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Information

A.k.a.
A Better Tomorrow
Year
1986
Runtime
95 min.
Director
John Woo
Genres
Action, Crime, Drama
Rating *
7.6
Votes *
13,923
Checks
1,761
Favs
118
Dislikes
23
Favs/checks
6.7% (1:15)
Favs/dislikes
5:1
* View IMDb information

Top comments

  1. hvstrom's avatar

    hvstrom

    @MrDoog I actually had to watch this film for a film class at my university and there's some literature written about this. Maybe you're watching the film in the wrong way. There's a lot going on in this film in terms of depictions of masculinity. I can recommend some readings if you want to truly enjoy the film. 11 years 4 months ago
  2. Siskoid's avatar

    Siskoid

    John Woo was just finding his style in A Better Tomorrow, but this is a film that just gets better and better as its moves along until it comes out at the end as basically the template for loads of Hong Kong cinema, creating the "heroic bloodshed" subgenre in the process. If it feels dated at all, it's because of its score, 80s synths and schmaltz, but even that resolves itself by the last reel. Woo's always mobile camera follows the tale of three brothers. Two of them tied by blood - Ti Lung as a gangster trying to reform and Leslie Cheung as a cop who can't forgive - the other a brother-in-arms, Chow Yun-fat as a very cool gangster whose loyalty are tested when his friend renounces the life. The emotion is cranked up to almost unbearable levels sometimes, and I don't think Cheung is really on par with the other actors (and his character makes all the stupidest decisions), but there's no arguing with Woo's energy and style. In the 2000s, he would produce a Korean version of this story which I felt had more depth because it played with North/South Korea as texture for the brothers' divide. This is more intimate and contained, and there's a special thrill to seeing an auteur finding his voice before your eyes. 2 years 7 months ago
  3. Cippenham's avatar

    Cippenham

    aka "A Better Tomorrow" and some sources state 1987 9 years 3 months ago
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In 10 official lists

  1. This movie ranks #2 in HKFA's The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures
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    HKFA's The Best 100 Chin…

    2
  2. This movie ranks #3 in LoveHKFilm.com's The Best Hong Kong Films Ever
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    LoveHKFilm.com's The Bes…

    3
  3. This movie ranks #17 in Golden Horse's 100 Greatest Chinese-Language Films
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    Golden Horse's 100 Great…

    17
  4. This movie ranks #33 in Time Out's The 101 Best Action Movies Ever Made
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    Time Out's The 101 Best …

    33
  5. This movie ranks #54 in Marshall Julius's Action! The Action Movie A-Z
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    Marshall Julius's Action…

    54
  6. This movie ranks #69 in 101 Gangster Movies You Must See Before You Die
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    101 Gangster Movies You …

    69
  7. This movie ranks #87 in Time Out's 1000 Films to Change Your Life
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    Time Out's 1000 Films to…

    87
  8. This movie ranks #404 in Mark Cousins's The Story of Film: An Odyssey
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    Mark Cousins's The Story…

    404
  9. This movie ranks #409 in Tom Vick's Asian Cinema: A Field Guide
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    Tom Vick's Asian Cinema:…

    409
  10. This movie ranks #529 in TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest Films: 1001-2500
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    TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest F…

    529
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