Hard Boiled
Seen it?1992 | 126 min | Action, Thriller, Crime
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime fans, anyone who likes to be kept guessing and action fans. If you loved Pulp Fiction or Fresh, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, gritty.
- The pace
- Fast-moving, at 2 hr 6 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Cantonese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
A cop who loses his partner in a shoot-out with gun smugglers goes on a mission to catch them. In order to get closer to the leaders of the ring he joins forces with an undercover cop who's working as a gangster hitman. They use all means of excessive force to find them.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
94% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.5 out of 10
- AwardsWeak
1 win and 1 nomination from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$20 million worldwide on a $5 million budget
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 286K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Pulp Fiction
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed drug-world crime thriller.
Year of the Dragon
Weeknight WatchAnother drug-world crime thriller, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Kiss of the Dragon
Sunday Safe BetAnother drug-world crime thriller, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
The Corruptor Weeknight WatchAlso stars Chow Yun-Fat, in another crime thriller, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Fresh Saturday SpecialAnother drug-world crime thriller.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by John Woo
- Chow Yun-FatInsp. 'Tequila' Yuen
- Tony Leung Chiu-waiAlan
- Anthony Wong Chau-sangJohnny Wong
- Teresa Mo Shun-kwanTeresa Chang
- Philip Chan Yan-kinSupt. Pang
- Stephen Tung WaiLittle Ko / Fox
- Herman Kwan Hoi-sanMr. Hoi
- John WooMr. Woo
- Bowie Lam Bo-yeeLung
- Phillip Kwok ChuiMad Dog