Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Tony Chiu-Wai Leung | ... | ||
Jacky Cheung | ... | ||
Waise Lee | ... | ||
Simon Yam | ... |
Luke /
Lok
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Yolinda Yam | ... |
Sally Yan Sau Ching
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Chung Lin | ... | |
Fennie Yuen | ... |
Jane /
Siu Jan
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Kan-Wing Tsang | ... |
Jane's father
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Hang Shuen So | ... |
Jane's mother
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John Woo | ... |
Policeman
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Hee Ching Paw | ... |
Ben's mother
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Tseng Chang | ... |
Paul's father
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San Yan Siao | ... |
Mr. Shing
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Tin Hung Yee | ... |
Ringo
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Yun Pei | ... |
Frank's mother
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In 1967, on the way to the wedding of a friend a young man is accosted by a local gang member. Later, the three friends administer justice, in the process of which the gang member is killed, so they leave Hong Kong to avoid the police and the gang. They run black market supplies to Saigon and get embroiled in the war, being arrested as Viet Cong, then later captured by the Viet Cong, and find that their friendship is tested to the limits as they try to escape. Written by Ed Sutton <esutton@mindspring.com>
How can you not like a movie that starts out with a bloody street fight to an instrumental version of The Monkees "I'm a believer"?
When you start watching this you'll probably laugh at some of the sentiment of the beginning, (the three main guys jump rope, ride bikes, and sing together for instance. Go ahead, try not to snicker, you won't succeed.) This is all a perfect setup for the following sucker punch of the most brutally and entertainingly violent and horrifying series of events ever put on film. People are shot in their head, people explode, demonstrators are shot, exploding Cuban cigars, etc. The thing is that this mix of melodrama, action, and violence comes together into a cohesive whole and works amazingly well.
By the end of the film will drain you physically and emotionally from what you have seen, which is probably why so many people would prefer the shorter ending of this movie. The ending fight is one of the best ever filmed, but by the time you get to it you'll be exhausted. Personally, I like the long ending.
Honestly, this is the best movie I have ever seen. It is the best mix of melodrama and violence ever put on film. It's over the top in almost every way imaginable. It's suprisingly moving. I love it.