What's your favourite John Woo movie?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 09 Apr 2005, 13:31

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 09 Apr 2005, 13:34

If you're fave isn't listed above... just vote for the one you like best and post here instead. Only ten options available. So titles such as The Young Dragons, Dragon Tamers, Countdown in Kung Fu, Princess Chang Ping, M:I2, Windtalkers, Paycheck and all of the comedy era had to be excluded.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 09 Apr 2005, 14:02

I think mine is The Killer. Sheer brilliance, though A Better Tomorrow is definitely up there 8)

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 09 Apr 2005, 14:44

Had to go for The Killer, but I adore Hard Boiled,Broken Arrow and Hard Target too

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 09 Apr 2005, 14:46

Ditto on Hard Boiled

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 09 Apr 2005, 15:06

Where is Face/Off? You have Broken Arrow and Hard Target so why not Face/Off? Incidentally I watched 2/3 of Hard Target recently when it was on BBC 1 and I thought it was AWFUL. Typical Vam-damme crud.

I realise only 10 are available but seeing as most would agree Face/Off is Woo's best American flick it should be there.

I won't be able to vote until Face/Off is there. Second would probably be Hard-boiled. I did love MI:2 so maybe that would be number 2 I'm not sure. ABT was okay and Killer was decent but Hard-boiled probably has the edge.

To me (except for Face/Off and MI:2) most of his films are full of gun action but aren't surprisingly exciting. ABT was a little boring.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 09 Apr 2005, 22:03

bradavon wrote:Where is Face/Off? You have Broken Arrow and Hard Target so why not Face/Off?

I meant to add Face-Off and until you pointed in out thought I had. I left room for it. I don't know how to edit a poll. But if you can Brad then add Face/Off and then vote for it. Sorry.

Incidentally I watched 2/3 of Hard Target recently when it was on BBC 1 and I thought it was AWFUL. Typical Vam-damme crud.

Hard Target is class. Van Damme rules in that movie. What were you watching???

ABT was a little boring.

the68monkey · Post by **the68monkey** » 10 Apr 2005, 00:21

Such a difficult decision to make! How do you choose between such excellent films as A Better Tomorrow, Bullet in the Head, The Killer, and Hard-Boiled? Once a Thief and Broken Arrow were lots of fun, even if not considered among Woo's best. Hmmmm. . . .

I think I'll go with A Better Tomorrow, since the Ti Lung / Chow Yun Fat brotherhood relationship is so well done, especially in contrast to the relationship between Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung (has it been two years already?

). The shootout scene with Chow Yun Fat at the restaurant has to be one of the greatest moments of Hong Kong cinema, I think. Superb!

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 10 Apr 2005, 08:35

To me, it is definitely "The Killer"... but as for Woo's best American film, I also have to say it is "Hard Target". Brad, I think the reason why so many people would say it is "Face/Off", is that they don't know about "Hard Target". I am not talking about you, but the general audience. "Hard Target" was a straight-to-video release, wasn't it?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 10 Apr 2005, 10:39

Face/Off for me has lots of very exciting acting and as important two fantastic actors. Van Damme isn't even in the same ball park as Travolta or Cage.

Markgway wrote:I meant to add Face-Off and until you pointed in out thought I had. I left room for it. I don't know how to edit a poll. But if you can Brad then add Face/Off and then vote for it. Sorry.

You edit your original post.

Markgway wrote:Hard Target is class. Van Damme rules in that movie. What were you watching???

Firstly it had a lot less action than I was expecting, it wasn't very original and as for Van Damme I just find it 2-D and very hard work to watch. I could actor better!

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 10 Apr 2005, 11:39

But on the other hand... Woo gave Travolta and Cage some of the worst stunt doubles I have ever seen. Each time they are doubled, it is so obvious, especially in the frontal shots which on top of that run in slow motion. Example: The boat scene when they fly out of the water.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 10 Apr 2005, 12:42

Am I the only one who enjoys films so much he/she doesn't notice stuff like that?

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 10 Apr 2005, 13:48

bradavon wrote:Incidentally I watched 2/3 of Hard Target recently when it was on BBC 1 and I thought it was AWFUL. Typical Vam-damme crud.

You turned it off just as the Epic end was coming up then as the last 40 minutes are none stop action VD VS hundfeds of bad guys and the film just goes into another level entirley, you missed the best bit of the film by far, the last section is gobsmacking.
The TV version was also cut to hell mind you

sound effects eddited out, bones breaking cut, bullet hits cut too, they hacked it badly

and the film is amazing 8)

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 10 Apr 2005, 16:51

thelostdragon wrote:"Hard Target" was a straight-to-video release, wasn't it?

No, it was a major theatrical release. At least in the US and the UK. Don't know about Germany, but I would presume the same. It reached No.1 in the US in August 1993 (God, is it that long??) but wasn't a massive hit. It scored enough, however, to allow both Woo and Van Damme to make films which would be even bigger hits (Broken Arrow and Timecop respectively).

Van Damme isn't even in the same ball park as Travolta or Cage.

...who give two of their worst performances. Pure ham. Van Damme may not be DeNiro but he plays it straight.

You edit your original post.

I tried, but I can't seem to edit the actual Poll. (I know you've since done it).

Firstly it had a lot less action than I was expecting

(!) Did you watch a cut version?

it wasn't very original

That's true. It's the umpteenth remake of 1932's The Most Dangerous Game. But is still a classic stripped-to-the-bone hard action movie. For once I agree with Romero... 8)

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 10 Apr 2005, 18:16

Bullet in the Head for me because it reminds me of that song by Rage Against the Machine. 8)

Nah it's a quality movie. Very emotional and moving experience. Probably my favourite Asian title.

I loved Hard Target btw. 8)

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 10 Apr 2005, 18:17

There is an EDIT button at the top right of each post.

I watched the BBC 1 cut. Epic + Van Damme = please stop Romero you're making me ache :mrgreen:

I would've watched more but I was so bored I couldn't cope with anymore so switched over to "Let's watch paint dry TV".

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 10 Apr 2005, 18:55

bradavon wrote:There is an EDIT button at the top right of each post.

Yeah, I know. But I couldn't edit the Poll itself. Am I speaking Chinese?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 10 Apr 2005, 19:06

No English. I'm not a mind reader. Maybe you can't unless you have mod rights.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 19 Apr 2005, 15:30

Mine has to The Killer. His most stylish movie and memorable movie IMO.

A close second and third are Bullet in the Head and A Better Tomorrow. BitH for it's superb moving story (a couple gaping plot holes aside) and characterisation; Tony Leung's powerful performance. ABT1 for it's tightly-woven character-driven story. Hard Boiled next for it's non-stop superb action, but it has skeletal story at best.

My order preference:-
The Killer > Bullet in the Head > ABT > Hard Boiled > ABT2 > Face/Off > Once a Thief ('91) > Broken Arrow > Hard Target.

I haven't seen Hard Target since 1998, but I thought it was rubbish at the time. I'll have to see it again sometime. My brother and I still joke about Uncle Bodedro who lives on Bayou to this day.

I'm yet to see any of Woo's other Hollywood flicks (Paycheck, Windtalkers, M:I2).

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 19 Apr 2005, 15:36

Bradavon next time watch the last 40 minutes of Hard Target, the action is amazing! you turned off just as the fiilm got going into the Epic action side of things, still cut, but hey its amazing to watch all them people die with hundreds of gunshots in slow mo.