he revealed his identity on the job, he also has a cop, Inspector Li, on his tail who is played by Danny Lee.

The character of Jeffrey is brought to the screen by Chow Jun Fat, a man that has a great screen presence. Fat portrays his character with great emotion, which makes his character different to the usual, cold image that is normally upheld when we think of a assassin. This is epitomized by one point in the movie in which the policeman tells Fat that he is not the usual assassin, and he isn't. The other central character in the movie that of Inspector Li is also portrayed by a good actor in Danny Lee. The two create a good chemistry on screen as we see their developing relationship, which is born as a result of a mutual admiration and the men's respective professions, which has similarities which are touched upon in the movie, despite them being on opposite ends of the law

Throughout the film, John Woo is able to deliver incredibly crisp visuals that are made more beautiful by his use of music and bright colours. This gives the movie a very vibrant feel, and that's a feel that works incredibly with John Woo's brilliant action sequences. John Woo indulges in all kinds of trickery with the camera and the editing suite; slow motion, fast editing and music all feature greatly in this movie, and unlike a lot of movies that experiment with such things; it works every time here. Nobody can deny the thrills and excitement that ensue where Woo fast edits, or the way the music blends with the slow motion to create a haunting atmosphere to the overly action filled gun sequences. John Woo is a master behind the camera, and it is clearly shown in this film. There is also an amount of strange humour in the film, shown best by the standoff between the assassin and the police while the doctor's work to save a young girl that has been injured in one of the earlier gun battles. This sense of humour would later be instilled in other Woo films such as Hard-Boiled (with it's hospital ending)

After Woo has taken us on an adrenaline fueled action roller coaster ride, he obviously knew it was going to take something special to end the movie effectively, and the movie certainly does end effectively. The last gunfight is, simply, perfect. The action is choreographed to perfection and not a single move is out of place; it's also very thrilling and will be sure to get anyone's heart pumping. This end action sequence has never been topped in the 15 years since The Killer was released, and it is unlikely to ever be bettered. Woo also manages to end on a poetic note that the film has been building up to throughout. In an action movie you don't expect a tear-inducing finale, but here John Woo delivers one, and best of all; it works.

Overall, if action is your thing, then The Killer is your movie. The perfect blend of adrenaline and emotion is given to the audience in this film and with it John Woo has proved that action is more than just gunfights and cool characters; this film is art.

"Heroic in manner...."

[awesomelybadmovies · 7/10 · 28 July 2006]

"One Vicious Hit-man. One Fierce Cop. Ten Thousand Bullets." The tagline says it all, that is exactly what you are going to get. The movie is about an assassin, Ah Jong (played by Chow), who injures the nightclub singer , Jennie, in the process of a hit. He feels great pity for his actions, and makes it his mission to redeem himself by helping her. Danny Lee plays a cop who is hellbent on arresting Ah Jong aka Jeffrey for his crimes. From this point on, nothing is taken for granted.

With that said, I thought the film was executed quite well. John Woo throw in some very cinematic moments, including freeze frames, long shots, flashbacks, etc. As for the plot of the movie, you must take it for what it is. The storyline is far from deep or exceptional, but that is made up for with copious violence. The killings in the movie are often gratuitous (in one shootout, at least 50 henchmen must die) but quite fun to watch.

On a final note, reminded me very much of the last scene of Scarface. For those that have seen Scarface, recall the last scene of the movie where Al Pacino takes down a whole army before going down himself, while dark, yet strangely melodic piano music plays in the background. Very similar to The Killer. (the movie also had a scene akin to Rambo III, but I wont give that away)

With that in mind, if you are looking for a well made 2 hr movie with abundant killings, then "The Killer" will certainly live up to its name. 8/10.

"Killing is my business,and business is good."

[morrison-dylan-fan · 10/10 · 22 March 2014]

After having been told by a friend for months about film director John Woo and a movie sub-genre called Heroic Bloodshed,I decided that due to a poll being held on IMDb's Classic Film board for the best titles of 1989,that I would finally discover how heroic the bloodshed could really be.

The plot:

Sitting in a church,a Triad hit-man called Ah Jong is given details by a fellow Triad, (and close friend) called Fung Sei over an assassination that he has been ordered to do,the target of which is going to be visiting a night club later that night.

Entering the club,Ah finds himself feeling an unexpectedly strong connection with the vocal delivery of the singer at the club,called Jennie.Getting the sudden urge to keep Jennie safe,Jong carries out the assassination on the target,and then pushes Jennie on the ground,so that she is out of harms way.Sadly Ah's plan is ruined when one of the target's bodyguards begins shooting at him,which leads to Jong firing a shot which accidentally scratches Jennie's eyes,and causes serious damage to her sight.

6 Months later:

Finding the image of Jennie losing her sight to be an image that's unable to leave his mind,Ah starts visiting the club and sitting in the back,so that he can hear the hauntingly beautiful voice of Jennie, (who along with not being able to spot Jong due to her blindness,has also been told by DR's that there is a long waiting list for the operation that save her sight)perform.

