Hard Boiled (1992)

“Ultimately a confirmation of Woo’s indelible mark on the action genre, it becomes clear that, for better or worse, without Woo there is no Rodriguez, no Wachowski[s], no Tarantino.” – The Guardian

“★★★★ Woo has elevated the action movie into the realm of art. Infinitely more exciting than a dozen Die Hards, action cinema doesn’t come any better than this.” – Empire

Hard Boiled is masterful action filmmaker John Woo’s last Hong Kong film before he broke into Hollywood with Hard Target (1993), Broken Arrow (1996) and Face/Off (1997).

It stars regular Woo collaborator Chow Yun-fat (The Killer; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) as tough-as-nails cop ‘Tequila’ Yuen, who loses his partner in a teahouse shoot-out. Determined to nail the guys who killed his partner, Tequila ignores the advice of his boss and continues his own investigation into an illegal arms syndicate, which undercover cop Alan (Tony Leung Chiu-wai, In the Mood for Love) also happens to be working on infiltrating.

Tequila and Alan must team up to take down the Triad gangsters in this operatic tour-de-force action movie classic, which culminates in a heart-stopping single-take gun battle set in a hospital. This is bullet ballet, violence as poetry, a sacred text for action fans.

Energetic and uninhibited Melbourne band The Rookies will perform a live improvisational jazz score to accompany the film, with a drink on arrival to close out the festival.

At Ritz Cinemas, Hard Boiled will be exhibited on a rare original 35mm print. Please note that over the years a reel acquires wear and tear that adds to the character and warmth of the celluloid experience. More information about our rare print screenings can be found here.

Festivals & Awards
Toronto International Film Festival 1992
Sundance Film Festival 1993
Hong Kong Film Awards 1993 – Winner, Best Film Editing

Closing Night event includes drinks on arrival and a live score performance by The Rookies. Special prices apply. See here for more details.