Amazon.com essential video

This 1989 rouser is apocalyptic pulp--the bloodiest, showiest, most shamelessly sentimental specimen of Hong Kong's gangster melodramas. A torch singer named Jennie (Sally Yeh) is accidentally blinded during a slaying in a night club, and Chow Yun-fat's sad-eyed Jeff, a self-lacerating assassin, drags himself out of retirement to take on one last job--rubbing out a major mobster for major bucks--so he can pay for the singer's cornea transplant operation. But Jeff pauses to ferry a wounded child to the hospital during this final outing, and because of this a cop finally gets a good look at him: "He was seen on the job," snarls a saturnine Mr. Big, "and I want him wasted." Armies of thugs converge on the saintly slayer. Some of writer-director John Woo's flourishes are kitsch classics (doves flying upward in a candlelit church), while the action sequences are rapturous. "Life's cheap," a character opines. "It only takes one bullet," but in this case it actually takes about a dozen spewing bullet hits to kill anyone, as soulful triads in mirror shades and duster overcoats blaze away with high-tech weaponry. (A favorite trick involves grasping an enemy by the lapels, pulling him into a waltz embrace, and pumping several slugs into his duodenum.) Danny Lee, Chow's costar in City on Fire, is the intense, young officer who fixates on the killer's contradictory personality. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (124)

Easily John Woo/Chow Yun Fat's best!
The Killer is a beautiful action/drama masterpiece. It is the best work I have yet to see done by both director John Woo and HK superstar Chow Yun Fat(both of whose movies I am familiar with.) The rest of the cast (including Danny Lee and Sally Yeh) are superb. The sheer grace and flair of the seamlessly choreographed gunfights to the poignancy of the gripping story of a professional hitman trying to cut clean, while gradually falling in love with a victim he accidently blinds in a shootout are all executed perfectly. This movie is not your standard action fare, as it goes deep into the mind of the killers, and depicts the characters trying to live a life that is honorable in a world that is so corrupt and sinister. The bottom line of the movie is quoted by CYF toward the beginning of the film: "Not everybody in this world is untrustworthy." Underlying the blazing guns and implied emotional battles, lies a tale of loyalty, trust and friendship. John Woo epitimizes this movie by proving that the action is not present simply for the sake of action, but instead for clean moviemaking and plot. As for the quality of the DVD itself, the picture is very clear for an older movie (1989) and the features and menu setup is very stylishly done... just don't watch the trailers, they do severe injustice to the featured films (The Killer and Hard Boiled) and contain spoilers. For hardcore HK movie buffs, the Cantonese language track with English subtitles is the definite route to take. The English track is butchered and incomplete, not to mention hard to understand and silly-sounding. I highly recomend watching this movie in it's original language (the way it was intended to be heard) as it is much more powerful this way. If you plan on purchasing this movie, though, I would instead recommend you buy the John Woo 2 DVD pack, which includes both this edition of The Killer and also Hard Boiled, another John Woo/CYF compilation.

The Story of a Hitman with a Heart
Because I'm a 13 year old boy(and a fan of Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo), I was just looking for the best action movie of all time. I ended up with something better, a dramatic, well though-out action film. It may not be "The Matrix", but "The Killer" was awesome. It was a movie filled with mayhem and bullets. And there was so much action. Jeffrey is a hitman with a heart who, during his last hit, accidentally blinds a woman with a gun. Because he's not a cold-hearted hitman, he decides to do one more hit to pay for an operation that will keep her from going blind. Lee is a cop who wants to stop Jeffrey from making his last hit. Jeffrey is betrayed by the mob that hired him and is put in war against all odds. Jeffrey and Lee put aside their differences to blur the line between them. Together they blast through the war leading to a climatic battle that is John Woo's best battle ever. Even though I'm only 13, I know good acting when I see it. This movie has been throned "THE Movie of Mayhem".Don't bother renting it, just buy the DVD.

"One Vicious Hitman. One Fierce Cop. Ten Thousand Bullets."

John Woo & Chow Yun Fat...nuff said!
The Killer is the perfect example of cinema in its most powerful form. Expression...every bullet, every conversation & every scene just flows so beautifully & expressively it just blows me away. Unexplainable. Very deep & mythological story, unlike anything ive ever seen! U just have to see it. & see it. It will make u think to yourself, "what the hell is the average Hollywood budget gettin wasted on?? Promotion!!?? " John Woo on the other hand does not need $100,000,000 to truley express himself, hell, he doesn't even need the highest quality celluloid to make his films stunningly beatiful.. The Killer is no exception, John Woo is such a masterful director, no wonder why Hollywood have been ripping him off long before they invited him to join 'em!
& unlike most action films of mindless "invincibilty" plots & stupid reasons for massive shootouts, this has a cause for every piece of stunningly choerographed action...& consequences to join the equation.
If youve only seen Chow Yun Fat in his American films (Replacement Killers & Bulletproof Monk e.t.c), you really havent his true styles & capabilities. Get THE KILLER, & youll know why Hollywood have copied J.Woo's style of genius direction more times than a photo-copier has copied paper!
This is John Woo at his purest form, & Chow in his true style.
The John Woo & Chow Yun Fat combo is like the Sergio Leone & Clint Eastwood combo= Classics!
Get this if u like a deep, moving story, awesome acting, & action that sychronizes perfectly. (Also check out other J. Woo classics, Hard Boiled, A Better Tommorow 1 & 2, & Bullet in the Head!)
.....Nobody does action like Honk Kong...Nobody does Honk Kong like John Woo...