Walking back from the club one night,Ah suddenly spots 2 thugs attempting to attack Jennie.Beating them up into a bloody pulp,Jong tells Jennie that he will walk her the rest of the way home.Being invited in to the flat by Jennie,thanks to saving her from being attacked by the thugs,Jong is sicken to see the full extent that his mistake has had on Jennie's life.

Talking to Jennie,Ah finds out that whilst there is a long waiting list for her operation in Hong Kong,that there is a much shorter waiting list for the same operation in other countries.Desperate to make up for his fatal mistake,Jong tells Fung that he is going to do 'one last job' for a high price,which will allow him to use the cash to send Jennie abroad for her operation.Expecting this killing to be his final task,Ah Jong soon discovers to his horror that the killer may be about to become,the killed.

View on the film:

Opening with a blistering assassination,writer/director John Woo reveals a startling eye for stylisation,with Woo keeping away from delivery the bloodshed action in short,sharp shots by slowing every bullet shot down to a tenth of its actually speed,which along with showing to the viewer the full impact that each shoot-out has on the character's,also allows Woo to give the action (which Woo claims was not storyboarded,but in fact made up on the day of filming!)an unexpected poetic quality,as each of Ah Long's target's fall down in a ballet like manner.Along with slowing the pace of the action down,Woo also uses tightly coiled close up's to reveal the fear and adrenaline rush that the violence feeds into the character's.

Making sure to keep away from making the non-violent moments in the title 'filler',Woo displays a real skill in showing both sides of Ah Jongs conflicting personality,with Woo making a brightly lit,dove filled, (a motif that would become one of the director's trademarks) church Jong's unofficial home,as Woo shows Long to find a sense of peace and healing in the building,which inadvertently leads to Long experiencing a harsh twist of fate,as the shadow of the high church covers him.

Despite the post-production period of the title being a complete nightmare thanks to John Woo and producer Hark Tsui, (who along with wanting to completely change the plot so that Ah Long would become a supporting character,decided to celebrate the movies hit opening weekend,by allegedly chucking his furniture out of the office window!) never being able to get on,Woo builds a strikingly intense atmosphere by combining the grim atmosphere of the Film Noir and Italian Crime genres,with a burning passion that gives the Heroic Bloodshed genre a distinctive soulful side.

Showing Ah Jongs relationship with Jennie to be something that desperately makes him want to leave their dark world behind,Woo show's Ah Jongs 'Heroic' Bloodsheeding morals to be ones that are getting burnt up from the world he inhabits,thanks to Woo filling his primary colour- draining world with gangsters,thugs and corrupt politicians who have made a decaying city where any sense of morals are to be shot dead.

Taking on the title role,Chow Yun-Fat gives an excellent performance as Ah Jong,with Yun-Fat avoiding the easy option of making Jong a heartless thug,by showing the pain that Jong experience's from the effects that his 'job' has on his few friends and Jennie,whose singing haunts Jong to remember what he almost destroyed.Giving the movie a shot of glamour,real life Pop star Sally Yeh gives an excellent performance as Jennie,with Yeh giving the title some strong operatic vibes from the pain that Jong accidentally inflicts on her,to showing Jennie developing a warming heart towards Jong.

Joining Yun-Fat and Yeh,Danny Lee gives a brilliant performance as Insp.Li Ying,as Lee show Ying struggling with the very real idea that he might be the other side of the coin to Jong's assassin,whilst Kong Chu gives an amazing performance as the warn down gangster Wong Hoi,who discovers,that despite wanting to leave this life behind,that in this city,killing is everybody's business,and that business is good.

Another Compassionate Killer

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6/10 · 14 July 2006]

Most of the "foreign" films in my collection are slow-moving leisurely tales. This one is the total opposite, one of the most violent movies I've ever seen. No wonder subsequent films like "Kill Bill" are made. This film definitely has the most people shot by guns, an unbelievable amount.

Being a James Woo written and directed film, I guess it's no surprise. He can't get enough violence. It's also Rambo mentality at it's highest: the good guys out-kill the bad guys about 100 to one! It's almost laughable. Yet, the story is still pretty good and generally fun to watch.

However, I don't think it's a good message - nor an accurate one - to show the "good guy," a professional killer (Chow Yun Fat) as the compassionate one and the guy to root for (see Leon: The Professional for another example of this), but this certainly is another case of that. I am sorry, but men who make a living killing people are NOT compassionate people - they can't afford to be. That's only in the make-believe world of films.

By the end of the film, with yet another long shootout, anyone with any sensibilities will be tired of it all by then.

This is like no other action film!

