Heroic bloodshed
Encyclopedia
Heroic Bloodshed is a genre of Hong Kong action cinema
revolving around stylized action sequences and dramatic themes such as brotherhood, duty, honour, redemption and violence
. The term heroic bloodshed was coined by editor Rick Baker in the magazine Eastern Heroes in the late 1980s, specifically referring to the styles of directors John Woo
and Ringo Lam
. Baker defined the genre as "a Hong Kong action film that features a lot of gun play
and gangsters rather than kung fu. Lots of blood. Lots of action." Woo's film A Better Tomorrow
was said to have started the genre. Woo has also been a major influence in its continued popularity and evolution in his later works, namely Hard Boiled
, A Better Tomorrow 2
, and The Killer.
. Loyalty, family and brotherhood are the most typical themes of the genre. Heroic bloodshed films generally have a strong emotional angle, not only between, but during action sequences.
Pistols and submachine gun
s are frequently utilized by the heroes due to the light weight they provide, enabling their wielders to move more quickly. They are frequently held akimbo. The heroes are extremely agile and implement rolls, dives, slides, and falls while they duel, making for a graceful, ballet
-like performance in the midst of gunfire.
Heroic bloodshed films often end on a downbeat or tragic note with the main heroes either dead, arrested by the police, or severely incapacitated.
action sequences. Director John Woo
was a chief instigator in this trend when he began directing Hollywood action films like Face/Off
.
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
revolving around stylized action sequences and dramatic themes such as brotherhood, duty, honour, redemption and violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
. The term heroic bloodshed was coined by editor Rick Baker in the magazine Eastern Heroes in the late 1980s, specifically referring to the styles of directors John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
and Ringo Lam
Ringo Lam
Ringo Lam Ling-Tung , born in 1955 is a Hong Kong film director, producer and scriptwriter.He is known for gritty, dark and realistic action thrillers. He was born in Hong Kong and studied film at York University film school in Toronto...
. Baker defined the genre as "a Hong Kong action film that features a lot of gun play
Gun fu
Gun fu, a portmanteau of gun and kung fu, is the style of sophisticated close-quarters gunplay seen in Hong Kong action cinema and in Western films influenced by it. It often resembles a martial arts battle played out with firearms instead of traditional weapons...
and gangsters rather than kung fu. Lots of blood. Lots of action." Woo's film A Better Tomorrow
A Better Tomorrow
A Better Tomorrow is a 1986 Hong Kong action film which had a profound influence on the Hong Kong film-making industry, and later on an international scale.Directed by John Woo, it stars Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung...
was said to have started the genre. Woo has also been a major influence in its continued popularity and evolution in his later works, namely Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled is a 1992 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo. The film stars Chow Yun-fat as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Tony, an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of criminal triads. The film features Tequila, whose partner is killed in a tea...
, A Better Tomorrow 2
A Better Tomorrow 2
A Better Tomorrow 2 is a 1987 Hong Kong action and crime directed by John Woo and starring Chow Yun-fat, Dean Shek, Leslie Cheung, and Ti Lung.A follow-up to its popular predecessor, A Better Tomorrow...
, and The Killer.
Motifs
Protagonists in these films are often good-willed criminals, typically triad members, hitmen, or thieves with a strict code of ethics, which in some cases lead to betrayal of their employer and savior to many of the intended victims, or police officers with a conscience, who cannot be corrupted in any way and usually modeled after the hardboiled detectiveHardboiled
Hardboiled crime fiction is a literary style, most commonly associated with detective stories, distinguished by the unsentimental portrayal of violence and sex. The style was pioneered by Carroll John Daly in the mid-1920s, popularized by Dashiell Hammett over the course of the decade, and refined...
. Loyalty, family and brotherhood are the most typical themes of the genre. Heroic bloodshed films generally have a strong emotional angle, not only between, but during action sequences.
Pistols and submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
s are frequently utilized by the heroes due to the light weight they provide, enabling their wielders to move more quickly. They are frequently held akimbo. The heroes are extremely agile and implement rolls, dives, slides, and falls while they duel, making for a graceful, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
-like performance in the midst of gunfire.
Heroic bloodshed films often end on a downbeat or tragic note with the main heroes either dead, arrested by the police, or severely incapacitated.
Americanization
The motifs of the heroic bloodshed genre have made their way into Hollywood cinema, especially the gun fuGun fu
Gun fu, a portmanteau of gun and kung fu, is the style of sophisticated close-quarters gunplay seen in Hong Kong action cinema and in Western films influenced by it. It often resembles a martial arts battle played out with firearms instead of traditional weapons...
action sequences. Director John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
was a chief instigator in this trend when he began directing Hollywood action films like Face/Off
Face/Off
Face/Off is a 1997 action thriller film directed by John Woo, starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. The two both play an FBI agent and a terrorist, sworn enemies who assume the physical appearance of one another....
