Rating: 
Summary: Why Put Two Movies Together?!!!
Review: I love both movies here, but why not release them individually,DVD 2-packs are a pet peeve of mine. Somtimes you just want each film treated with individual respect, and sometimes you may just want 1 movie and not both!
Rating: 
Summary: Great movies, OK DVDs
Review: I won't get into a movie review, but I though I should say something about the DVDs. Each disc is not full of extras but what is there ranks up in quality with most DVDs. The main problem with the discs is the sound and film quality. Voices are muted compared to the background sound. The film is definitely not digitally remastered as can be noticed in the beginning of the films, where there are noticeable scratches. Maybe the master was low quality, I don't know. For me, the defects became less noticeable as I was drawn into the story. Bottom line: I thought they were worth the price, but if the defects will bother you (because we expect the highest quality from a DVD) then wait and hope for another release.
Rating:
Summary: This is a great Movie
Review: I would recomend this movie to anyone. It is one of the most beautifuly violent movies ever. I thnk that anyone in their reigh mind shoul see these movies.
Rating:
Summary: Let us now consider a pair of gems.
Review: If there are two movies of any caliber, any description, any genre that are better than this, you're going to have a hard time finding them. These were the last two films Woo made before departing Hong Kong, and in a way they're his love letter of farewell to that land. He so far has not made anything nearly as intense or self-assured as these movies (except MAYBE "Face/Off"), and I wonder if he ever will -- if when he left Hong Kong before the '97 handover, something died within him as well.No matter -- for now we have these two films, in a nicely-priced reissue edition, and they are as essential as it gets for a modern movie collection. THE KILLER is the more operatic and Shakesperian of the two -- a portrait of an assassin with a conscience (a pale shadow of the character Yun-Fat would later play in THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS). When sent to murder a crime boss, he accidentally blinds a cabaret singer (Sally Yeh), and grows tender with her while trying to undo her blindness. In the meantime, a dedicated policeman starts to close in on him, and the tension in both of their lives ratches up and up. The final shootout in the church has to be seen to be believed. HARD-BOILED is the more epic-sized of the two productions, and the more, well, hard-boiled. A slam-bang action picture first, with dramatic elements a close seconds, it follows Tequila (Yun-Fat again), a rogue-style cop who gets caught in the middle of a gang who are dealing arms out of a secret hideaway. As with most of his other movies, there are strong issues of loyalty and brotherly betrayal. The first ten minutes, the middle-section garage showdown, and the entire final third of the movie, are three of the finest and most pulverizingly assembled shoot-outs in all of movies. Like everything else, they have to be seen to be believed -- and they will make converts of the faithless.
Rating:
Summary: Both sides of the brain
Review: If there is one thing that can be said about this double set of John Woo is that it represents the two faces of his story telling: action/drama(The Killer) and all-out-action(Hard-Boiled). Both are exceptional pieces of work and should be checked out by any fan of action movies, which just makes this an even better buy. Both display the man's crafts hard at work. The Killer works more around building stronger character relationships where as Hard Boiled is just go-for-broke-shoot-many-people-as-possible cinema(phew!). Both work effectively(esspecially in the action department) because of John Woo's directing and cinematagraphy. He minipulates the camera durring the action to stunningly create involving action. Where as most action movies use just cut-away shoot outs, The Killer and Hard Boiled feature frantically moving cameras to keep the action, well, action. His use of symbolism within the movies help add another layer of depth to keep it from just another superficial affair(though its still not exactly thought provoking). Simply put, The Killer and Hard Boiled show a man at the top of his game. My only complaint is the fact that Mission Impossible 2(yuck)is his reference movie. Other than that, this is a must for any fan of the Woo, film noir, action, or just movies in general.
Rating:
Summary: Heavenly Combination
Review: If you have heard much talk about Woo's movies, but you have yet to experience any for yourself, then these two movies are *BY FAR* the best examples of his work you could wish for. For the uninitiated, John Woo's movies always bear the same credentials, and these two are no exception: Non-Stop, masterfully realized action, and a terrible script that could have fallen from Satan's very backside: DIALOGUE TAKEN FROM HARD BOILED -"It's a paper Crane. I make one every time I kill somebody. What do you think, should I make you one?" -"No Thanks." - etc etc. What his Movies lack in script-polish and the like, they more than make up for in the dream-like directing, and astoundingly intense cinematography. The Killer's bizarre, and often surreal action sequences, will leave you begging for more of the same, yet, if you're new to Woo's wonderous blend of traditional storyline coupled with truly jaw-dropping action sequences, you may doubt his credentials somewhat. From the opening scene in the Yun Fat's hideaway Church, to the terrible Mickey Mouse gags, right through to the bizarre combination of Japanese love songs playing along to some rather gruesome gunfights; The Killer is a must-own. It's a fine example of Woo's work prior to Hard Boiled, which is a good thing, because... Hard Boiled is simply the Action fans' Action movie. It doesn't get any better than this. From the moment the opening credits begin, you know the guy holding the Tequila (being "slammed" in close-up)is hard as nails. The action simply doesn't stop. Ever. And it's the kind of action that keeps you rooted to your seat. When Yun Fat's character, Tequila, isn't busy being involved in spectacular shoot-outs, he's either back at HQ arguing with the Super in true 'loose-cannon cop' fashion, or he's pistol-whipping Triad bosses. The finale itself clocks in at almost an hour in length! If you've seen Van Damme in Hard Target, and Travolta & Cage in Face-Off, you still haven't seen and understood exactly why he is the proclaimed god of action the industry says he is. Simply put, Hard Target and Face-Off are Hollywood-diluted and simply pale when sat aside The Killer and Hard Boiled. This is Woo at his finest.