Best...action movie...ever!
Filled with grit, emotion, and psychological depth, not to mention lots and lots of blood, "The Killer" is the kind of passion play that is seen all too rarely in any style of film, let alone the action genre. In fact, John Woo's Hong Kong shoot-'em-up masterpiece resembles nothing so much as Shakespeare with thousands of bullets flying around. In this case the role of the tragic hero is assumed by Jeffrey, played in career-defining fashion by Chow Yun-Fat. Jeffrey is an amiable enough sort, who also just happens to be a fearless, unstoppable assassin with a steely glare and a deadly accurate shot. But when he accidentally blinds a lovely torch singer named Jenny while mowing down about a dozen criminals in a crowded bar, Jeffrey finds some new meaning in his life by assuming responsibility for the woman, even going so far as to try to get her a vision-restoring cornea transplant. However, everything is far from hunky-dory for Jeffrey and his ward: after committing one last job to get the money for Jenny's operation, Jeffrey finds himself pursued by a small army of thugs as well as Chang and Li, two relentless detectives. Oh, and his best friend and associate Sidney has (temporarily) betrayed him. With all that's going on, the stage is set for a struggle on an operatic scale, with Chow giving his character just the right mix of warmth and gravity.

As one would expect from a film directed by Woo, with Chow in the starring role, "The Killer" contains more than its fair share of shootouts and chase scenes, all filmed with Woo's signature frenetic visual style. However, it's what happens when the movie slows down that sets it apart from the pack. "The Killer" is as much a drama as it is an action yarn, and it's a mighty good drama at that. There are a bunch of scenes here that got my adrenaline flowing, but even more impressive, some moments practically moved me to tears (emphasis on the word "practically"). Behind the constant action is an often-moving tale of devotion, honor, redemption, and friendship in the unlikely setting of the criminal underworld. The lines between good and bad, right and wrong, cop and criminal, are all blurred in a haze of moral ambiguity and divided loyalties. While Jeffrey and Sidney attempt to restore trust after Sidney's betrayal, an unlikely bond forms between Jeffrey and Li as the detective and the assassin realize they're not that different after all.

As the story unfolds, building toward the inevitable confrontation, the tension and the emotional stakes only rise along with the body count. Woo manages to elevate the crime drama to poetry, whether during a taut action sequence or a subdued conversation scene. The movie's deservedly legendary finale, involving a crazed gun battle inside a church, is the only appropriate conclusion. The viewer certainly needs some catharsis after such a harrowing journey, and Woo more than delivers the goods. "The Killer" is one of the few movies of its ilk that can legitimately be called art.

=====Respect Hong Kong Cinema =======
===========Hong Kong action and John Woo should be greatly respected by Hollywood b/c most of his movies like THe Killer, Hard Boiled and The Better Tomorrow Series are being ripped off by Hollywood directors such as the movie "DESPERADO," "RESEVIOR DOGS" and etc. The Hong kong cinema should be credited by hollywood.==================== ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A 1986 Hong Kong variation on Somewhere in Time, with Adrian Lyne-style snazzy visuals contributed by director Tony Au, and music that sounds like Tangerine Dream outtakes. Chow Yun-fat and Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia (The Bride with White Hair) are a strikingly glamorous pair of star-crossed lovers. Apparently they were an item in a past life, during the Qin dynasty over 2,000 years ago. When they meet at an exhibition of terra cotta soldiers unearthed from the Qin emperor's tomb, the past merges with the present. (The flashback scenes mark Chow's only big-screen appearance in traditional Chinese garb, although he played several period roles in his apprentice phase as a TV idol.) The storytelling is anemic, and the finale a major letdown, but you may be satisfied just gazing at the stars, and at the lush period sets and costumes. Movies don't come much prettier. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (9)

not for the "Sleepless and Seattle crowd"...
...but if you like an intelligent, artful, thoughtful, and (unthinkable if this were to be re-made by Hollywood) profoundly rewarding cinematic romance, this is the film for you. So what if the attire and sets are a bit 1980ish? Unlike forgettable Hollywood knockoffs, Tony Au's background in costume and set design-- much like Zhang Yimou at his best-- reminds the viewer throughout the film just how powerful color, sound, and imagery can be. The star-crossed lovers theme, echoed over 20 centuries, gives the film a transcendence seldom found in any "romance." Aside from a rather pathetic attempt to mimic a young Leonard Bernstein on the podium, Yun-Fat Chow gives one of the most nuanced performances of his career (and demonstrates that he doesn't have to just pull a trigger and crack wise to convey screen persona). Brigitte Lin is stunning as Yuet-Heung, Chow's centuries-lost lover reincarnated. And Cher Yeung gives what I hope was an award-winning performance at *some* film festival *somewhere* as Chow's girlfriend of 8 years who suddenly finds herself supplanted by a 20 century-long "dream" of love. Her visceral emotional pain is at the core of this film, and her final sequence is perhaps one of the most devastating portrayals captured on celluloid within this genre. "Eight years or two thousand...it's still love": that line itself captures the simplicity as well as the uncompromising profundity of the film. Well worth the price of your purchase, whatever that may be.

Love is harder second time round
The legendary Chow Yuen Fatt is paired with Hong Kong's once beloved all-time actress Ling Ching Hsia.

This is a movie that tells us love is love, regardless the time, the time span and the players. Love is hard, the first time and the second time as well.

Fatt plays a modern day concert conductor and Hsia, the alluring artifact expert of sort. They both dreamed about each other. They eventually know they were tragic lovers from their past lives. And now reborned as Fatt's character Song Yu wanted it to be, in his previous life wanted, "I prefer flesh and blood".

And She, the abodient wife of a Qin dynasty architect sentenced to death, obeyed and died with her beloved husband.

Now reborned, starting over in a modern day presents a different problem, equally tragic : there is another player in this love affair, Fatt has a lover.

The question put forth is simple : Would you do again, what you did then for love, first time round. Does love comes first, regardless of those around us? When does love becomes all-consuming, selfish and destructive? When do we give our all, when do we show consideration. Can love be just about the two people involved? Culture, tradition, history...it surrounds us, can we divorce ourselves from them .

