John Woo - Hard Boiled Review

Right off the bat, John Woo's 1992 film "Hard Boiled" is noticeably a gangster film. Besides the obvious connection that Chow Yun-Fat is the protagonist in both this film and "A Better Tomorrow" these two films parallel each other numerous times throughout. While I will be holding off on talking too much about ABT, I will provide analysis of Hard Boiled and try to point out the times when they draw parallels to each other. Hard Boiled opens on a more somber note (literally) as the camera pans toward the main character, Inspector 'Tequila' Yuen, while he plays his clarinet at a Jazz bar. Instantly the two protagonists that Chow Yun-Fat portrays could not be more different, as Mark in ABT was caught up in his power and wealth while Tequila appears to be more emotionally motivated (at least so far in the film). So clearly, there is a different image of masculinity in both films. In ABT, he revels in his power and derives his masculine identity from that. In Hard Boiled, Tequila is driven to get results and his success as a cop reinforces his masculine self. It is clear from the start that Tequila is a cop that is trying to shut down a rather established gun trafficking operation, as is clear from the first shootout scene. The teahouse it takes place in provides a unique setting for the scene, and the bird cages everyone carries around make the scene memorable. I started watching this scene rather confused, until Tequila kicks over the traffickers' cage to reveal guns hidden within the bottom part of the cage. Utter chaos and disorder erupts (as is congruent with almost every scene in this film) and the shootout ends with flour-faced Tequila putting a bullet in the brain of the (supposed) leader of this operation.

The iconic floured face becoming blood-spattered.

Tequila has a similar motivation for retribution as Ho did in ABT, as his partner dies during the teahouse shootout. Also, and this isn't the first time this happens, he kills an undercover cop unknowingly during that same shootout. He learns of this later, and plays a Jazz song for him as his custom when he kills another man.  Later, the focus goes to the gun traffickers and a couple of members who seem to be plotting to revolt against their leader. The plotter being Johnny Wong (antagonist) who draws many parallels with Shing from ABT, and his 'partner in crime' Tony. Unbeknownst to us or Johnny, Tony is an undercover cop from the same department as Tequila.

Johnny Wong brings his own 'masculine' style to the table.

Similarly to Shing, Johnny Wong has entirely antagonistic motives and simply wants to overthrow the leader of the operation so he can take over himself. He trusts Tony to help him accomplish this, and even says "Either we conquer the world together or you shoot me in the back." I related Tony's character to both Mark and Ho from ABT in that he has righteous motives but he is caught up with the wrong crowd, to the point where to gain Johnny's trust he must kill the leader, Mr. Hoi (who had previously trusted Tony as well). There is an interesting dynamic in this film where Tony goes perhaps 'too far' into his undercover role to be trusted, in that he kills to gain trust. At least he felt sorry about Mr. Hoi afterward, walking away teary-eyed.

You just had to open your mouth, didn't you Tony?

Meanwhile, Mad Dog (Johnny's pet lackey) is terrorizing everything and tossing frag grenades into shipping containers while giggling to himself. These two events are juxtaposed and show how motives can reveal so much about a character. Tony clearly felt sorry for his betrayal of Mr. Hoi, and Mad Dog sees the massacre as just another fun day on the job. Little does Tony know, but Insp. Tequila has been watching the whole thing, and knows that he perhaps has taken on the role of gun runner for real. Tequila vows to kill him for his actions and confronts him in his house-boat later on. The bird theme is continued here as Tony reveals how he makes a paper crane for every person he kills. This practice of 'tribute' for kills that both Tony and Tequila take part in connects them in an almost brotherly way (similar to Ho and Kit). Tony has an identity crisis during the entire film while he really doesn't reveal whose side he belongs on. I think he actually did enjoy being in the gang in some ways and is afraid of being a real cop (since he never has been). Later on, the other informant for the cops named Little Ko (more and more informants are revealed as the film goes on) is revealed and Mad Dog gives him a Shing-style brutal beating. Tony gives his input by throwing in a few (weak) punches and slipping his lucky bullet-blocking lighter from the Captain into his pocket before shooting him off the bridge. Ko is taken to the hospital (where the gun cache is for some reason) where the final shootout sequence takes place. Mad Dog finds out he is still alive and comes to finish the job by spattering Ko's blood all over the nursery window. The stark contrast of Little Ko being executed and Tequila and Teresa (his girlfriend) trying to evacuate babies provides an unnerving scene.

Quick! Put cotton in their ears!

Tony and Tequila end up meeting up and act as if they are real partners for once. They work together to find the gun cache and Tony reveals his woes to his new found partner. He says, "I just want to use my gun fight crime, but I just end up killing innocent people," after he accidentally kills another one of those sneaky undercover cops. Tequila relates to him because of his previous killing of an innocent undercover cop (in the teahouse shootout)

Get a hold of yourself!

They have a sappy elevator scene before going to rescue the rest of the hostages in the hospital, setting up Tequila for loss when Tony becomes a martyr. Tony and Mad Dog have a standoff, and provide perfect examples of the 'male gaze'.

The righteous male gaze of Tony.

The not-so-righteous gaze of Mad Dog.

During their face-off, Johnny comes in and starts massacring the hostages. A glimmer of good reveals itself in Mad Dog and he tries to stop Johnny but it just gets himself killed. Johnny C4's the entire building and Tequila manages to jump out the nursery window with a baby in his arms. Later, Johnny comes out with Tony in a choke hold and it is clear that Tony has to get himself out so he points the gun down into his gut to expose Johnny to the hail of police gunfire. Tony's martyrdom reveals that he was a necessary death for things to go on as normal for Tequila. Tony had only ever known being a part of the gang, but he was sorry for doing so much wrong. He proved himself by sacrificing his life for Johnny's death. In this sense, Tony plays the part of the tragic hero in that he dies, but he dies righteously. "Hard Boiled" is one of the most hectic and action-packed movies I have seen, with moral undertones of religion (provided by John Woo himself), betrayal, retribution, and identity.