Ever since John Woo had left Hong Kong (he came back and hopefully he will do a few more movies in Hongkong like "Red Cliff"), it seemed there was big hole left in the industry. Of course not only Woo had left Hongkong and had to make a van Damme pic, like every other Hong Kong director, see Ringo Lam, Tsui Hark. So where would all this go? I wasn't aware of anyone who would be able to succeed him. And along came Johnnie To. And while not really comparable to Woo, he made the Hong Kong action cinema his own.
Fulltime Killer is only one of many exhibitions (which he has mixed up with a few other things, though he stays true to the action cinema). What makes the movie so great in my eyes, is the eye for details. Things that normally wouldn't be in an action movie, because producers would deem them as redundant and unnecessary. Like moments where you see a human side of Bodyguards or Killers for that matter.
But don't be fooled by that. The action is also top notch. A great movie, with many more to follow. And I don't think there is a need for him to move to Hollywood any time soon (or ever for that matter)
Fulltime Killer is only one of many exhibitions (which he has mixed up with a few other things, though he stays true to the action cinema). What makes the movie so great in my eyes, is the eye for details. Things that normally wouldn't be in an action movie, because producers would deem them as redundant and unnecessary. Like moments where you see a human side of Bodyguards or Killers for that matter.
But don't be fooled by that. The action is also top notch. A great movie, with many more to follow. And I don't think there is a need for him to move to Hollywood any time soon (or ever for that matter)