Dream Lovers asks what we should forsake for love, or might be love, or even a dream of what love could be.

This is a layered movie, with visually stunning sets, although the artwork seemed a bit conscious and contrived.

Fatt is flawless, and Hsia engaging, relentlessly stoic and vulnerable at the same time.

Don't miss this one. Learn what one great love can be, learn what you can be up against, if it is yourself you have to measure up to, when it comes to love.

Great story!
This story has brought out a lot of depth in life. For example, if a couple have been in love for 2000 years, does it mean they have the right to discard the relationship they were in prior to their "meeting" in this life? Even if it is truly important to continue a 2000 years love, shouldn't the couple be more considerate to the feeling of the people surrounding them? I believed that taking it slow is the key to successfully bring the 2000 years couple back together, with minimum amount of hurt brought to the people surrounding them. This is a great story. I would have given it a 5 stars if Chow Yun Fat and Brigitte Lin can bring out the struggling and the contradiction of their wants and what is right to do. However, I didn't see too much of that in this movie. So, I decide to give it a 3 stars.

how do you explain it?!
one of the main reasons I wanted to watch this movie was because brigitte lin and chow yun fat were in it together. something that you dont see much of. both of whom are excellent actress and actor. knowing this I expected nothing but the best. and this is what I bought.

this movie is about two lovers who lived 2000 years ago during the Qin Dynasty, and 2000 years later find each other again, being drawn to each other, by way of visions from their pasts. this is a tragic love story that justs mesmerizes you to the screen. now i am not much of a love story person, I go for the high action movies. but this one movie, dream lovers, I would recommend to anyone, especially those who like a good love story movie.

Not your typical "Western Style" romance
My primary motivation for viewing this film was to enjoy the performances of 2 incredible artists. Chow Yun Fat, known to some for his Rambo-style, shoot-em-up attitude, and Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia, known for her roles in many fantasy-fu flicks.

From the opening scene, I was in awe of the cinematography. Beautiful backgrounds and settings are used throughout this whole film, and do a wonderful job of creating an atmosphere representative of the whole story.

As much as I love Lin and Chow, I must say that Cher Yeung stole the show. She does a beautiful job of really bringing out the transformation of her character through the movie.

Complaints: Chow just didn't act out the flashback scenes to his potential. I felt that he didn't play a character that was from the past during the flashbacks. Also, I felt that the suspense of the whole situation could have been delayed a tad longer, to further the connection between the characters and the audience.

Finally, the movie may not suit well with certain viewers. But if you think of the context in which this movie was made, you'll see that it does fit. There are some abstract topics that some may not comprehend or subscribe to i.e. reincarnation, but if you look past that, what you'll find is an incredible love story that is unique.

Definitely worth a view, and a purchase. ... Read more

Description

International action superstar Chow Yun Fat ("Bulletproof Monk," "TheKiller," "Hard Boiled") stars in this action adventure shot entirely on location in China'sfamous Shaolin Temple and co-starring legendary kung fu star Gordon Liu ("Kill Bill,""Master Killer")! With gorgeous cinematography by Peter Pau ("Crouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon"), a classic fight between Gordon Liu and Shaw Brothers veteran PhillipKwok ("Five Deadly Venoms"), and a superb performance by the ever graceful ChowYun Fat! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

and I consider myself a HUGE Chow Yun Fat fan...
Being what I consider to be a huge fan of Chow Yun Fat, (and Hong Kong cinema at large) I'm disappointed to tell you this movie was an erratic, paceless, passionless exercise in BAD romantic comedy... with some monks, supernatural powers, and bad dialogue thrown in for good measure. The only redeeming quality for this film, is obviously Chow Yun Fat. Sadly, his valiant attempts to save this film from itself fail utterly. There are enjoyable moments... interactions between Chow's character, and the monks he is inexplicably living with (what's his cover again?)... but for the life of me, I want desperately to know who made the Baseball uniforms with SHAOLIN written on the back... and why were there 40 monks on the playing field? I'm glad it's part of my DVD collection, but only as an example of cinema gone horrbly awry. 2 stars because Chow Yun Fat demeaned himself to appear in it (and that was the good news). Go out and get "The Killer," and "Hard Boiled," to fully appreciate Chow Yun Fat's great on screen presence before you delve into this film.

Romance and natural
The story is about a man which this new task is go to Shaolin to protect "Treasure" , he is also not known that what is the treasure that he need to protect.But after manythings happened he finally found that the thing that he really need to go to protect is his love , a girl whom has natural power,she is so kind and nice(led by Wu Chien Lien)since he had found for his real love in all of his life,that he didn't known before that his love is really in China in Shoulin,Wu Chien Lien's performance in this movie is so pure and natural,she can made the audience to believe in her, nice and kind could make the man can left the life that he were in US.to live with her in China,the romantic through this movie is so nice and really made me feel deeply romance in my heart.

Pleasantly Surprised
The versatile Chow Yun Fat once again shows that he's capable of delivering action, comedy and romance in one character. I was pleasantly suprpised at the extent to which this movie is entertaining. It is now a part of my collection.

Definitely a Tresurable Hunt!
This movie isn't a perfect blend of action, comedy, drama and romance, but it still works despite it's slightly too uneven mix. (Thus, I actually give this four and a half stars, but the rating bar doesn't allow halves.)
Chow Yun Fat is a gorgeously charismatic scene stealer whether being a killer, comedian or gushing romantic.

Better than you think
From the perspective of someone who has a much higher appreciation of CYF's action film history than CYF's romantic-comedy/drama history, this film is a winner. People are right when they accuse it of "genre hopping." One minute a bloody gunfight will lead into some corny cop jokes. Then some supernatural acts will lead into a love story which is then followed by quirky Asian comedy. Some might chafe at the thought of such a stew, but it does work.

