A Better Tomorrow

[MeanjohnRambo]

Does anyone else feel like A Better Tomorrow was a little underwhelming considering the level of praise it gets? I think Bullet in The Head is a much better drama and even what little action there is in BITH is miles better than the shootouts in ABT. Of course I prefer Woo's more action centric movies like Hard Boiled, The Killer, and Hard Target. Still BITH is a powerful drama

[CSchmidlapp]

Wash your mouth out sir
A Better Tomorrow is a classic.

[MeanjohnRambo]

Wash your mouth out sir
A Better Tomorrow is a classic.

I know it's an unpopular opinion. Maybe I need to see it again to appreciate it. I don't think it's bad I just didn't think it was amazing. What's your opinion on A Better Tomorrow 2?

[CSchmidlapp]

A Better Tomorrow is a special film by all accounts and pretty much changed action cinema across the globe.
Its a film I think should be getting way more attention than it does today.

I thought A Better Tomorrow 2 was a mess to be honest, but it does cover up alot of it's short comings with the spectacular ending.

To me it's like Rambo: First Blood Pt 2 compared to First Blood.
It's neither in the same league or type of film in the genre.

[CSchmidlapp]

What do you think of A Better Tomorrow 2 & 3?

[Stamper]

Masterpieces. I love III. Action heroine.

[CSchmidlapp]

I really like 3.
I heard that Bullet in the Head was the original idea for Better Tomorrow 3 before John Woo left.
It does make sense.

[captainsolo]

ABT isn't as impressive on the first viewing especially when seen after The Killer and HB. However its themes are so great that over time it stays with you and becomes a greater presence. Thus I now hold it as third only to THE KILLER and HARD BOILED in the great action films category and Woo's oeuvre. I have the score and play it regularly. I also love BITH which is essentially the ABT3 prequel closer to originally intended before Woo and Hark split. The ABT3 film is quite terrible outside of Chow being great as always.

A true ABT2 Director's Cut would be a godsend since the final film was cut by separate editors following the wishes of Woo and Hark each who had differing ideas. Apparently it was given to this team of cutters who cut the film in literally a couple of days and that was it. Hark wanted a comedy for some insane reason and Woo wanted to match the first film if possible.

[CSchmidlapp]

I didn't know AB2 was cut around like that!
Such a weird relationship Tsui Hark and Woo had.

I stand by 3 though, I'm always pleasantly surprised when re-watching it after being disappointed on 1st viewing

[captainsolo]

Yes, their partnership had its ups and downs but what happened on ABT2 is nuts and is why the film is so horribly scattershot and nonsensical. When I first saw it I was so confused I had to start doing research on what happened. Apparently there's tons of footage we've never seen that Woo shot and Hark insisted be dropped for comedy. And then there's comedy that was thankfully dropped as well.

To be honest I really need a fresh rewatch of the trilogy. I was waiting until I found better sources than the old IVL DVDs with bad subs and screwy color for 3. I have the US anchor Bay DVD for 2 somone kindly upped on I think the old dvd club site but sadly never got the corrected dvd for ABT anywheres. I don't want to buy an expensive ebay copy to find it's got the Forrest Gump music!!!