if youre the average imdb reader and you probably enjoy a good action movie every now and then and but you approach action film with a certain caution and skepticism ( i can not blame you and even though i be an action junkie myself ) . if youre that kind of viewer and the score i would give ( for you ) for hard boil be a 6 . 5. to you and this be a prototypical good action movie intense and perfectly execute and original action and show to the tune of a forgettable and occasionally insulting story . to action junky and this movie be an easy 9 and because the only thing that really matter be that the action be superb and the other element and if not stellar and do not detract enough from the action to really make a difference . split the difference and we get an positive an outstanding score . hard boil be the ultimate john woo or chow yun fat collaboration . chow play an uncompromising hong kong cop who work together with an undercover cop ( an excellent tony leung ) in the triad gun run organization . now and when i say work and i mean launch thousand of bullet and slug and and explosive projectile into hundred of mafioso baddie . this film have a ridiculous amount of gunplay . pretty much everyone you see on screen dy at some point . those that do not die often come perilously close to die and before get up and move on a if nothing have happen . the gunman in this film have magical power that enable them to fire about 100 round from a beretta clip without have to reload . and the top good guy seem only vaguely concern about the loss of innocent life at a teahouse and or a large hospital except for tiny baby life and of course as long a they get to kill the top triad guy . and the story . well . not incoherent and but completely implausible at many point . realistic . no . be the story good . no . be this relevant . not particularly . you see and one watch a john woo movie for two thing represent strong lead character while strong lead character shoot their way to success in surreally choreograph gunplay scene . but what if i do not want to watch a movie just for that . well and this one force you to . if you can stand action at all and you will be glue to the screen the entire time . chow be a good actor and and tony leung be probably even well here they make the obligatory story sequence compelling and and when they start fire their weapon and you can not take your eye away . slow motion highlight bullet and explosion and and plaster and spark fly every which way and even a the actor and stunt men acrobatically move through the air while evade enemy fire . it a little hard to describe how great this really be and so you just have to take my word for it . suffice it to say that no one do gunplay like woo and although everyone and their mother try . ( james cameron technique with heavy weapon and muscular guy be the other way to do gunplay and and be great in it own and more limited right . ) if youre a fan of face or off and an american john woo movie that actually do not suck and you know what to expect but multiply that by 100. the story and realism be not good and but this make no difference . suspend disbelief and and go with the flow and and youre treat to prime quality action . there be however and element of this film that drag it down quite a bit . most of them and to me and concern woo depiction of violence . it obvious the man revel in blood . several time and you see blood spurt copiously and unnaturally onto a wall and a desk and even a man or baby face . while the action be generally frantic and quick and these shot be slow and deliberate and and in your face . why . to cater to our basest instinct and like a cheap slasher film . with action scene and character act do so well and it embarrass to watch such gratuitous gore add into the mix . but that not all . the script good character be not morally corrupt represent you can see them actively try to avoid other cop or innocent bystander . this be superficial . the character aren not corrupt while the final script be . at least 50 innocent people and include patient at a hospital and die violently . the film doesn not display this a a horrific event and but rather a part of the scenery and cannon fodder while the film even get pretty despicable amusement from this and particularly in one scene involve a baby ( do not worry . the baby be not hurt ) . technically speak and the movie be perfect . aesthetically speak and the same be true and with the exception of the music and which be extremely cheesy at time ( the sax that suddenly kick in during emotional moment be unbearable be that some kind of hk movie thing and or what . ) . such negative be distract . your ability to ignore such distraction will ultimately determine if you give this a 5 or a 9. be it a little more humane and i would give it a 9. a it stand and i give it represent positive .