Rating: 
Summary: Great film, DVD will "tramp" you.
Review: In case you didn't get the message from the last few reviews: do NOT buy this DVD unless you have no other option for seeing this film and can't wait for a better release to come along. The subtitles are so bad as to make certain scenes incomprehensible; the audio transfer is terrible (the characters sound like they're in a tin box, the vocal track is out of sync, etc.); and the print is faded and it looks like no attempt was made to clean it up in digital transfer. Nevertheless, the film is a blast, and you don't really need to understand the dialogue to follow the plot. To quote from the subtitles, you don't "loose" much and you won't feel "dump" if you can't understand exactly what's being said.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic movie, HORRIBLE subtitles
Review: This movie is just awesome. It's not the action packed thriller you'd normally expect from John Woo, but it's one of my all time favorite movies. Chow Yun-Fat offers yet another brilliant performance in this drama about an aging gangster (Ti Lung) torn between his best friend (Chow Yun-Fat) and his brother (Leslie Cheung). What keeps this product from a five star rating is NOT the film itself. The subtitles are so horrible, I can't understand how any professional film distributor could release this is as a finished product. Spelling mistakes and ridiculously poor grammar litter this otherwise great film. Who did they hire to translate this? Whoever it was obviously had only known the English language for approximately 3 weeks. In addition, the subtitles often appear AFTER the dialogue is spoken- which can ruin the effect of a couple of key scenes (if you've seen it, you'll know what I mean). Besides the subtitles, the DVD itself is nothing special. In fact, its not even average features wise. It has basic chapter selection, an ad for other film's the "Media Asia Group" offers, and the trailer for the film. That's it. The "About The Film" section isn't even worth mentioning, it's just extremely brief information on those involved with the film. You would get much better information (and in more detail) from the IMDB (www.imdb.com) or any fan site. The subtitles alone were so bad that I was tempted to return this, but since there is no other version available that I am aware of, I guess there isn't much choice. As a big fan of both Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo, this product was very disappointing. It's a shame- this movie deserves much better.
Rating: 
Summary: What's up with the subtitles?
Review: Let me say that I liked this movie. It's not the best thing ever or anything, but it's a solid film which I enjoyed. I liked some of the gun fighting scenes, although, as has been mentioned below, it's not as refined as John Woo's later stuff. Just note that this film is not wall-to-wall action. You only get a few sequences of action. There's a lot of drama. Now, I saw the letterbox VHS version (Tai Seng Video Marketing) with the subtitles, and let me tell you: The subtitles are horrible! First, they give you two lines: English AND Cantonese. I got used to this, but I don't see the point to it. Second, the translation is absolutely horrendous. The guy who translated this clearly didn't know English. There are tons of words spelled wrong, improper grammar, the list goes on. It's bad. Real bad. Third, the text is in white, which means when there's a white background (or, say, someone wearing a white shirt), you can't read the subtitles. Finally, for long sentences words are chopped off from the sides. If this sounds bad, wait until you try and watch the film like this. It is watchable, but it's certainly not the way to maximize your entertainment. This is an extremely atrocious job. If you can track down a dubbed version, I'd recommend you do so, simply because the subtitles are such a disaster. Otherwise, "A Better Tomorrow" is a worthy effort that's must-viewing for John Woo fans.
Rating:
Summary: A Five Star Film Ruined By Poor Transfer To DVD
Review: A wonderful movie overall, but the subtitles are terrible and distract from enjoyment of the film. The letters are too big, and often only four or five words are fitted per line, so an additional line of subtitles is necessary, taking up the bottom 25 to 30% of the screen. Can't see the movie for the words! The same holds true for the sequels. I'd buy another copy if only they'd fix this aweful production flaw. DON'T BUY IT! Wait for an improved edition! Too high a cost for such a faulty product.
Rating: 
Summary: The tour de force which started it all...
Review: In 1986, an unknown movie titled "Yong Huang Boon Sik, A Better Tomorrow" was released in Hong Kong. It brought laughs, sweat and tears to an audience larger than any HK film made before, also gaining blockbuster status in many other Asian countries, especially in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. It also started a huge wave of Hong Kong crime films, a feat even George Lucas would have been proud of. For people who have never seen this film and wonder why, as you read this, it accomplished all of these amazing feats, is this film represents honor, loyalty, fate, and brotherly love more honestly and brilliantly than any other film, ever. This movie also catapulted the Chow Yun-Fat era, which since then has become an equal or maybe even surpassed that of the legendary Bruce Lee. See this movie for yourself, it brings out the best in your emotions.
Rating:
Summary: A Genre-Defining Film
Review: Think about it: the gangster film as Americans knew it going all the way back to the days of Bogart, DIDN'T EXIST in Chinese cinema before this magnificent picture. Chow-Yun Fat is at his best, and unlike Chow's and John Woo's American films, the themes are clearly defined from scene one. The heartbreaking sequence where Chow washes cars for a triad boss never fails to get a reaction from people I watch this film with.
Rating:
Summary: 5 1/2 stars!
Review: Although Chow and Woo fans in the Western world have embraced "The Killer" as Woo and Chow's best film to date, I think "ABT", their first collaboration,is a better story. It also seemed to be better received than "The Killer" in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The film deals with brotherly love - a man who has to compromise between his younger, cop brother and his loyal "brother" that has been with him through thick and thin . Ti Lung has the main role and the best actor of the year award was given to him, but it is obvious who shines in the film. Woo has created a hero - Mark Gor - whose every move and expression many fans today still idolize. The movie is undoubtedly a classic.
Rating:
Summary: Chow Yun Fat and John Woo - The Almighty Dual
Review: This is one of Chow's best performances and one that will go down as a Hong Kong classic. Well-choreographed actions, among other elements, have made this one of the most 'copied' movies of the 80's and 90's.
Rating:
Summary: A pretty good first effort
Review: This is the first John Woo movie as most people think of them: cool gangsters and cops, blowing away dozens of guys with two pistols, usually starring Chow Yun-Fat. While the action is not as polished as in his later works (nothing here even begins to compare with Hard-Boiled), it has a better story and acting than are typical for Woo films. All in all, a good flick.
Rating:
Summary: Just loved the shoot outs and the story
Review: This was a great ganster movie reminiscent of the late 30's and 40's US ganster flicks, but with much better action sequences. Like an old George Raft flick it pits two brothers on opposite sides of the law against each other. But show stealer is the best friend "Mark", who with double 45's blazing, blows away a rival gang in what is one of the best modern shoot outs ever captured on film. The plot is tight, with stylish swaggering gansters that rings true. In my opinion, for viewers who love the old genre of ganster movies this is a must see and own video.
|
