“Most things go in and out of style, that is, with the exception of war, of course,” notes chief villain Johnny Wong (Anthony Wong) in Hard Boiled, finally receiving the 4K UHD/Blu-ray treatment later this month. And few filmmakers have exemplified that better than John Woo. Indeed, nearly a quarter-century after its 1992 release, the Hong Kong action thriller still packs one almighty dazzling punch.
Concluding a remarkable run of homegrown films which included A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Bullet to The Head, the auteur bid adieu to the Far East with arguably his career masterpiece, a visceral amalgamation of hyper-kinetic violence, pitch-black humor, and erm, smooth jazz, which redefined his genre of choice.
