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Ying hung boon sik (1986)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
2 August 1986 (Hong Kong) moreTagline:
The movie that began it all......... morePlot:
A reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
4 wins & 12 nominations moreUser Comments:
A Better Tomorrow starts today... moreCast
(Credited cast)| Lung Ti | ... | Sung Tse-Ho (as Ti Lung) | |
| Leslie Cheung | ... | Sung Tse-Kit | |
| Yun-Fat Chow | ... | Mark Gor / Mark Lee (as Chow Yun Fat) | |
| Emily Chu | ... | Jackie | |
| Waise Lee | ... | Shing (as Lee Chi Hung) | |
| Fui-On Shing | ... | Shing's right hand man | |
| Kenneth Tsang | ... | Ken | |
| Hark Tsui | ... | Music Judge (as Tsui Hark) | |
| John Woo | ... | Inspector Wu | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Chi Fai Chan | ... | 'Little' Wang | |
| Kwok Leung Cheung | |||
| San Nam Hung | ... | Triad Member | |
| Hing Ying Kam | ... | Mr. Mok | |
| Shung Fung Lau | |||
| Ming Leung | |||
| Patrick Leung | |||
| Yangzi Shi | ... | Mr. Yiu | |
| Feng Tien | ... | Father Sung | |
| Wei Ho Tu | |||
| Hsieh Wang | ... | Mr. Wang (as Hap Wong) | |
| Sai Gwan Yeung | ... | Triad Member in Parking Lot | |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
A Better Tomorrow (Hong Kong: English title)Gangland Boss
Rapid Fire (Philippines: English title)
The Essence of Heroes (Hong Kong: English title) (literal title)
Ying xiong ben se (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
more
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
95 minCountry:
Hong KongColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoCertification:
Australia:MA (TV rating) | Malaysia:18PL | South Korea:15 (2008) | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Austria:18 (not rated) | Canada:18A | France:-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | UK:18 | West Germany:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | USA:R | Iceland:16Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The character of Mark Gor proved to be so popular that many young HKers adopted his style (black trenchcoat, sunglasses, match in mouth). Stores around HK were sold out of the distinctive Ray-Ban sunglasses in less than a week after the movie premiered. All this led to a blasting of Woo by critics and government officials that he was glamorizing the Triad lifestyle. moreSoundtrack:
Sparrowfall moreFAQ
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Two brothers (One a cop played by the late Leslie Cheung, the other a thief played by Ti Lung) become enemies after the death of their father while Chow Yun Fat plays a crippled assassin who teams up with Ti Lung to help protect Cheung from the mob boss that is looking to do him in, while at the same time try to redeem himself in the eyes of his police officer brother. A Better Tomorrow is often reported as the best movie John Woo has done and while it is certainly a superior staple on his resume, the movie's tone is a little off and although the movie is very well done the movie gets a tad too melodramatic at times. However that minor flaw aside A Better Tomorrow provides an unusually rich story that details a rocky relationship that seems to never be forgiven. Indeed even at the end, we doubt whether the brothers will ever be as close as they once were. Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung are very good in their roles but it really is Chow Yun Fat that sells the movie and his performance as an out of work assassin provides a tragic figure that is far more tragic than the relationship between Lung and Cheung. As noted the acting is flawless with Cheung turning in a flawless 180 degree turn in his character. A Better Tomorrow while not the best movie from John Woo, is still a rewarding tale.
* * *1/2 out of 4-(Very good)