.
Heroic bloodshed films
- Long Arm of the LawLong Arm of the Law (film)Long Arm of the Law is a 1984 Hong Kong film directed by Johnny Mak.The film was followed by two sequels: Long Arm of the Law II and Long Arm of the Law III .-Cast:* Chen Jing* Kong Lung* Ben Lam Kwok Bun* David Lam Wai...
(1984) - A Better TomorrowA Better TomorrowA Better Tomorrow is a 1986 Hong Kong action film which had a profound influence on the Hong Kong film-making industry, and later on an international scale.Directed by John Woo, it stars Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung...
(1986) - Legacy of RageLegacy of RageLegacy of Rage is a 1986 Hong Kong action film starring Brandon Lee in his film debut, Michael Wong, Regina Kent, Chung Lam and a cameo appearance by Bolo Yeung who had appeared in Lee's father Bruce Lee's last film Enter the Dragon. It was directed by Ronny Yu and made in Cantonese...
(1986) - A Better Tomorrow II (1987)
- City on FireCity on Fire (1987 film)City on Fire is a gritty and stylish 1987 Hong Kong action crime drama film produced and directed by Ringo Lam, and starring Chow Yun-fat, Danny Lee and Sun Yueh...
(1987) - The Big HeatThe Big Heat (1988 film)The Big Heat is a 1988 Hong Kong film directed by Johnnie To, Andrew Kam Yeung Wah and Tsui Hark.-Cast and roles:* Waise Lee - Chief Inspector Waipong Wong* Joey Wong - Ada* Matthew Wong - Inspector Kwok-Keung Lun* Philip Kwok - Detective Ah Kam...
(1988) - Extreme PrejudiceExtreme Prejudice (film)Extreme Prejudice is an American action film originally released in 1987.The film was directed by Walter Hill; it was written by John Milius, Fred Rexer and Deric Washburn...
(1987) - A Better Tomorrow III (1989)
- The Killer (1989)
- My Heart is That Eternal RoseMy Heart Is That Eternal RoseMy Heart Is That Eternal Rose is a 1989 Hong Kong film directed by Patrick Tam.-Cast and roles:* Kenny Bee - Rick Ma* Joey Wong - Lap* Tony Leung Chiu-Wai - Cheung* Chan Wai-Man - Shen* Cheung Tat-ming - Law Man-Shing's Son...
(1989) - Bullet in the HeadBullet in the HeadBullet in the Head is a 1990 Hong Kong action crime drama thriller film written, produced, edited and directed by John Woo , starring Tony Leung, Jacky Cheung, Waise Lee and Simon Yam.-Plot:...
(1990) - Once a ThiefOnce a Thief (1991 film)Once a Thief is a 1991 Hong Kong crime film written and directed by John Woo. It stars Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Chung, Kenneth Tsang and Chu Kong in a lighthearted heist themed action-comedy routine....
(1991) - Hard BoiledHard BoiledHard Boiled is a 1992 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo. The film stars Chow Yun-fat as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Tony, an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of criminal triads. The film features Tequila, whose partner is killed in a tea...
(1992) - Full ContactFull ContactFull Contact is a 1992 Hong Kong action film produced and directed by Ringo Lam. The film stars Chow Yun-fat, Simon Yam, Anthony Wong, and Ann Bridgewater. It was based upon Donald Westlake's novel The Hunter, with Chow Yun-Fat's character, Gou Fei, analogous to the novel's main character,...
(1993) - Hard TargetHard TargetHard Target is a 1993 American action film directed by Chinese director John Woo. The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chance Boudreaux, an out-of-work Cajun merchant seaman who saves a young woman, Natasha Binder , from a gang of thugs in New Orleans...
(1993) - Return to a Better Tomorrow (1994)
- Young and DangerousYoung and DangerousThe Young and Dangerous film series is a collection of Hong Kong films about a group of triad young members, detailing their adventures, dangers and growth in a Hong Kong triad society...
(1995) - Peace Hotel (1995)
- Face/OffFace/OffFace/Off is a 1997 action thriller film directed by John Woo, starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. The two both play an FBI agent and a terrorist, sworn enemies who assume the physical appearance of one another....
(1997) - Expect the Unexpected (1998)
- The Replacement KillersThe Replacement KillersThe Replacement Killers is a 1998 American action film, directed by Antoine Fuqua in his directorial debut. It stars Chow Yun-fat and Mira Sorvino...
(1998) - A Hero Never DiesA Hero Never DiesA Hero Never Dies is a 1998 Hong Kong action-crime drama, and the first Milkyway Image film to be directed by Johnnie To.Starring Lau Ching-Wan and Leon Lai, A Hero Never Dies is a heroic bloodshed tale centering on the friendship and rivalry of two Triads in the midst of a gang war...
