During his hot streak in Hong Kong, John Woo and Shaw Brothers veteran Wu Ma turned out a solid heroic bloodshed film that often slips under the radar.
Saw this for the first time a few months ago thanks to a friend sending me a download of it. It’s far from Woo’s finest hour but as you’ve said, its a minor classic. On a first watch I feel like it could have been another 20-30 minutes longer but given the quick turn around on the film, I’m not surprised with how it turned out. Still love it though.
It’s definitely pretty wacky; I think he conceived that one at a low point during a pretty slavish contract directing comedies. I remember a polyamorous suicide bomber couple, gore and lots of slapstick humour
@@WildFlicks Last Hurrah For Chivalry is an incredibly underrated Woo film IMO as is Hand Of Death. Last Hurrah is my fave non-SB Swordplay film. Hand Of Death (though goofy in places) shows hints of Woo's later promise.
You just earned yourself a new subscriber, ol' boy. Completely agree with your Woo canon, except I'd definitely rank Face-Off as one of my "five" classic Woo works, and the only among his American output (and post-initial HK trajectory) to earn said distinction, IMO, although I like the rest of them just as well. Been a HK movie freak myself since middle school ('95-ish). Great work on the videos. Keep 'em coming!
@@WildFlicks Yes! Ditto! Try tracking down the bootleg director's cut for Hard Target if you can. I used to have a VHS copy at one point, but unfortunately the tape degraded with the years due to poor storage. I also have a soft spot for MI2, I confess. Definitely looking forward to seeing what Jay Dub can cook up with the upcoming Silent Night. Haha Big ups!
@@oyemimelaza Gaahhh I hope I get to see that Director’s Cut someday, have always been curious about it. The snobbiest thing I’ll ever admit to, but I find it hard to go back to DVDs, let alone tapes; once I’d worked on films in post and became hyper aware of any dips in picture quality, it started taking me out of stuff I watch for enjoyment too. Maybe someday we’ll get a blu ray of it or something, we can dream!
Maybe! At this point, I think I’ve covered a lot of the ones I’m most familiar with - I guess with the exception of some other Johnnie To greats, and Ringo Lam’s stuff. There are always the weaker Woo knockoffs too, but most of them are pretty painful lol
I heard Laughing Times, his Charlie Chaplin kung-fu comedy, is underrated as well. I haven't seen it but maybe you'd like it if you haven't seen it already since you're on the hunt for more obscure Woo stuff. Great video btw.
Let's be honest ... His worst movie is probably "Broken Arrow" ... I found it so disappointing and kinda boring overall. To me it was a waste of time. I love MI:2 by the way but it's a special case ... I love watching Cruise being cocky on screen, i think it suits him well, especially back in the days, don't ask me why.
The flik was only made to try to give money to both Woo and Wu Ma's mentor, Shaw Brothers legend Chang Cheh, which is why so many of Chang's former actors (Ti Lung, David Chiang, Chen Kuan Tai etc) are in the main roles, shame it didn't do very well at the box office
Nice vid, great content. Could you not abbreviate ABT or otherovie titles, or at least make it clear what movies they are. If you did mention it, then it might have been spoken a bit fast. Keep it up,, I got my next movies to watch now. Thanks.
There are 3 good Things about "Just Heroes" The Shootouts David Chiang Steohen Chow That's it. John Woo made only one good movie in the last 20 years and that was Red Cliff. "Payckeck"was shit (his shittiest besides Black Jack), the Celluloid Sleeping Pill "The Crossing" also. "Manhunt" was an embarresment. And when you've seen the unbelievable uninspired "Silent Night" with has nothing good but one Shootout that had only Digital bllod, you know John Woo is done.
Absolutely his most underrated. Has some of his finest shootout choreography.
CZcams’s most underrated channel
Red Cliff 1 and 2 are his most underrated imo.
I'm going Windtalkers.
Thank you for this. Finally got a “new”
John Woo movie
HARDBOILED saw it in the student center at school and I was hooked
Nice, it was my Woo gateway drug as well haha
Saw this for the first time a few months ago thanks to a friend sending me a download of it. It’s far from Woo’s finest hour but as you’ve said, its a minor classic. On a first watch I feel like it could have been another 20-30 minutes longer but given the quick turn around on the film, I’m not surprised with how it turned out. Still love it though.
Heroes shed no tears is one of his best movies and probably the most violent.