So, if you already have A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard Boiled, City On Fire, Full Contact, City War, etc. and are looking to branch out into CYF's less-action more-light fare, this would be a great first stop. Also, check out CYF in Once A Thief, another film light on the bloodshed, but still interesting enough to own. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

3.5 stars actually - worth watching!
A very interesting film (1982). I admit, it was odd to think of Beardy (Leung Kar-Yan) and
Chow Yun Fat working on screen together in co-starring roles, yet its an enticing
proposition nonetheless. I'm hardly a CYF completist, but I always enjoy a flick
with him up front and center. PSB is really Beardy's flick, but Chow's easy
charisma is never overshadowed - if anything, that 'grin and a toothpick' charmer is well forshadowed
here - and as we see him do a few martial moves, even an early Mu Bai of sorts is glimpsed (he not only fights but uses darts that shoot from his wrist!!!).

Yuen Woo Ping's touch is also evident here and so the choreography is decent and fairly
fast, though the movie is more on 'conspiracy' and 'plot' than 'action' per se. The characters are low-key
and a bit somber, but this, I feel, is a reflection of the movie's intended mood. Having said that,
Beardy et al deliever some tight moves, when we get them. I noted while watching this, that

many of the characters smoke: Chow is constantly smoking and Beardy smokes a lot. The
excellent outdoor scerey further removes this from anything resembling a standard chop-socky flick, and yet, its
not yet hong kong's 'modern era' - this movie seems to exist in its own somber (not depressing!) place and time. I can't say it feels "original," yet it wasn't ever boring, imo.

"During the Republican era, an evil warlord instructs his right hand man to find four suitable
candidates to transport his valuable gifts across dangerous grounds. He recruits four men; a
postman (Leung Kar Yan), a thief (Yuen Yat Chor), a dynamiter and a conman (Chow Yun
Fat). The only instructions they are given are to never open the cargo and to deliver it within
seven days. After numerous ambush attempts the group begin to become suspicious but they
have no idea of the horror that awaits them and the consequences of completing the mission
successfully." (Dragon'sDenUk)

I'm not sure who the villain is (an arms-selling ninja believe it or not - it works), but
I've seen him in several films. This movie sets a tone of uncertainty and the lead players

feel as cold and distant as the beautiful and still snow-covered lands that often serve as a
backdrop. Theres a little love, a little betrayal a little rvenge and some bitter-sweet, like
most hong-kong dishes and that will leave you satisfied if you love the genre. The film is
at least a three star, but wants that extra half star too, so at 3.5 stars you should check it out.

Another winner from Hong Kong...
During the Republican Era in China, the country became divided by warlords and there was constant bloodshed. Needing able-bodied men to join their factions, warlords paid a hefty price. However, the one man that they all wanted could not be bought. Features a breathtaking chase on ice! ... Read more

Amazon.com

An entertaining smart-mouthed cop movie from 1988, a mixture of crude farce and head-banging martial arts action that never quite gels. Chow Yun-fat's prancing, mugging, literally pants-wetting performance is a measure of how far he is willing to go to show his fans a good time. Chow's buddy-buddy partner is played by the muscular Chinese-American martial artist Conan Lee, who's convincingly ferocious, and curvy starlet Li Chi plays a heroin smuggler who decides to go straight (and cook dinner) after Chow slaps her around a little. The martial arts elements are more satisfying than the crass comedy. The director, Lau Kar-leung (a.k.a. Liu Chia Liang), was a kung fu master a few years back: his Master Killer and Legendary Weapons of Kung Fu are venerated by aficionados, and his comeback film, Drunken Master 2, is one of Jackie Chan's best. Lau packed the supporting cast with kung fu veterans like Liu Chia Hui (the Master Killer himself), Ti Lung, and David Chiang. The coolest action sequence is a "sword fight" in which the combatants face off with chainsaws. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Chainsaw fight!
This movie is a cool buddy cop action comedy with the best (and only?) chainsaw fight ever! I got this movie just to see that fight, because up until I bought it, I had only heard about it. The story is ok and the dubbing isn't the worst, but the action is what I think typical chinese gunplay.......which is awesome! I could watch this movie over and over again. It just has a happier feel to it. The only time is seems to get gloomy is during action scenes which I don't think are at all a disappointment. This is one you shouldn't pass up if you like Chow Yun Fat, chines gunplay, or just plain old action movies with a chainsaw fight! I loved it!

Action Comedy Worth Seeing!!
Chow Yun Fat plays an experienced & some what arrogant cop to Conan Lee's rookie cop. The movie does have some Lethal Weapon themes, but I don't remember Danny Glover getting scared enough to wet his pants. If you are a Hong Kong cinema fan you won't be disappointed.

If Conan Lee looks familar to you Jet Li fans, its because he played Mr. Li's brother in LW 4.

Chow Yun Fat in Comedy Shocker!
Outside of Kowloon, Chow Yun Fat is seen as an action star, and who could be blamed for thinking so. Given the popularity of "The Killer" and the "Better Tomorrow" series, it seems that you couldn't watch Fat unless he was racking up a body count. So, you can imagine how much of a departure "Tiger On The Beat" may seem for him.

In all actuality, Chow is an actor with a broad range, with most of his recent Hong Kong films more drama-based than anything else. Still, he doesn't let you down with this one.

Paired with a straight-laced cop (Conan Lee) Chow is the Jim Belushi to Lee's Schwarznegger. Tracking a drug ring in Hong Kong, the action comes at the right moments and the comedy is enough to tide you over until the high-speed ending.

When compared to his more well known work, this doesn't rank as high a body count, but with the comedic edge, this is worth adding to any hard-boiled Woo fan's collection. Oh, and is there anything cooler then when CYF brings out the machette? ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Tragic Hero
I want to know the languages it has mandarin.

