A Hero Never Dies (1998)
"Chan sam ying hung" (original title)

Jack and Martin are members of rival Chinese triads in the middle of a gang war. Both of their gang leaders like to get advice from a fortune teller living in Thailand. On one such trip, ... See full summary »

Director:

Johnnie To

Writers:

Kam-Yuen Szeto, Nai-Hoi Yau

Stars:

Leon Lai, Ching Wan Lau, Fiona Leung

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Leon Lai	...	Jack
Ching Wan Lau	...	Martin (as Lau Ching Wan)
Fiona Leung	...	Fiona
YoYo Mung	...	Yoyo
Henry Fong	...	Mr. Fong (as Fong Ping)
Shi-Kwan Yen	...	Mr. Yam (as Yam Sai Koon)
Keiji Sato	...	(as Sato Keiji)
Michael Lam
Bun Yuen	...	Bo (as Yuen Bun)
Ping Cheung
Suet Lam	...	(as Lam Suet)
Chi-Shing Chiu
Ching Ting Law	...	(as Lu Ching Ting)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Philip Keung
Wing-cheong Law

Storyline

Jack and Martin are members of rival Chinese triads in the middle of a gang war. Both of their gang leaders like to get advice from a fortune teller living in Thailand. On one such trip, Martin's gang ambushes Jack's at a Thai hotel. There is a spectacular shootout, in which both Martin and Jack are severely wounded. The leader of Jack's gang was at the hotel, unlike Martin's, and escapes. Afterwards, both gang leaders, Mr. Fong of Martin's and Mr. Yam of Jack's, go to a general and make peace. Meanwhile, both Jack and Martin are hospitalized. Martin's legs are amputated, and his girlfriend whores herself in order to get them back into Hong Kong...

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Plot Keywords:

triad | shootout | thailand | shot multiple times | bullet time | 

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Genres:

Drama | Crime | Action

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Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese English Thai

Release Date:

30 September 1998 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

A Hero Never Dies

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film City Co., Milky Way Image Company, Long Shong Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

John Woo meets Sam Peckinpah

Yup, that's right, "John Woo meets Sam Peckinpah" is what came to mind when I saw this movie. Take the brotherhood theme of John Woo movies in the 80's and mix that with Sam Peckinpah's "Wild Bunch" and you get Lau Ching Wan and Leon Lai kicking ass in "A Hero Never Dies".

True to Woo's and Peckinpah's classics, the heroes in this movie are not heroes of the Dudley Do-right mold but flawed people who manage to get themselves together for one truly heroic deed.

I highly recommend this movie for fans of westerns and HK triad movies. Also recommend "The Mission" and "Running Out of Time" by Johnnie To.