Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #127564 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-02-22
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese
• Subtitled in: English, Japanese, Georgian, Thai
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Amazon.com
A prequel, set in Saigon during the fall, and the weakest link in the trilogy, unacceptably restrained in both action and emotion. Chow Yun-fat plays a younger version of Mark, his original character, a hesitant young man digging for his roots in Vietnam, which was also Tsui's birthplace, and we get to watch him assemble his totemic trappings: the duster overcoat, the French shades, the twin .45s. The surprise is that he gets most of them from a torchy dame played by Anita Mui (the seductive singing ghost from Rouge), who's a more-than-worthy high-noir love object. She can perforate miscreants with the best of them. (John Woo wrote the original script, only to be supplanted as director by his boss and supposed pal, Mr. Tsui; much of Woo's original material ended up in his later magnum opus Bullet in the Head.) --David Chute

Customer Reviews

The best in the trilogy, and one of the best in Chow's films
It's interesting to note most Chow fans disregard this film, especially when they compare it to the other two in the series. Somehow I've never been able to comprehend this.

Many of the critics seem to base their reviews on "how a film in this genre SHOULD be done". True, this prequel differs drastically from the other two as the action is not as bloody (though I don't know how that really relates to how good a film is), and the story-line actually involves a remarkable woman, whom the incredible Anita Mui portrays with stunning success. This disturbs many "loyalists" who consider it a disgrace to bring women into a men's world.

While John Woo's films center on the traditional Chinese honor and brotherhood, Tsui Hark makes an even more ambitious effort as he brings these themes to a world swallowed by chaos. In the process of portraying the relationship between the main characters, he humbles the viewers with the realization of how insignificant each one of us can be in the face of change. Yet, he does not drag us into the abyss of desperation, as he offers hope and redemption for those who keep trying.

This third installment is a far more ambitious one than the previous two. While those looking for more and more action will not be satisfied, many who look for a complex story-line will be truly fascinated. The values that intertwine and conflict with each other can not be listed in a short review. It's probably best for me to make a few comparisons here. This film is as rewatchable as LA Confidential, if not more, and if The Killer is John Woo's best work, this film is the best work of Tsui Hark.

Mui at her Best!
This was by far the best film of the series and Anita Mui has never been better. Let's face it folks, we don't buy these films because of the story, the great philosophical message it conveys, or the Oscar worthy performances. Get over it guys....this was a great action flick that should please Anita Mui fans. It's one of the few roles she's had that lets her strut her stuff and she dominates the film.

Woo is "Better"
Even though Tsui Hark is one of my favorite Hong Kong directors, this movie did not at all show his skill. The story was poor along with the actors performances. I may be a little biased since I love John Woo, and Tsui Hark killed their friendship by making this movie. Worth checking out but i would'nt buy it if I were you.