Exciting finale, little else.
I saw this film in the theatre on a Chow yun fat film festival. I found the film very amateureshly written. I know action films suspend belief, but this was ridiculous (a woman gets shot in the head, but dosen't die for about 7 minutes, chow recieves over 30 bullet hits in the filnale, but survives.) The story itself was intriguing, but the gun battles were ver outlandish, and out of place (shing fui on's demise is particularly laughable). I can take many stupid violent films of the eighties (AMerican" Lethal Weapon, HK: Tiger on beat), but this one goes too far. It should have stuck with it's story, and not tried try solely to live up to the better tomorrow body count. Danny Lee has a particularly good cameo. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This solid 1987 big-house melodrama costars Tony Leung Kar-fei (The Lover) as a bespectacled innocent, perhaps mentally impaired, who is unjustly imprisoned. Behind bars he is befriended by a life-loving reprobate (Chow Yun-fat) who displays his cool by rolling a lit cigarette over his knuckles, in a risky variation on the George Raft silver dollar trick. Director Ringo Lam jacks up the visceral tension effectively, even though Leung's character is too naive to be true. Chow is in top form, however, enduring even more brutal beatings than in A Better Tomorrow. All prison exposé films are essentially the same, but this one has a few unusual wrinkles: there are no intimations of that American slammer staple, homosexuality, though close fraternal attachments are suggested in a lyrical Christmas party dance sequence. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Shawshank Last Castle Redemption
When I first read about this movie, I was expecting a fire in a prison and Chow and his buddy trying to get out. What I got instead was a beautiful drama about friendship in the midst of prison. It was almost a combination of "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Last Castle." The acting was wonderful. And for a prison drama, it was very tender. The characters were great and you could feel yourself bonding with them. If you don't mind a good foreign film you have to read, Prison on Fire is a good movie for you.

one of the films that made Chow great...
Audiences used to Western style cinema might poo-poo at the melodramatic sentiments of this film. It is melodramatic and at times unrealistic (I mean how many times can a guy get beaten but not die? ) but it is also without a doubt different. This is not an American prison film by any means which is reason enough to watch it. Also despite the gritty violence that Ringo Lam is known for, this is not a Midnight Express type film. Sure, there is the bad guard but there are also good guards.

Chow plays a kind hearted prisoner who knows the system. He takes the naive Tony Leung Ka Fai and helps him get through his prison term. Despite the closeness of the men's friendship in prison, there is no subtext (just as there isn't meant to be one in John Woo's HK films)

Chow is at his best here and shows why he is such a respected actor in the East. His expressions and mannerisms are excellent and help make Prison on Fire such a good film. Some of the expressions Chow used in this film and his other HK classics are used sporadically and unevenly in The Corruptor (Chow's 2nd American film.)

Prison on Fire and City on Fire (School on Fire is the last in the trilogy) are known as Ringo Lam's masterpieces and it's easy to tell why. Prison is a fast paced film with loads of heart. The fighting among prisoners and among guards is quite something to watch. It's a prison film with chinese ideals of chivlary, honor and friendship among men. One could even make a case for it being a film with John Wooism themes with out the ballet. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

really touches your heart
generally an above average movie, except for the most touching scene in the movie where the grandfather punishes the little girl by hidding her behind bundles of dried twigs(tree branches used for firewood) and locking her in the barn all for just crying. watch it and you will realise the subtleties of human emotions.

Subtle performances, appealing characters
Chow Yun Fat plays Hong Kong Police Sergeant Lau Chun Pong, nicknamed "Mew Mew". Mew Mew is a man on the ragged edge. He is, we learn a widower whose wife and child were killed by a robber, he is a man in a downward spiral. He seems numb to life that swirls around him--when he is first introduced, he's sitting in a car, chain smoking cigarettes and drinking from his flask, watching the drama of street life before him as he awaits the arrival of an informant. His expression is disinterested and weary--he pursues the arms dealers who are his prey with a curious detachment. He is going through the motions of being a policeman, yet one senses, that it is only his work that is keeping him going at all. He still commands the loyalty, respect and affection of his colleagues, including his supervisor. He's a good cop and a good man who has lost his way due to overwhelming grief.

Cherie Chung plays the sister of the murdered arms dealer--whose death sets the plot in motion. Chung's Cher Lee is a woman of quiet strength and dignity. Life has not been kind to her. Her husband betrayed her, leading a secret second life with a woman from the Chinese interior, fathering a son. During their marriage he berated her for being clumsy and stupid. Rather than continuing to suffer the humiliation, Cher has divorced him and lives quietly with her father, working along side him in the village fields, harvesting bamboo.

Her sister's death brings Mew Mew--pursuing the arms case--into her life in a dramatic fashion. Their relationship is at first contentious as he suspects her and her father of complicity in the dead sister's arms dealing. The relationship begins to transform as Mew Mew aids Cher in tracking down the father of her sister's illegitimate 4 year old daughter--who turns out to be the kingpin of the arms smuggling operation that the police are investigating.

Their bond is forged as the arms case heats up--thrown into each others company, facing adversity and danger, these two wounded souls begin to blossom. A tentative, tender relationship grows and is tested time and again through Mew Mew's suspension from the force (a result of threatening the powerful, rich arms kingpin); a domestic drama within Cher's family concerning her young niece and her father: the complication of Cher's ex-husband reentering the picture determined to
win his wife back; and an assassination attempt on Mew Mew's life by one of the kingpin's henchman--the murderer of Cher's sister.

To be sure, these are restrained performances, yet one only has to watch Cherie Chung as Cher as she sits at the bedside of the wounded Mew Mew, not knowing if he will live or die, her worry, longing and love playing over her features, to appreciate her work in this film. Chow's Mew Mew may lack the flash and dazzle of some of his bullet ballet roles, but the transformation from grief stricken widower to a man being brought back to life by love is fascinating to watch. His scenes with the young actress playing the daughter of the murdered woman are especially touching and heartwarming.

