A hired hit man (Ah Jong-Chow Yun Fat) on a routine job accidentally blinds a club singer Jennie (Sally Yeh) in a bar. Feeling full of guilt and remorse, he decides to quit his profession but only after taking on one last job to help Jennie fund cornea surgery to restore her sight. Unfortunately, with his last job, his employers take it upon themselves to double cross him and not pay him for his services and decide to get rid of him altogether. Along with the criminals who are after our "hero", a cop (Insp Li Ying-Danny Lee) is also on his tail for his handy work and will stop at nothing to capture his guy.
A film full of exhilarating set pieces accumulating in a body count in the near 100s where the themes of honour and betrayal are explored with such hyperbolic sequences and a dazzling array of stunts and squibs. John Woo's films always portray his "good" guys as a no nonsense, morally righteous man who upholds a code of honour. A hit man with a conscience and kills only those he sees as deserving of a quick death.
When I first saw this marvel, I was astounded by it's flair, fluidity and camerawork. Full of style and unflinching graphic violence. Never have I seen a film where the hero is so cool, composed and controlled . Chow Yun Fat brings a certain gravitas with his on screen character learning to carry the burden of guilt but also acting on his immense talent with guns.
With themes that Woo would return to, never has a hit man appeared more noble and chivalrous as our title character. A hit man that uses a church as a meeting point for assignments and recuperation, doves flying through the air (in slow-mo!), religious symbolism and of course gunplay with bullets that come flying thorough the screen right to your retinas. 
One thing that viewers may spot is the breaking of the 180 degree rule for the shot reserve shot when Chow's character is talking to Lee's Inspector on the side of the lake. Most films convey a conversation with a switch back and forth and many times characters are shown either to the left of the screen and then switches to the other character to the right of the screen. Woo cleverly places both characters on the same side. It's a bit jarring at first but the point to all of this is to show that both characters are alike and are in fact a mirror image of each other.
Within the film there is so much one can pick out as an extraordinary piece of action cinema. The opening shoot out in the club with it's numerous multi-angle, slow-mo and fast paced editing creates a dazzling dance of bullets and bodies. In fact many of the films set pieces are heart pounding, jaw dropping and an amazing feat in stunt work and a clear indication of John Woo's talent behind the camera. A film he has never bettered and a film that people will look back on and wonder why Hollywood never gave him a chance to show the world what he can do. A sad waste and a crying shame.
Acting: 4/5
Technical Merit: 4.5/5
Narrative: 4/5
Entertainment: 5/5
17.5/20
