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In Reply to: No, they don't posted by Victor Khomenko on November 06, 2000 at 12:05:28:
Any action movie requires a certain level of suspension - of - disbelief. That's true with Woo's films and with "Ronin". I haven't seen "Ronin" since its theatrical relase but my memory is that the plot had holes in it that you could drive a truck through. I think you've looked at these movies on the most superficial level - "that gun can't shoot that many rounds" - and failed to see the breathtaking filmmaking in them. In "Hardboiled" there's a long sequence where the two leads get on an elevator, have a conversation while loading their guns, get off at the next floor, then fight their way down a couple of halls and around a corner or two. Why is that so remarkable? Because its one continous take perhaps 90 seconds long. The scene includes a couple of dozen stunts and maybe a hundred pyro effects, all of it happening in real time. Its a stunningly audacious demonstration of Woo's skill. I can think of few scenes in film history to compare it to, maybe some of Keaton's stunts.
Follow Ups:
Well, Rob, on one hand I am willing to say that this is all just a matter of a degree, but on the other hand there is still too much of a Marxsist left in me to know that at certain point quantity does transform into a different quality. To put it simply, it is not that the Hardboiled is simply a bit more removed from reality than Ronin - id DOES have a completely different substance.An action movie doesn't have to look like a comic book silliness to be interesting and riveting. One can put emphasis on stunts, or one can concentrate on the more subtle means and elements. These subtle elements can be captivating without looking childish. Like many other things in life, the perfection is in the balance, and when subjected to this test, the Hardboiled fails. In my view, of course. It makes me feel like coming to the fine Japanese restaurant and eating nothing but the soy souse. That is not my idea of fine dining.
Like with the soy souse, there is nothing wrong with kicks, punches, shots, chases. It is just that I expect more for my money. I also expect sushi.
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