Action fans and bullet ballet junkies will be disappointed by this film. But those of us who enjoy character driven drama will find much to enjoy in Wild Search.

Good movie for Chow Yun Fat
This is one of the good movie acted by Chow Yun Fat. The story is very warm and caring. The acting for all the actors/actresses are pretty good. It is worth it to see. I don't need to read the subtitle, so I don't rate this movie based on the quality of the subtitle. But, as a Chinese, I am willing to give it a 5 stars.

This is a great movie...forget the other reviews.
This movie shows the soft and caring of CYF. It is a must have if you are a CYF fan. This movie is one of my favorite CYF films....it truly is a good movie.

Uninspired.
Another one of the formulaic action/romance films made by CYF from 1989. This was the same year as "God of Gamblers" and "The Killer" were released, both A pictures. This is definitely one of the B pictures, only worth watching for the more completist CYF fans.

CYF plays "Mew Mew", a widowed cop. While investigating the murder of a female arms dealer he meets Cher (played by his frequent castmate Cherie Chung), a country divorcee and sister of the dead arms dealer.

It is love at first sight for Mew Mew, even though he feels twinges of guilt before the memories of his dead wife and son. Cher and Mew Mew are thrown together while Mew Mew investigates Cher's sister's death, mainly by the existence of Ka Ka, the orphaned girl and niece of Cher.

There are some touching scenes between Mew Mew and Ka Ka; while it is never touched upon in the script, it seems as if Mew Mew enjoys taking care of the child as he might have done his own dead boy.

Unlike the other rough cops CYF has played in these B pictures, Mew Mew seems fastidious and neat, knows how to cook and treats his girl at least as well as his best friend. While in this film there are really no romantic moments between Mew Mew and Cher after that first fateful glance, there are some sweet scenes between them, but unfortunately they are brief at the expense of some of the action sequences - action which really isn't good enough to warrant pulling away from the story, such as it is.

A slight story doesn't give CYF or Cherie Chung, both consummate professionals, much to work with but they do their best. Miss Chung is always at her most interesting when portraying less sophisticated, more down-to-earth women and one really wishes she had had more to work with in this role; the scenes of her cutting bamboo and mixing traditional Chinese medicines for the new love in her life are solid and seem very natural. This pair of two of Hong Kong's finest actors are given wooden characters and while they manage to paint them in realistic colors, Mew Mew and Cher never really come to life except for some very brief moments.

The subtitling is very bad on this film (the Mei-Ah DVD); it looks as if the translation was done by machine, and not by a very sophisticated piece of software at that. For those who have seen a lot of these HK flicks subtitled in English you will be able to take the Canto-English and translate it on the fly; those who are unused to doing such may find the subtitling confusing at times and downright frustrating at others. At least most of the words are spelled correctly, even if misused, so I would give the subtitles a rating of 2 of 10 just for that (and that's being generous).

The direction, even though by Ringo Lam, is unexciting and unoriginal. It may be that he, apparently like CYF and Miss Chung, was simply uninspired by the whole idea of this film.

CYF looks good as usual, but a bit tired. 1989 saw the release of "A Better Tomorrow 3", "God of Gamblers", "The Killer", "Triads - The Inside Story" and this film. Two classic pictures, one very good one and two not-so-good ones in one short year is a remarkable achievement. Rent this one if you just want to see CYF and Cherie Chung together again, but only buy it if you are a CYFanatic looking to complete your collection. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a weak finish for a good start
Being a CYF fan, I borrowed this DVD hoping to find a masterpiece like HARD BOILED or THE KILLER. Despite being a ganster film, much like a poor man's GODFATHER, TRIADS is entertaining, and, if you're into heavy action, well, this is it.
It drops at the end, but that's OK, for the movie is entertaining and very watchable. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A possibly OK movie, UNVIEWABLE on DVD
One of the worst DVD transfers we have seen to date. Subtitles were imprinted on the original film, and frames jump all over the screen, making them impossible to read. Not to mention overall bad quality of video and audio. Otherwise, could be a something for Chow Yun Fat fans.

Chow Yun-Fat's first starring role in a motion picture
"God of Killers" is yet another in a long line of retitled Hong Kong films designed to get the unsuspecting public to either rent or buy a title that they may have previously seen. This 1981 film was Chow's first major starring role and he's excellent here. But why change the name of the film from the original "The Story of Woo Viet?" There's really no need to do so. "The Story of Woo Viet" is a serious drama/character study and features fine acting from Chow who had worked for years in Hong Kong television and was trying to make the move to feature films. In Fact, "The Story of Woo Viet" did well at the box office, but for the next several years, Chow's films did not do so well and it wasn't until 1985 that he finally broke through and he hasn't looked back since. By the way, those looking for a John Woo style action film will be sadly disappointed; this is very definitely a character study, with an unhappy ending, that showcases Chow's acting talent.

In all honesty, I cannot rate the VHS versions being offered by Amazon, as the copy that I have of this film was presented on DVD (that I picked up for five bucks at a Pathmark grocery store!). However, based on internet research that I have done on this film, I recommend that potential buyers stay away from the Arena Video version. While there's very little in the way of the usual crappy English dubbing (there are a few scenes spoken in English), the Arena version has the English subtitles cut-off at the bottom of the screen for large chunks of the film as does my budget DVD from Beverly Wilshire Filmworks (who are based in New York!).

