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Hard Boiled Killers

Original title: Xi gan xian
  • 1980
  • R
  • 1h 23m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
133
YOUR RATING
Hard Boiled Killers (1980)
ActionComedyCrime

Fresh out of the academy, straight-laced and obtuse rookie cop Chu quickly lands in hot water when his integrity and by-the-book manner gets his colleagues in trouble.Fresh out of the academy, straight-laced and obtuse rookie cop Chu quickly lands in hot water when his integrity and by-the-book manner gets his colleagues in trouble.Fresh out of the academy, straight-laced and obtuse rookie cop Chu quickly lands in hot water when his integrity and by-the-book manner gets his colleagues in trouble.

  • Director
    • Fung Wong
  • Writer
    • Fung Wong
  • Stars
    • Chow Yun-Fat
    • Siu-Lung Leung
    • Yee-Hing Chan
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    133
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Fung Wong
    • Writer
      • Fung Wong
    • Stars
      • Chow Yun-Fat
      • Siu-Lung Leung
      • Yee-Hing Chan
    • 8User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Top cast30

    Edit
    Chow Yun-Fat
    Chow Yun-Fat
    • Chu Ka-Wah
    Siu-Lung Leung
    Siu-Lung Leung
      Yee-Hing Chan
      • Mary
      Kwok-Wah Au
      Kim-Wan Chan
      Lau-Mei Chan
      Man-Ting Cheung
        Siu Boh Chu
        Ming Fung
        Ming Fung
        Biu Gam
        Biu Gam
          Bill Gardan
          Fung Ging-Man
          Fung Ging-Man
            Roger Gorwan
            Pak-Kwong Ho
            Pak-Kwong Ho
            Ying Sau Hui
            Ying Sau Hui
            Ying-Ying Hui
            Ying-Ying Hui
            Thompson Kao Kang
            Thompson Kao Kang
            Kwan-Lin Lai
            • Director
              • Fung Wong
            • Writer
              • Fung Wong
            • All cast & crew
            • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

            User reviews8

            7.0133
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            Featured reviews

            Stubert001

            Mr. Woo, You Are The Man.

            If You Know Jon Woo Movies, Then You Will Know That He Likes To Think Of His Movies As Old Kung Fu Movies. Instead Of Duel Swords He Uses Duel Pistols. And You Don't Reload Swords, So Why Would You Reload Pistols. I Think Its A Very Cool Idea. And, This Movie Was No Exception. Cool Shoot Outs, Good Characters, Cool Movie. Although I Must Admit, It Was A Little Disturbing To See A Bunch Of People Kill A Bunch Of Patients And Nurses In A Hospital.

            Chow Yun Fat Always Seems To Play Cops That Have Their Own Style Of Doing Things, Other Than By The Book. Even Though His Techniques Are A Little Blunt, He Still Gets The Job Done. And, I Couldn't Imagine Anyone Else Other Than Mr. Fat Doing It.
            2cj7

            A film of two halves... and neither is any good

            This movie starts off with the main characters talking and introducing the plot. Fair enough - so does any movie. However, this goes on for over an hour (during which they do nothing but talk), by the end of which you'll most likely be asleep. This is made worse by the absolutely awful English dub, making it almost unwatchable.

            About halfway through the film, the scene changes dramatically to a hospital, which is cue for an hour-long gun-fight. Now, there's nothing wrong with a gunfight in a film, and some of the scenes are very stylish - but the sheer length of the thing means that you'll be struggling to stay awake near the end. Since all the characters are wearing similar clothes, no-one really knows who is on who's side and it ends up as a all-on-all deathmatch, with people randomly shooting each other and the civilians.

            Worth watching the second half for a laugh, but don't try and take it seriously.
            1kartaron

            Slapstick comedy not action

            Some previous reviewers of this movie have either mistaken it for The Killer or Hard Boiled. It isnt too hard to mistake them when the people who released this movie retitled it and put some pictures from these movies on the cover. In truth this movie is titled Police Sir (or Be The First) a slapstick comedy more like the keystone kops than a John Woo film. It begins with Chow Yun Fat, a newly graduated officer coming on to his first day on the force. Because he is new he doesnt understand the right way to do things. This leads to all sorts of silliness and humor based in the Hong Kong? culture. There are some hints about corruption and incompetence on the police force that run through the movie. These might have been meant to be funny though at the time I was expecting a serious Woo action film. It is filmed poorly, my copy had huge objects on parts of the film and whole scenes are unwatchable due to dust and hair. Stay away unless you love eastern hong kong comedy and can find a great copy but dont be mistaken that this is a very silly movie.
            Gabe3185

            what's goin on?

            that is the question that you will b asking urself. this movie does not make any sense. the back of the movie box is misleading, it talks about a hitman and a witness which doesnt happen in the movie. the movie is all over the place and the last scene is looped over so badly that u can tell it was looped because the music restartes. but the final and the only action scene is kinda funny. so please stay away!!!!
            malekith99

            the "two guns" classic, a Hong Kong ultra-violence movie

            Hard Boiled Killers Taking the "eye by eye"philosophy as in Charles Bronson's Film,the "always firing and never reload the weapon" bug as Rambo and artistic concept of violence like "The Warriors" (but never so fine as "A Clockwork Orange"). Funny but bore. The action scenes are good, but there is no more. "hard boiled", probably because the first killings starts when a water heater with boiling water ready for tea is throwing and pouring over a man.

            The real influence and fame was obtained because Yun-Fat Chow constantly fires two guns using both hands, an innovative performance in 1980,it will be very imitated after in movies and videogames.

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            Related interests

            Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
            Action
            Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
            Comedy
            James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
            Crime

            Storyline

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            Details

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            • Release date
              • September 18, 1980 (Hong Kong)
            • Country of origin
              • Hong Kong
            • Language
              • Cantonese
            • Also known as
              • Xi Gan Xian
            • Production company
              • Jing Dai Film Company
            • See more company credits at IMDbPro

            Tech specs

            Edit
            • Runtime
              • 1h 23m(83 min)
            • Color
              • Color
            • Sound mix
              • Mono
            • Aspect ratio
              • 2.35 : 1

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