(1998) - The MissionThe Mission (1999 film)The Mission is a 1999 Hong Kong action film produced and directed Johnnie To, and starring Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, Jackie Lui, Lam Suet, and Simon Yam.-Plot:...
(1999) - Dead or AliveDead or Alive (film), abbreviated as DOA , is a 1999 Japanese yakuza action film directed by Takashi Miike. It stars Riki Takeuchi, as the Chinese Triad boss and former yakuza Ryūichi, and Show Aikawa, as the Japanese cop Detective Jojima, and focuses on their meeting and conflict...
(1999) - Dead or Alive 2: BirdsDead or Alive 2: BirdsDead or Alive 2: Birds is a Japanese film directed by Takashi Miike. Dead or Alive 2: Birds is unrelated to Dead or Alive or Dead or Alive: Final except that all three films have Show Aikawa and Riki Takeuchi in them, and they are all directed by Takashi Miike.-Plot:Two contract killers cross...
(2000) - A War Named Desire (2000)
- Mission Impossible II (2000)
- Fulltime Killer (2001)
- Dead or Alive: FinalDead or Alive: FinalDead or Alive: Final is a 2002 Japanese cyberpunk science fiction film directed by Takashi Miike. It is the third in a three-part series, preceded by Dead or Alive in 1999 and Dead or Alive 2: Birds in 2000. The films are not connected in any apparent way except by director Takashi Miike and stars...
(2002) - Infernal AffairsInfernal AffairsInfernal Affairs is a 2002 Hong Kong crime-thriller film directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. It tells the story of a police officer who infiltrates the triads, and a police officer secretly working for the same gang. The Chinese title means "the non-stop path", a reference to Avici, the lowest...
(2002) - Infernal Affairs IIInfernal Affairs IIInfernal Affairs II is a 2003 Hong Kong crime-thriller film directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak.It is a prequel to the 2002 film Infernal Affairs. Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Edison Chen, Shawn Yue, and Chapman To reprise their roles from the original film alongside new cast members Carina Lau,...
(2003) - Infernal Affairs IIIInfernal Affairs IIIInfernal Affairs III is a 2003 Hong Kong crime thriller film directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. It is the third installment in the Infernal Affairs film series, and is both a sequel and a semi-prequel to the original film, as it intercuts events before and after the events in the first film...
(2003) - PTUPTU (film)PTU , is a 2003 Hong Kong crime thriller produced and directed by Johnnie To, starring Simon Yam, Maggie Siu, Lam Suet and Ruby Wong.-Synopsis:...
(2003) - DivergenceDivergence (film)Divergence is a 2005 Hong Kong action-crime film produced and directed by Benny Chan, from a screenplay by Ivy Ho. The film stars Ekin Cheng, Aaron Kwok and Daniel Wu.-Plot:...
(2005) - Dragon SquadDragon SquadDragon Squad is a 2005 Hong Kong action film co-written and directed by Daniel Lee, co-produced by Steven Seagal and starring Vanness Wu, Sammo Hung, Michael Biehn, Maggie Q, and Simon Yam.-Plot:...
(2005) - The City of ViolenceThe City of ViolenceThe City of Violence is a 2006 South Korean action film co-written and directed by Ryu Seung-wan. The story re-unites three old friends for a fourth one's funeral, where they vow to find his murderer.-Plot:...
(2006) - Dog Bite DogDog Bite DogDog Bite Dog is a 2006 Hong Kong action crime thriller directed by Soi Cheang and starring Edison Chen as a brutal Cambodian assassin, desperately trying to evade police after completing an assignment in Hong Kong...
(2006) - ExiledExiledExiled is a 2006 Hong Kong action crime drama film produced and directed by Johnnie To, and starring Anthony Wong, Roy Cheung, Francis Ng, and Simon Yam. The action takes place in contemporary Macau.-Plot:...
(2006) - Like a DragonLike a DragonLike a Dragon or Yakuza: Like a Dragon known in Japan as is a 2007 Japanese crime drama-comedy film directed by Takashi Miike. It is based upon Toshihiro Nagoshi's 2005 video game Yakuza released on PlayStation 2...
(2008) - Beast StalkerBeast StalkerBeast Stalker is a 2008 Hong Kong action film directed by Dante Lam and starring Nicholas Tse, Nick Cheung, Zhang Jing-Chu, and Liu Kai-Chi.-Synopsis:A traffic accident changed their lives forever....
(2008) - VengeanceVengeance (2009 film)Vengeance is a 2009 neo-noir crime film directed by Johnnie To from a screenplay written by Wai Ka-Fai. A co-production between Hong Kong and France, the film stars Johnny Hallyday, Anthony Wong, Lam Ka-Tung, Lam Suet, Simon Yam and Sylvie Testud. The film was produced by Milkyway Image, and...
(2009)