The Killer
Seen it?1989 | 110 min | Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (98% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences rate it highly (7.6 out of 10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans, anyone who likes to be kept guessing and action fans. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 50 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- It's in Cantonese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Mob assassin Jeffrey is no ordinary hired gun; the best in his business, he views his chosen profession as a calling rather than simply a job. So, when beautiful nightclub chanteuse Jennie is blinded in the crossfire of his most recent hit, Jeffrey chooses to retire after one last job to pay for his unintended victim's sight-restoring operation. But when Jeffrey is double-crossed, he reluctantly joins forces with a rogue policeman to make things right.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 82 on Metacritic
- AudiencesStrong
7.6 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
2 wins and 4 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$2 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 173K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by John Woo
- Chow Yun-FatJong
- Danny Lee Sau-yinInsp. Li Ying / Little Eagle
- Sally Yeh Chian-WenJennie
- Paul Chu KongSidney Fung
- Kenneth TsangSgt. Tsang Yeh
- Shing Fui-OnHay Wong Hoi
- Tommy WongTeddy Wong Hung
- James Ha Chim-siTeddy's Man
- Ricky Wong Chun-tongFrank Chen
- Barry Wong Ping-yiuChief Inspector Tu