Chow Yun Fat is probably one of the best action stars I’ve ever come across, and the thing I love about John Woo is his utter ability to bring the best out of Fat, regardless of the film. Woo’s crime drama “Hard Boiled” is similar in many ways. It’s about a hardened killer with demons outrunning a rebellious cop, but that’s not a caveat in any sense. Because at the end of the day “The Killer” is a rather fantastic piece of crime cinema that really warrants its place as a masterpiece. I’m sad to say I never gave Yun Fat too much of my attention in the past, but thanks to a friend passing along “Hard Boiled,” I’m suddenly very interested to see what else this man has up his sleeves.
He’s not a secret in his home country, true, but around here, there’s not much of this man to be seen. Chow Yun Fat isn’t just some stunt man, he can act, he has a surefire presence, and he’s 0 for 2 with one of the best action films I’ve ever seen next to “Hard Boiled.” Ah Jong is a career killer who is sent to kill one of Hong Kong’s premiere bosses. During a massive shootout, Ah Jong accidentally blinds a beautiful young piano singer, and guilt inevitably takes over. Becoming her caretaker thanks to a bout of coincidence, Ah Jong finds himself desperate to restore her vision and take one last job to pay for her surgery. But things take a turn for the worse when his identity is revealed, and a contract for his murder is taken out.
Though similar in formula and story structure with “Hard Boiled,” Woo’s thriller stands out for its clear hybrid of drama romance and action by focusing on characters for a good portion of the film without ever losing the fast pace. One of the benefits of Woo’s early films was his ability to construct a solid narrative that was at times hard to follow but also worth the watch once the viewer was able to catch up with the characters. All the while we follow almost everyone as they enter into a path of carnage and bloodshed with Ah Jong wracked with guilt over the incident that sealed an innocent bystander’s fate, and his inability to make it through a job without harming an innocent. Woo conducts the film with raw skill as the drama is utterly compelling and he swiftly dives into the action without ever missing a beat.
“The Killer” is filled with amazing moments including Ah Jong’s discovery of a double crossing, his struggle to escape a hospital, and the inevitable meeting with Inspector Li that results in a humorous but utterly tense moment. All of which are sequences that wouldn’t normally be entertaining if not for Woo’s fantastic direction. Yun-Fat is fantastic once again serving as this complex man who doesn’t mind killing anyone who serves as an obstacle for his happiness, yet feels burdened by his role as a killer. All the while Danny Lee is a perfect antithesis to Ah Jong providing a different perspective on his way of life and always walking one step behind him matching him blow for blow.
The relationship between the two is gladly never dull, and two share a camaraderie that’s only worthy in a Woo movie where honor among thieves and the law exist. As with most Woo films, the choreography and gunplay here are simply stunning with most of the gun battles serving as a dance that’s just incredible to witness. From the shootout in the beach house, right down to the climactic fight in the church, Woo keeps “The Killer” teetering between drama and action without breaking a sweat, and keeps his predecessor a worthy adversary to its superior successor. It’s almost as good as “Hard Boiled.” Almost. “The Killer” is another of Woo’s early masterpieces with Chow Yun Fat at the top of his game playing against the skilled Danny Lee in what is a wonderful assortment of drama, romance, and action in a blood soaked final product. I definitely have to see more from Yun Fat.