Matt Shea
RubySoho
Morgan Bell
Cibbuano
David O'Connell
Mountain Fog
The Killer
July 14th 2009 04:13
All the John Woo trademarks are present in scene after scene of explosive action with bullets flying, bodies splaying, white doves scattering, and simple, melodic electronic music, supplemented with dreamy Asian colours, sounding. In The Killer (1989), an astonishing early work that brought Woo’s name to the attention of the world, the director strives for operatic heights in a familiar, but daringly realised, tale of the perplexing duality adjoining adversaries on opposing sides of the law.
In one corner is the hired assassin, Jeff (Chow Yun-Fat), a man with a peripheral sense of morality, despite the ruthless efficiency with which he performs his duty. When he accidentally blinds a nightclub singer, Jennie (Sally Yeh), during his latest hit, his sense of guilt compels him to look out for her; he befriends her without revealing his identity but soon has both the police and the triad he works for on his trail for allowing his identity to become widely known.
Leading the charge for his capture is Inspector Li (Danny Lee), a wayward cop whose obsessive, single-minded approach to crime solving doesn’t always endear him to his superiors. It’s his task to defend an important figure at a public ceremony, a man who turns out to be Jeff’s next target. The subsequent chase draws the two men together where they unexpectedly become aligned by circumstance. Less unexpected is the sight of two men in a familiar stand-off pose with guns pointed at one another – it’s another Woo trademark, an insistent, recurring image he uses like a visual motif.
The most intriguing element of The Killer explores the affinity these two men share when forced to become allies to save their lives as the triad closes in with its army of hapless opponents. Li’s curiosity is piqued by both Jeff’s decision to save an imperiled girl during their shootout, as well as his obvious affection for Jennie; in time he senses, in the other man, another outsider straying beyond the expected boundaries of his profession, dubious and morally repugnant to him, though it may be.
This notion of a unifying strand binding the two men only strengthens as their lives are placed in greater jeopardy. Jeff bemoans the dawn of a new era, one he refuses to accept in offering his life or that of Jennie as a premium for his perceived sins; in a reflective moment, he explains that “we’re too nostalgic” to his handler and only friend, Fung (Kong Chu). It becomes increasingly obvious that he and Li's destinies are entwined, and as twin images of the other, Li needs to assume the mindset of his adversary to track him down.
Michael Mann may have explored similar ground with slightly more sophistication in his later masterpiece Heat (1995), but here Woo infuses his occasionally melodramatic tale with distinctly Asian shadings; equally true is that no American director in history, not even Sam Peckinpah in The Wild Bunch (1969), has achieved the sustained level of exhilarating gunplay that Woo achieves in The Killer.
The battles are furious and bloody, carried off with extraordinary flair and technical precision; despite a series of impressive set pieces through the first two acts however, they prove to be only part of a minor preamble to the final showdown in a church, where the film begins and ends.
The triad descends with its gun-toting minions, and Jeff and Li are backed into a corner with the helpless Jennie cowering beside them. The would-be executioners are as dumb as they are lacking in any notion of strategic attack, but as wave after wave emerge from the dark night, Woo elevates his systematic slaughter to the level of high art, replete with painstakingly choreographed carnage, balletic slow-mo, crude but painterly framings stretched with a range of garish colouring - in short, an assault on the senses that’s impossible to deflect.
Both Lee and Yun-Fat are exceptional, the latter providing that inescapable, sublime charisma that marks all his performances, whilst Lee is an attractive reminder of the kind of rebellious, barely-defendable M.O’s of Harry Callahan and officers of his ilk, endlessly embodied in authority-resistant, cinematic anti-heroes ever since.
An essential, defining moment in Hong Kong cinema, The Killer is a staggering film and John Woo’s indisputable masterpiece; it’s sure to be regarded as monotonous and repellent to some for wallowing in its brutal, stylistic excesses, and as passionately glorified and revered by the rest of us for the very same reasons. It remains a visceral funhouse ride, a kinetic, gore-soaked shooting gallery brought to vivid, existential life; in short, though far removed from reality, it’s like nothing else you’ve ever seen.
by David O'Connell
In one corner is the hired assassin, Jeff (Chow Yun-Fat), a man with a peripheral sense of morality, despite the ruthless efficiency with which he performs his duty. When he accidentally blinds a nightclub singer, Jennie (Sally Yeh), during his latest hit, his sense of guilt compels him to look out for her; he befriends her without revealing his identity but soon has both the police and the triad he works for on his trail for allowing his identity to become widely known.
Leading the charge for his capture is Inspector Li (Danny Lee), a wayward cop whose obsessive, single-minded approach to crime solving doesn’t always endear him to his superiors. It’s his task to defend an important figure at a public ceremony, a man who turns out to be Jeff’s next target. The subsequent chase draws the two men together where they unexpectedly become aligned by circumstance. Less unexpected is the sight of two men in a familiar stand-off pose with guns pointed at one another – it’s another Woo trademark, an insistent, recurring image he uses like a visual motif.