Rating:
Summary: Wow. 2 greatest action flicks ever made on DVD
Review: If you like action you need to own these. quite simply these are the two greatest action films ever made. nothing arnold made can ever compare to these. Chow Yun-Fat makes arnold, stallone, van dame etc. look like a bunch of little girls. He is truly one of the 5 coolest actors alive today. the others being Nic Cage, Travola, Bruce Willis. These two movies are amazing. THe Killer is the story of a man trying to escape from his life while his new boss trys to kill him. he befriends a police officer and the two become close. Great cinematogrophy here. Woo puts up lots of beautifull and haunting images. especially slow motion death scenes. Great shootouts. Yun Fat is the coolest hitman ever. Danny Lee does well as his cop friend. The Mexican stand-off was perfected in this film, though no shots were actually fired. The final gun battle in the church is over the top, outrageous and amazing. truly brilliant. plus you get to see a statue of the virgin mary get blown up!! how cool is that. Btw the hitman in the killer does speak at one point but stays silent the rest. if you want a silent killer watch " A better Tomorrow 2". The ending is truly satisfying and quiet suprising. Hardboiled is the better movie though. GREATEST ACTION FILM EVER. could rival Saving Private Ryan in body count. considering spr was a war movie thats pretty amazing. Chow yun fat gives his second coolest peformance, his first coolest being in A Better TOmoorow 2. Leung almost steals the show as the under cover cop. THe plot is that Chows partner gets killed in a shootout so Chow vows to bring down Johnny Wong, the gun dealer. So basically its chow vs. hundreds of gangsters. hardly seems fair....for the gangsters that is. this movie has the greatest action scenes ever. the opener is stunning. stair cases. birds. toothpic. awesome. Many other cool sequences leading up to final gun battle in hospital. Greatest shootout ever filmed. 30 minutes of sheer action. beats out the conclusion to saving private ryan. totally intense action. truly amazing movie. if you like action you have to own these two.
Rating: 
Summary: Good films; bad package.
Review: If you want to read about the content of these films, there are plenty of other reviews on this site to help you out. I'm reviewing the sound quality. MONO?! Two DVD films in mono?? I'm sorry, but the sound quality on these discs are really terrible, especially the English dubbed version. Also, although it's not the manufacturer's fault, the English dubbing over both discs are atrocious. "JEFFREY! JEFFREY! WHERE ARE YOU, JEFFREY?!" That's basically all I have to say on the content of these discs. I suppose I'm happy with them, but what choice do I have? The criterion editions are out of print in case you folks who are looking for them didn't know.
Rating:
Summary: Ratata tat tat..A tight set.
Review: If you're into action movies and, especially Hong Kong action films starring the kickass Chow Yun Fat, then this set is for you. The video and audio are both really excellent, and it is probably the best two versions of these films released over here in the US to date, in my opinion, in terms of overall value and quality. The films are just great, especially the Killer, my favorite John Woo film to date. It's well worth the money, and you get two quality DVDs for a relatively low price. Definitely give this one a go.
Rating:
Summary: 4 Stars for Killer, 2 for Hard Boiled
Review: In terms of sheer number of bullets fired, Hard Boiled has far more action than the Killer. Some of the gunfights are really spectacular. If all you want is gunplay then it's a movie worth renting, but not something you should buy. The problem with Hard Boiled is that after the opening gunfight it starts to resemble Walker: Texas Ranger in both realism and plot. I actually found myself laughing at the sheer stupidity of it (particularly the save-the-babies part at the end). And while John Woo's movies have never been the most realistic, this one is just plain silly at points. (I could never understand how the main character's shotgun blasts have more power than most claymore mines) But it is cool to watch the gun duels. On the other hand, the Killer has less violence but wins out on story. You actually care about the two heros and want them to survive. There are some scenes that are quite tense. And while the gunfights are less spectacular, they are more meaningful because you care about the people involved. Another plus for the Killer is the gunfight in the church. While Hard Boiled's duels took place in a sterile hospital with fake flames, this one's setting looks real and has a much grittier feel to it. I return to my title: 4 stars for The Killer, 2 for Hard Boiled.
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