Hard Boiled

I consider Hard Boiled to be in the same tier of action movies as Die Hard, Predator, and any of the Bourne movies. The quality of this film really is that good and as a result John Woo has cemented his place as one of my favorite movie directors of all time. Chow Yun-fat also plays a complete boss in the movie and commands every scene that he is in. His character, Inspector "Tequila" is one of my favorite action heroes of all time and that is saying something because of all of the movies I have seen in my life. This is a fast paced and frantic action movie and it delivers from start to finish.

The action in the movie is a sight to behold. Woo, along with his stunt coordinators, craft action sequences that almost play out like dances with so many things happening at the same time and the sequences are masterfully choreographed. The tea house shootout is just an awesome sequences and when that is paired with the hospital shootout you have two of the best action sequences ever filmed. The hospital shootout is one of my favorite sequences of all time because of the brutality and the tracking shot used to create the sequence. The inclusion of the most powerful shotgun in recorded history is also a welcome addition to the movie as well. There is a 3 or 4 minute sequence where there is no cuts and the action flows so naturally and is shot so well that it is mind blowing.

This may not be the most well acted movie as Hong Kong productions have much different standards than most large Hollywood movies, but the main cast delivers knockout performances. Chow Yun-fat is great in his role and this is one of the roles that cemented his place in the action star hall of fame. You believe for every minute in the movie that he is this haunted, tough cop who will do anything to bring justice to the men he is after. He essentially plays the same role in most of the American movies that he is in but this seems much more natural than the American roles that he is in.

This is one of the best action movies ever created and has become one of my favorite action movies of all time. This is an essential Hong Kong movie and one of the best from the collection of John Woo features. The fluid action throughout the movie is very unique and the movie features some of the greatest action scenes of all time. Watch this if you love action movies or movies in general. 10/10