Bottom line: As this was Chow Yun-Fat's first major film role in a superior Hong Kong film, viewers ought to give it a look. Just be careful with the version that you are buying. Buyer beware! ... Read more

Reviews (126)

An Extraordinary Experience
I found this movie to be BRILLIANT! Jodie Foster is outstanding in the role of Anna Leonowens - she is a beautiful mix of bravery, intelligence and Victorian elegance. Chow Yun-Fat is also outstanding in the role of King Mongkut - he emits a regal quality as well that of compassion and intelligence. The cinematography is out of this world and the directing exquisite. The dialogue is perfect, and it strikes just the right chord of polished writing. The musical score is breathtaking. The lush scenery and thick emotion is set to elegant, strong, and graceful music. It is forceful when it need be and then fades quietly into the background... at times supporting a scene with gentle rolling waves of ear pleasure. Oh and the costumes! They are completely amazing, and startling in their detail. From the majestic elephants to the smallest noble they are all cloaked in carefully chosen fabrics.

This movie in all its entirety affected me very deeply. The intense emotions of the characters are so expertly performed and directed that they feel incredibly real. These emotions, which course through "Anna and the King," create a moving, exciting, and anticipatory experience. I am very grateful to all of those involved in the making of "Anna and the King" for producing such a beautiful and extraordinary film. Anyone who is contemplating viewing this movie... do it. I only hope that you, too will have the pleasure of being able to fully indulge in this feast for the senses.

A true outstanding epic movie.....
This is a true outstanding epic movie. I'm really surprised why it wasn't hailed as greatly as it should have been. I personally hail it as one of the greatest movies of all time, a true classic in every sense. I've seen it totally ignorant of all the versions that preceded it and I've loved it with the very first few lines "She came unaware of all the suspicion that preceded her" " the first English woman I have seen". This story of two unconventional people in conventional times with all its historical facts and lush gorgeous background is capable of sweeping one's off his feet making him feel all that cultural and emotional struggle that Anna and the King seem to go through. Jodie Foster was lovely and extraordinary although I used to think that she is too modern-looking for such movies...I guess I was gravely mistaken. I think the movie's real surprise is Chow Yun-Fat who was truly amazing. He seems to be so much at home with all this kingly charm. He has such grace and overwhelming presence that would make him probably one of the most remembered kings on the screen. I can't help wondering if the original king was as charming as he was....and wouldn't be nice if all kings were like that? We would surly love them. And what of the palace? Do I dare and say more? I was totally amazed to know that they've built a replica of the original one...wow! I envy Jodie and Chow for being in such lofty surroundings. I think I would write a book if I were to describe everything I loved in this movie...but I must take my hat off to Andy Tennant for making such a masterpiece and for all the designers. Of course, I must not forget the movie's music and photography and the beautiful script that seems to linger in the mind forever for I would always remember that "when a woman has so much to say and doesn't say it. Her silence can be deafening.".

Simply a delightful story
After losing her husband in the jungle of India, Anna Leonowens embarks in a journey that will take her to Siam, where she will tutor the oldest son of King Mongkut. Her son, Louis, and two Hindu servants accompany her in this new endeavor. As soon as Anna sets foot in Bangkok, the difference between cultures surges as a predominant element that will remain present throughout the story. Even though the start is rocky, with Anna being called "Sir" for misogynist reasons and not being given the house she was promised but accommodation in the palace instead, the king discovers quickly the value of this woman that acts very different from what he is used to. That is why he decides that instead of tutoring his oldest son, she will be in charge of teaching all of his children...all 58 of them!

The movie evolves around three clear themes. First, the clash of cultures, which is enlightening and entertaining and as the movie evolves so does the acceptance and admiration each of the characters show for the positive points of the other's culture. Second, the relationship between Anna and the king, which starts as annoyance, moves to respect and continues developing from there. Third, the political atmosphere, which is characterized by attacks to Siamese people by Burmese armies, suspected to be supported by no other than the British Empire (the events unfold in 1862).

Although the movie is rather long, the events unfold at a pace that keeps the viewer interested at all times. The music fits the mood of the action perfectly well, and in the proper scenes it is so uplifting that it steals the attention of the viewer. Jodie Foster delivers a well-rounded role, but in my opinion the performance of Chow Yun-Fat is at a higher level. Finally, the scenery and the palaces where the movie develops are absolutely amazing.

Overall this is a highly enjoyable movie that will leave you thinking for a while about how every culture has its positive aspects and how, with a little patience, everyone can learn to appreciate this.

Had to watch for a school project...
I thought that this film was very beautiful in content...this film had some real substance to it, and the actors did an excellent job in the portrayal of the characters involved...lovely story.....

Absolutely classic
This is one of my favorite movies ever, it can be compared only to Gone With The Wind. It may be not historically accurate but nor was GWTW and it is still a classic. I love every part of it -- the portrayal of the two different cultures as equals, the love story, the beautiful scenery. I've seen it 4 times in the cinema even though I usually watch a movie twice, when it's in cinema and when it comes out in video.
I don't understand why this film wasn't a great success but I don't mind, at least we won't get three awful sequels and two TV shows based on it.

I also recommend the soundtrack, it is beautiful and suits the story well. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Don`t wait for Chow Yun Fat
This is a good movie. A kind of "Godfather". But you will only see Chow Yun Fat briefly. Despite of this, Code of Honor is a nice movie, a good story about loyalty and comradness, in the same line of John Woo`s movies. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

God of Gamblers-Showcase for Chow Yun-Fat's versatility!
Underappreciated as an actor in the west, Chow Yun Fat shows his versatility in this Hong Kong Comedy/drama. Chow stars as Ko Chun a gifted gambler with an almost supernatural gift for gaming, hence his exalted title.

Ko Chun is suave and sophisticated, master of his gaming, monetarily successful and comfortable in his abilities. This makes him enemies among not only opponents, but as it turns out, supposed friends.

Having narrowly escaped an assasination attempt, Chow unwittingly walks into a trap set by Knife, a young gambler wannabe who has little success in his endeavors. Knife meant to teach someone else a lesson by sabotaging a trail below his home, instead, Ko Chun is the victim. Finding the head injured gambler, Knife and his family take him in and nurse him back to health, not knowing who has fallen into their laps.