The most intriguing element of The Killer explores the affinity these two men share when forced to become allies to save their lives as the triad closes in with its army of hapless opponents. Li’s curiosity is piqued by both Jeff’s decision to save an imperiled girl during their shootout, as well as his obvious affection for Jennie; in time he senses, in the other man, another outsider straying beyond the expected boundaries of his profession, dubious and morally repugnant to him, though it may be.
This notion of a unifying strand binding the two men only strengthens as their lives are placed in greater jeopardy. Jeff bemoans the dawn of a new era, one he refuses to accept in offering his life or that of Jennie as a premium for his perceived sins; in a reflective moment, he explains that “we’re too nostalgic” to his handler and only friend, Fung (Kong Chu). It becomes increasingly obvious that he and Li's destinies are entwined, and as twin images of the other, Li needs to assume the mindset of his adversary to track him down.
Chow Yun-Fat and Danny Lee in a familiar John Woo set-up
Michael Mann may have explored similar ground with slightly more sophistication in his later masterpiece Heat (1995), but here Woo infuses his occasionally melodramatic tale with distinctly Asian shadings; equally true is that no American director in history, not even Sam Peckinpah in The Wild Bunch (1969), has achieved the sustained level of exhilarating gunplay that Woo achieves in The Killer.
The battles are furious and bloody, carried off with extraordinary flair and technical precision; despite a series of impressive set pieces through the first two acts however, they prove to be only part of a minor preamble to the final showdown in a church, where the film begins and ends.
The triad descends with its gun-toting minions, and Jeff and Li are backed into a corner with the helpless Jennie cowering beside them. The would-be executioners are as dumb as they are lacking in any notion of strategic attack, but as wave after wave emerge from the dark night, Woo elevates his systematic slaughter to the level of high art, replete with painstakingly choreographed carnage, balletic slow-mo, crude but painterly framings stretched with a range of garish colouring - in short, an assault on the senses that’s impossible to deflect.
Both Lee and Yun-Fat are exceptional, the latter providing that inescapable, sublime charisma that marks all his performances, whilst Lee is an attractive reminder of the kind of rebellious, barely-defendable M.O’s of Harry Callahan and officers of his ilk, endlessly embodied in authority-resistant, cinematic anti-heroes ever since.
An essential, defining moment in Hong Kong cinema, The Killer is a staggering film and John Woo’s indisputable masterpiece; it’s sure to be regarded as monotonous and repellent to some for wallowing in its brutal, stylistic excesses, and as passionately glorified and revered by the rest of us for the very same reasons. It remains a visceral funhouse ride, a kinetic, gore-soaked shooting gallery brought to vivid, existential life; in short, though far removed from reality, it’s like nothing else you’ve ever seen.
by David O'Connell
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Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
that is an impressive title to hold!
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
I must admit to having a soft spot for Paycheck however, even though I realise it's pretty lame!
Comment by quatro
Secret Writers Business
Time to Read !
I've not seen it but as usual you make me want to go out and do something about it.
By the way I think a congrats is in order for 20/20.
Now you'll have to write twice as many reviews.
Would you do a film review on request?
I wonder!!!
Keep up your impecable standards
thanks David
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
So many great moments, and I do also love both Danny's suit and the 'Scared Heart Hospital' that Fat rushes the girl to.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by The Rusty Can
Everything
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
This is one of my favourite films of all time and certainly in the top 10 action films of all time list.
Inspired by jean pierre Melville's Le Samourai (Just like Luc Besson's Leon the Professional) there is so much intensity to the action and genuine feeling behind the characters. I lost it as a kid when i first saw the film and made me an instant fgan of Woo....Hardboiled isn't far behind it eiither....shame his American Films have just become empty vessels that fail to dazzle
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
No increase in output mate, just tossing in the odd review for Cibby's crew here.
When are you going to write that Mongol review BTW?
Hey Matt, I think you'll find this holds up very nicely. Dozens of bodies being riddled with bullet holes just never ages mate! I need to watch Hard Boiled again myself. (And Hard Target too)
Hey Bryn, very impressed with your acquisition! I've read that the Criterion version is long out-of-print for legal reasons and fetches ridiculous prices on ebay these days.
How's the John Woo commentary?
Personally, I was watching this on an old VHS tape, and I'm sure the subtitles aren't the best either.................'Jeff' just doesn't sound right somehow for Chow Yun-Fat's character!
Rusty, it's a very cool film, I haven't seen too many of the Fat's action comedies - does The Replacement Killers count?
Thanks JD, you never stray too far from good taste. I've read of the film's influences, but never actually seen Melville's Le Samourai; hopefully I can rectify that one day.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
actually I haven't gotten round to Woo's commentary yet. Don't get me started on commentaries I have yet to listen to!
I've got quite a few Criterion actually. They cost an arm and a leg retail down under ... you can sometimes get good prices for them on amazon (used).
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Yeah, the Criterion discs are great, I've only got a select few myself, mainly Bergman films. The prices make them a special occasion purchase though, that's for sure. There's a couple of stores down here that sell them but I don't go splashing money around - as tempting as it is!
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
I'm in the very slow process of tracking down a lot of classic French and Italian films in particular. The great thing is we'll never run out of options.