when someone mention and action movie and the first thing that get in their mind be gun and fight and blood and and so on . the people who they instantly think be the like of schwarzenegger and stallone and willis and even the hammy seagal and snipe and van damme . not until recently and i find myself confuse about which action movie be the great . for me and the ultimate action hero be arnold schwarzenegger and but i can not seem to find a perfect action movie . until i begin check up film of john woo and and stumble upon this baby . only a handful of action movie can compare to this and but most fail to be well . this movie be the epitome of an action movie and it have never end thrill a minute stylish action sequence that just make your jaw drop in amazement . it have a body count that can be compare to most epic movie and and it have an excellent atmosphere to further enhance the story . the action sequence be a combination of outrageous and unreal and cool at the same time . the story be weak and but not very . it provide the basis for the action to unfold . and boy and when it do and you will have a blast . i mean and they take the premise of a basic cop and robber tale and highly jazz it up somehow to deliver this truly authentic and unique piece of movie making . this be not just a movie which action fan alone should see and this movie deserve to be seek and recognize by other highly rank film critic . the director and john woo and up the ante on this one . after glorify the gangster in his better tomorrow movie and the killer ( which almost be as good a hard boil ) and he decide to glorify the cop and and he do that and but with big element . he doesn not show realism and humanism in this film and because he want to emphasize and slightly exaggerate on how big the element can go . the criminal would kill lot of innocent people to complete their nefarious deed and and the violence be hyper stylize to the point where it become necessary to subdue the criminal use that technique . he combine unique chinese opera dance technique and dramatic shootout to create stylistically significant and exhilarate gunfight for the eye and ear to behold . the pace be hyper kinetic a woo relentlessly dish out whatever trick he have up his sleeve and much to our delight . chow yun fat status a an action hero be immortalize here in his performance a super cop tequila and who dodge bullet and shoot crook while coo a baby to sleep and cover his eye from the ensue violence . this scene also signify the violence in hong kong back in the day and but highly stylize to create a superb action experience . tony leung be also splendid a the disillusioned undercover cop and who seek to regain his humanity and reputation . the rest of the cast give good performance and with kudos to anthony wong a the sadistic villain who will do anything to get what he want ( fully exampled during the film climax ) and and cheng jue luh a one of the most badassed villain ever and mad dog . the atmosphere of the movie further improve it credibility . john woo interest be show through tequila passion of jazz and the beautiful and dark cinematography of hong kong and which and when combine together and give an effect that signify two different world and that be and the life of a cop and the life of a criminal . also and the music score by michael gibbs be great and with a perfect melodramatic jazz score during dramatic scene and and to pump synthesizer and gritty and haunt score during the majority of the action sequence . all of these add up to the amazing element of the movie to make it even well . overall and i can not think of any other action movie than this . this be the action movie for film goer and critic and and action junky alike . this perfectly shot ballet of blood and bullet be an example of how great and reliable asian movie can be and when we be finally tire of cliché element from hollywood . mr. woo and your midas touch have it full effect here . this movie be one of the great action movie ever make . and i will stand by that decision for as long a i live . a must see . positive delton .