It’s definitely pretty wacky; I think he conceived that one at a low point during a pretty slavish contract directing comedies. I remember a polyamorous suicide bomber couple, gore and lots of slapstick humour
@@WildFlicks Last Hurrah For Chivalry is an incredibly underrated Woo film IMO as is Hand Of Death. Last Hurrah is my fave non-SB Swordplay film. Hand Of Death (though goofy in places) shows hints of Woo's later promise.
@@Grandmastergav86 I will probably finally see Last Hurrah when we get the Criterion in March.
2:59
I seemed to do this a lot with your Videos, but I don’t think I’ve ever said “GO ON” so enthusiastically as this…
"A very homoerotic beer drinking scene" 😂
I never saw it that way, but then again, yes...
You just earned yourself a new subscriber, ol' boy. Completely agree with your Woo canon, except I'd definitely rank Face-Off as one of my "five" classic Woo works, and the only among his American output (and post-initial HK trajectory) to earn said distinction, IMO, although I like the rest of them just as well. Been a HK movie freak myself since middle school ('95-ish). Great work on the videos. Keep 'em coming!
Cheers! I enjoy Face/Off and Hard Target the most of his American output for sure. Excited to see what he gives us with Silent Night too
@@WildFlicks Yes! Ditto! Try tracking down the bootleg director's cut for Hard Target if you can. I used to have a VHS copy at one point, but unfortunately the tape degraded with the years due to poor storage. I also have a soft spot for MI2, I confess. Definitely looking forward to seeing what Jay Dub can cook up with the upcoming Silent Night. Haha Big ups!
@@oyemimelaza Gaahhh I hope I get to see that Director’s Cut someday, have always been curious about it. The snobbiest thing I’ll ever admit to, but I find it hard to go back to DVDs, let alone tapes; once I’d worked on films in post and became hyper aware of any dips in picture quality, it started taking me out of stuff I watch for enjoyment too. Maybe someday we’ll get a blu ray of it or something, we can dream!
You gotta make a list of heroic bloodshed movies. I fell like I e seen them all.
Maybe! At this point, I think I’ve covered a lot of the ones I’m most familiar with - I guess with the exception of some other Johnnie To greats, and Ringo Lam’s stuff. There are always the weaker Woo knockoffs too, but most of them are pretty painful lol
I heard Laughing Times, his Charlie Chaplin kung-fu comedy, is underrated as well. I haven't seen it but maybe you'd like it if you haven't seen it already since you're on the hunt for more obscure Woo stuff. Great video btw.
Cheers, thanks for the recommendation!
Let's be honest ... His worst movie is probably "Broken Arrow" ... I found it so disappointing and kinda boring overall. To me it was a waste of time.
I love MI:2 by the way but it's a special case ... I love watching Cruise being cocky on screen, i think it suits him well, especially back in the days, don't ask me why.
uh no broken Arrow is one of his better American vehicles
The flik was only made to try to give money to both Woo and Wu Ma's mentor, Shaw Brothers legend Chang Cheh, which is why so many of Chang's former actors (Ti Lung, David Chiang, Chen Kuan Tai etc) are in the main roles, shame it didn't do very well at the box office
this is Danny lee movie
Where were you able to watch it, I can't find it anywhere. Remember loving it as a kid.
I was able to find a blu-ray on eBay. As far as I know, it isn’t currently streaming anywhere unfortunately
Just Heroes is underrated and unknown, its not so emotional like The Killer but wow the last 20 Minutes of the film was a action fest.
John Chiang da Wei
Stephen chow
Danny Lee Sau yin
Chen Kuan Tai
Ti Lung
James Wong
Wu ma
Is Stephen Chow in this film
He is! Plays quite a complicated character too
@@WildFlicksCool. Stephen Chow can do drama.
Nice vid, great content. Could you not abbreviate ABT or otherovie titles, or at least make it clear what movies they are. If you did mention it, then it might have been spoken a bit fast.
Keep it up,, I got my next movies to watch now. Thanks.
Soft Boiled? 😂 Jk I will check this one out
Forget the so called Hollywood imitation and terrible knockoffs
Only half of this movie was directed by
John woo
Who’s the other half
Wu Ma is the other director. I mention this at the beginning of the video
There are 3 good Things about "Just Heroes"
The Shootouts
David Chiang
Steohen Chow
That's it.
John Woo made only one good movie in the last 20 years and that was Red Cliff.
"Payckeck"was shit (his shittiest besides Black Jack), the Celluloid Sleeping Pill "The Crossing" also.
"Manhunt" was an embarresment.
And when you've seen the unbelievable uninspired "Silent Night" with has nothing good but one Shootout that had only Digital bllod, you know John Woo is done.