The Killer (1989)

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Best ever John Woo movie!

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HK Box office Taking: Must have been a Hit

In a way I actually feel shameful that I never before today watched John Woo’s hallmark film of Asian cinema. The movie is just so incredible that I actually turned on Microsoft Word, the very moment that the credits began to roll. Oh my god, what a hell of a great movie this is. The emotional impact is still very much within me, striking right into my heart. While I used to think that Hard Boiled and A Better Tomorrow was John Woo’s best, The Killer is just unbelievably heaps and miles better of what are already classics. Believe me, I feel ashamed that someone who is a fan of HK cinema and also someone that calls himself a somewhat part time film critic can be so ignorant to not watch The Killer until now. The feeling within me is just a breath of brilliance and the themes of brothership, love and loyalty and honor is never more evident before. And yes, you are damn right; I clapped right after the credits rolls. I don’t clap often, marking my third time only in my lifetime viewing of over I don’t know how many movies, tells you one thing – this is just a hell of a shit ass classic and oh my god feeling type of hallmark movie.

The story goes like this: In this bloody tale of loyalty and friendship, Chow Yun-Fat is Jeffrey, an assassin who wishes to leave the business so he can take care of Jennie, the beautiful lounge singer who he inadvertently blinded during a previous assignment. Danny Lee is the determined cop who will stop at nothing to bring him in, only he realizes that Jeffrey is no ordinary assassin, and wishes to help him in his quest. Only problem is that Jeffrey's employers refuse to pay him for his last job, money which is needed to restore Jennie's eyesight. (imdb)

Chow Yun Fat, the making of the greatest (arguably) intense gun actor Asian cinema has ever seen, is remarkably at his intense and subtle best. Watching him now clowning away in the far West is just degrading and idiotic when one compares them with this one. Just as I thought he was great as Mark Gor, this is the character that deserves Best Actor or whatever is better achievement. The gun fights moves are as exciting as the character development. John Woo, well, what can I say but, one damn good clap for you. You are simply amazing, not just the camera angles, but your themes that you expressed, is not just flying dove across the sky, but rather one that leaves the audience feeling the emotional impact and thinking deeply afterwards.

Danny Lee, actually, Lee Sir, you are a true cop, and I truly and finally gets why you like playing Lee Sir so much, and even continues to play it after almost 2 decades. If it is to remind you of this role, I salute you as a true heroic cop, and hopefully the next time you appear in an awful B-movie as Lee Sir, at the very least, it will remind me of how damn good emotional impact actor you were, at least in The Killer!

Arguably, Neo is a bias person, as when he love something, he overlook the flaws, sure, there must be some flaws and holes in this movie, but he is feeling so brilliant and emotional right now – so much that Neo loves this movie, he can see none, but a damn perfect movie. A movie that hits the marks all the way till the finale, a movie that reminded Neo of how capable Woo is and how Mission Impossible 2 was a one off mistake. Sure, Woo and Chow is now in Hollywood doing their Mission Impossible and Bulletproof Killer shit, and Lee is now officially a cop in B-movies, it is a reminder of who they once were, and as sad as it is to say, in 2005, they went on to make way crapper movies and for Lee – to the extent of straight to videos flicks with the down and out – Max Mok. Aside from all these negatives phrase of their career now, I think we should just wipe it out for one damn moment, as this is really what Neo calls, a hell of a damn great movie that shows a hell lot. Be ashamed that you haven’t seen it, or at least you will after watching it, as you will be hitting yourself for not watching it a decade ago or even earlier, as Neo is now loving the movie, but hating himself! And yes, one simple but honest feeling to describe this movie is – MIND BLOWING YET UNFORGETTABLE!