Ko Chun awakens from his trauma with no memory and regressed to a childlike demeanor with an insatiable hunger for a particular brand of chocolate (one carry over from his former life), and as Knife and Co. find out, a talent for gambling. Knife and his crew make good use of their new friend's abilities--becoming upwardly mobile thanks to "Chocolate"--the nickname they bestow upon him.

Chow Yun Fat has never been more endearing and charming as the brain injured "Chocolate". Where other actors might come off as goofy, pitiable or even laughable attempting this shift, Chow makes it believeable and incredibly touching. The viewer wishes to protect Chocolate from a world he no longer understands and which is by turns baffling and inhospitable--just as Knife and his crew come to love and protect their friend.

Their sudden success brings unwanted attention, which leads to pursuit, kidnapping, ransom and gunplay, and further trauma to poor Chocolate, leading to a showdown that highlights the God of Gamblers uncanny ability to win, even when opponents cheat and "friends" betray.

While Chow Yun Fat's ability and charisma are at the heart and soul of this film, the supporting players are excellent, especially Andy Lau and Joey Wong.

A must see and a must own for any Chow Yun Fat fan! Getting increasingly hard to find--get your copy now! (Review of the VCD unedited version. The DVD is edited and several scenes of the group becoming upwardly mobile have been deleted).

Bad DVD of a great fun movie
Too bad the folks who produced this didn't take some care with it. The picture is passable and the sound is OK but if you're interested in following the plot from reading the English subtitles be prepared for a lot of guessing and frustration as they are mostly unreadable at the bottom edge of the screen. I don't know how the subtitles are for the other languages, never tried them since I don't read them. But with no English language track the lack of useful English subtitles makes this DVD worthwhile only for the hard-core Chow Yun-Fat fan in America.

Great movie (if you don't know chinese read this!)
If you like Chow Yun-Fat, you will like this movie! I bought this movie first on vhs. The vhs is wide screen with chinese subtitle, and english under it. When they put it to DVD, they made it fit to television (ie not widescreen). In doing so they
cut off the english subtitles. IF YOU DON'T KNOW CHINESE DON'T BOTHER BUYING THIS, UNTIL THEY COME OUT WITH A BETTER VERSION!!

Doh San (God of Gamblers)
"Chow Yun Who?" Were my first thoughts when my friend produced this dodgy-looking tape of some obscure-sounding Hong Kong film. Being, at that stage, very new to this sort of movie, I was somewhat sceptical.

However, the following two-or-so hours were awe inspiring. The opening scene is amazing, with Chow Yun being extremely cool and demonstrating his godly gamling prowess.

Whilst cleverly avoiding the unfriendly attentions of a gang of thugs he's just humiliated and relieved of over 10 million bucks, our hero falls into to a trap. Set as a plan for revenge on someone else, by three small-time gamblers, the trap causes Chow to lose his memory and gives him the mind of a kid. Under the care of the trio, the man's amazing gambling ability is discovered and they use it to thier advantage...

This film rocks from begining to end. Despite the cheesy elevator-music version of "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" that keeps poping up in the feel-good sequences, it is more than compensated for by the heroic theme music that play eveys time Chow Yun is doing anything cool. "God Of Gamblers" combines slick gambling and action-packed gun battles with a clever plot, to create a masterpiece of Eastern cinematography.

a great film but the subtitles are cut off and unreadable!
I wish someone else had mentioned this, but this is a horrible trasfer of a great film. The video picture quality is very poor and made from a very scratchy film print. on top of that you will most likely NOT be able to read the subtitles (unless you can read Cantonese)as they are cropped off the bottom of the screen. Different televisions have different overscan rates (they amount the crop off the edges of the picture you are watching). This problem may not be as bad on another t.v. set, but the amount they were cut off on mine was far greater then the standard differences in overscan across different t.v. manufacturers lines so I doubt you will have a different experience. This is usually NOT an adjustable feature. Wish I had better news to print. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Shawshank Last Castle Redemption
When I first read about this movie, I was expecting a fire in a prison and Chow and his buddy trying to get out. What I got instead was a beautiful drama about friendship in the midst of prison. It was almost a combination of "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Last Castle." The acting was wonderful. And for a prison drama, it was very tender. The characters were great and you could feel yourself bonding with them. If you don't mind a good foreign film you have to read, Prison on Fire is a good movie for you.

one of the films that made Chow great...
Audiences used to Western style cinema might poo-poo at the melodramatic sentiments of this film. It is melodramatic and at times unrealistic (I mean how many times can a guy get beaten but not die? ) but it is also without a doubt different. This is not an American prison film by any means which is reason enough to watch it. Also despite the gritty violence that Ringo Lam is known for, this is not a Midnight Express type film. Sure, there is the bad guard but there are also good guards.

Chow plays a kind hearted prisoner who knows the system. He takes the naive Tony Leung Ka Fai and helps him get through his prison term. Despite the closeness of the men's friendship in prison, there is no subtext (just as there isn't meant to be one in John Woo's HK films)

Chow is at his best here and shows why he is such a respected actor in the East. His expressions and mannerisms are excellent and help make Prison on Fire such a good film. Some of the expressions Chow used in this film and his other HK classics are used sporadically and unevenly in The Corruptor (Chow's 2nd American film.)

Prison on Fire and City on Fire (School on Fire is the last in the trilogy) are known as Ringo Lam's masterpieces and it's easy to tell why. Prison is a fast paced film with loads of heart. The fighting among prisoners and among guards is quite something to watch. It's a prison film with chinese ideals of chivlary, honor and friendship among men. One could even make a case for it being a film with John Wooism themes with out the ballet. ... Read more