A Better Tomorrow (1986)
Director: John Woo
Starring: Ti Lung, Chow Yun Fat, Leslie Cheung, Emily Chu
Primary genre: Action
The grandaddy of heroic bloodshed and gun fu flicks, John Woo’s “A Better Tomorrow” started a new subgenre within the Hong Kong action cinema, its influence seen and felt everywhere due to its unmatchable style, novel presentation of crime syndicates, pious philosophies and downbeat moral areas that mirror Greek tragedies. Several filmmakers (e.g., Tarantino, Besson, Wachowskis, Rodriguez) paid homage to this gritty and (very) bloody tale of betrayal, revenge and redemption demonstrating its cult status and worldwide reach which only a few movies can dream of achieving.
Despite having a decade worth of outputs, the beloved Chinese director found his footing with certainty in this gangster flick blending masterfully cops, thieves and their (torn) loyalties which lay over the population of the Fragnant Harbour a devastating effect. Woo’s gleeful script plunges his characters into a storm of horrific events observing from a distance who will be left standing unable to sooth the audience in this soul wrecking Odyssey. Such relentless and unapologetic emotionally assault does not seek sympathy (or satisfaction) from anyone; some could argue it is downright mean spirited and nasty but they will be missing the point. Woo considers this set of malignant circumstances as a strong metaphor for life’s many ironies and thus, “A Better Tomorrow” works first and foremost as a thrilling and yes, even moving film mainly to its trio’s efforts to infuse their roles with human traits. The title reflects the notion the characters held for the future; Woo is willing to suggest otherwise. Sometimes you reap what you sow but most of the times, destiny just does not agree with your personal goals leading to an irony written by bullets and a mountain of corpses.
Occasionally accused for glorifying a life full of crime - this could be also applied to De Palma, Scorsese and Coppola with their respective epics of “Scarface” (1983), “Goodfellas” (1990), and “The Godfather” (1972-1990) trilogy, Woo makes a strong statement about how certain actions have irreversible and longstanding consequences, a sentiment that the “John Wick” (2014-2023) series was especially keen to remind its stoic hero. “A Better Tomorrow” does not shy away from emotional confrontations nor refrains from presenting blood bathing violence.
“I didn’t realize Hong Kong looked so beautiful at night. Such beauty can vanish in a blink”
Each of the main leads serves as a metaphor for loyalty (Fat), forgiveness (Cheung) and redemption (Tung), all heading towards an inevitable showdown that will test their limits and principles in a fittingly engaging plot of counterfeit money which although might exhaust us in its lengthy running time, remains nonetheless rewarding. The trio of Fat, Cheung and Tung shine through; Fat emerged as a timeless action icon, the double gun yielding and 80s coat Mark, yet, it is Cheung who does most of the dramatic work. His inspector is placed into a constant psychological clash between duty, honor and family that will grasp your soul. Cheung, one of the most prolific Hong Kong actors of all time brings a heartbreaking and raw vulnerability, ushering a new era for Hong Kong cinema, away from overblown melodramatic acts.
Employing minimally anticipated cliches infusing his movie with visual panache and multi-angle editing, Woo uses Hong Kong as a canvas to stage superb action sequences culminating in an explosive dock finale where all bets are off. The days of wire-fu and slapstick kung fu are over; the age of heroic bloodshed has begun depicting the director’s soon to be amplified in the next ten years trademark characteristics that will populate his on-screen duels; bullets are sprayed everywhere, bodies become Swiss cheese, walls are painted red while its combatants jump and dive amidst battle damaged environments in signature Hong Kong stuntwork. It is an operatic ballet but instead of classical music and beautiful pirouettes, is filled with chaos and death orchestrated under such precision that exhumes its own poetic elegance. If destruction can be art, Woo is its main cinematic ambassador.
“A Better Tomorrow” is one of Woo’s best films, eclipsing his Hollywood efforts by ease. Along with “The Killer” (1989), “Bullet to the Head” (1990) and “Hard Boiled” (1992)), this action master’s legacy has been cemented by making fights with guns instead of weapons a thing of beauty and style. Who could have expected that? It might not be for everyone due to its hard R-rating and morally ambiguous characters but it is a full on cinematic experience unlike no other.
Dynamite Hong Kong actioner
+Heroic bloodshed and gun fu granddaddy
+Engaging storytelling
+Visceral action
+Leslie Cheung is dynamite
+Morally grey
-Shocking gun violence
-Helpless female lead
-A tad too long