[jaltman143 · 9/10 · 19 March 2001]

Of all John Woo's bullet-ridden action movies, this is his greatest. You see many of Mr. Woo's "trademarks" (flying doves, reflections in mirrors, very strong Catholic symbolism) that appear in his inferior American directed films (save Face Off) first in this Hong Kong cinema classic. Sure the violence is over the top, the plot only adequate, the sentimentalism a little thick. The actions scenes are filmed with such, I dare say beauty, that no Hollywood 'by the numbers' action film can possibly compete. While this film is not for the squeamish or those offended by excessive and rather graphic violence, if you are in any way a fan of action films - you mush see this movie (and many other John Woo directed films during his Hong Kong days, i.e. Hardboiled, A Better Tomorrow, etc).

it has hardly aged

[canadude · 7/10 · 13 March 2004]

In some sense it's hard to review this movie if you dissect it in terms of realism and story. Many Woo fans will be offended by that statement, but it's true. The film's story is contrived, hilariously cliched, fraught with awkward dialogue, and just generally ridiculous. But it is, admirably so, complex, stylish and very involving. So, if you can accept some of the awkwardness of the film and its incredibly forward sentimentality as part of its style (not attempt at realism), then we're off to a good start. Because John Woo's "The Killer," even though it was made over a decade ago, stands up to the action movies made nowadays. It's bloody (in a "Desperado" type way), it's stylish (in a way that Woo has not repeated in his American films), and it grows on you. It is, in some sense, an action masterpiece. Towards the end, even if the main characters' relationships the product of strange, if not implausible plot-twists, you don't want to part with them. Maybe even want them to stick around on screen so they can brutally murder a few dozen more bad guys in ways that get your adrenaline going. Maybe. Needless to say, I really liked The Killer, and I must say that aside from some of the cars that appear in the film, it has aged really well (meaning hardly at all). It's slaughter done in good taste.

Unbelievably overrated on IMDb

[david-bruce0 · 1/10 · 29 December 2005]

I have just finished watching this film and the viewing experience was akin to someone taking a crap in my TV, my god that was awful, it had all the ingredients to make a car crash of a movie, the unbelievably poor dialogue which was riddled with enough sentimentality to fill a hallmark card factory, the token pain in the ass helpless bleating woman amplified by the fact she is visually impaired and rendered even more powerless, the total mental vacation from reality, the gratuitous mindlessly repetitive shootings, John Woo managing to ensure for the duration of the film at no point the viewer ever gives a toss about any of the main characters and I'm not buying the line I started out just to kill bad guys but it's not that simple (not the actual quote), how about just not becoming an assassin in the first place, I mean are we supposed to feel sympathy for this guy after he's shot an innocent women in the face, personally I think you're a bit of an ass and maybe it's just me but an apology is just not going to cut it.

I know it's a movie and obviously artistic license is part and parcel of the genre but this picture resembles a pool of vomit by the kerbside. I actually resorted to watching it on semi fast forward when my brain had finally succumbed to being fully anaesthetised which does work with a subtitled movie, I was still able to follow the plot whilst managing to avoid sitting through the torturously stretched out scenes or subjecting my ears to that god awful pseudo tear jerker of a song. If you haven't seen this film and are considering giving it a shot make sure you're in good mood before viewing that way you'll just be upset at the end, however if you're in the wrong frame of mind to start with you'll be damn near suicide at it's conclusion.

The Killer

[representer89 · 10/10 · 13 April 2006]

Once upon a time lived a director who made action graceful and artful. He moved to the US and there he became just another guy. Thankfully we have Hard Boiled,A Better Tomorrow and of course The Killer.

A man, smooth and cool, with a white scarf enters a restaurant. There he kills a few guys and does it so beautifully, you think he has done something good. But in the process he coincidently by-shoots a girl in her eyes. She is left blind. As the story moves The Killer wants to make up for the bad he has done to her and helps her out, of course she doesn't know it's really him. Another man becomes interested in her. A cop, who is also chasing The Killer. Te story goes from interesting to very interesting and makes u fell for the characters.

Here we have a very untypical story for an action. First of all it has a more sentimental story, it doesn't just really on it's action. And by making us care for the characters it makes the action tense.

The cast is led by a legend of HK cinema. Chow Yun-Fat. Here he shows his abilities to preform great in a sentimental role but keeping his coolness as an assassin. Helped by Danny Lee who also gives a fine performance. Sally Yeh, the girl they love is a sweet person and u feel sorry for her.

Of course this would not be a John Woo film without some amazing action. And here, I think the best action ever caught on camera can be seen. It was not the time of wires and CGI, it was a time when John Woo was The King of action. He moves the camera like no one and makes action and art form. It's not just shooting and killing it's like a ballet where u can admire the way people move and solve any problems with a single move. If there is anyone who says there is not enough action in a film like this is crazy. I felt the action was non stop, but at the same time I felt it developed the characters. Thrully wonderful film-making.

So I guess The Killer is the best action film ever. A great story unbelievable direction, action at it's finest and a great cast make this a film for the ages and every hard-core action fan should see it. 4/4