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"Once a Thief" is okay, but does not have the elaborately choreographed action sequences of "The Killer" or "Hard Boiled." It is lighter fare. The love triangle is weird and could be a cultural thing. Although I did not hate this movie, it did not have enough of the Woo imprint for my taste.
"A Bullet in the Head" is a Vietnam-era story, but not about combat. It is quite intense and occasionally disturbing, but it runs afoul of the same type of problem as "Once a Thief" where I am concerned.
Let me present this caveat to my opinion: I watch a Woo movie for butt-kicking action, coats flowing in slow motion, stylish fight sequences and cool, cool heroes. Van Damme lacked the screen presence to carry it off in "Hard Target." I did not care all that much for Slater in "Broken Arrow," but Travolta was a great villain and took up the slack. "Face/Off" and "MI:2" were vintage Woo, with seriously upgraded production values. "The Killer" and "Hard Boiled" lack the production values, but lose none of the energy and they have ultra-cool Chow Yun Fat in the lead.
BTW, Woo fans should check out "The Replacement Killers." It is directed by a Woo protégé [Antoine Fuqua], but it has all the Woo trademarks and Mr. Cool in the lead role. Throw in Mira Sorvino in a nifty role and you have a great action flick, worthy of the Woo-man himself.
xoxo~
gaz
enjoys mindless fluff now and again.<BR>
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