“Most things go in and out of style, that is, with the exception of war, of course,” notes chief villain Johnny Wong (Anthony Wong) in Hard Boiled, finally receiving the 4K UHD/Blu-ray treatment later this month. And few filmmakers have exemplified that better than John Woo. Indeed, nearly a quarter-century after its 1992 release, the Hong Kong action thriller still packs one almighty dazzling punch.

Concluding a remarkable run of homegrown films which included A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Bullet to The Head, the auteur bid adieu to the Far East with arguably his career masterpiece, a visceral amalgamation of hyper-kinetic violence, pitch-black humor, and erm, smooth jazz, which redefined his genre of choice.

Woo nails the gonzo tone immediately, its opening scene showcasing his stylized “bullet ballet” approach in all its glory while surpassing the body count of most Hollywood actioners in their entirety. Thanks to some impressive multi-tasking — see how he takes out an army of gangsters while simultaneously sliding down a stair rail — gun-toting cop Tequila (Chow Yun-fat) somehow leaves the gangster-occupied teahouse he’d been surveilling with his life intact. His partner, Benny (Bowie Lam), on the other hand isn’t so lucky, setting the wheels in motion for a tale that’s part-revenge flick, part-gangster epic, and part-unlikely buddy cop bromance.

Read our full review here.