A Better Tomorrow - Man, Chow Yun-Fat is the REAL DEAL!

Okay, so I just watched "A Better Tomorrow" (finally, I know, I'm late to the party!) and holy crap, Chow Yun-Fat just oozes cool. I mean, the trench coat, the shades, toothpick permanently glued to his lip... it's legendary. But beyond just looking the part, the action is so freakin' good. I'm talking real squibs, proper gun fu, not this CGI garbage we get these days. Seriously, the restaurant shootout scene is iconic for a reason. It's all so gritty and impactful. You actually feel the weight of those guns. What got me though, was the emotion underneath all the bullets and explosions. The whole thing with his brother, the cop... it actually wrecked me a bit. You kinda understand Sung Tse-Ho's (Chow Yun-Fat) struggle to get out of the life, but he's so loyal to his bro. And Mark Gor is just a total ride or die dude. That final showdown at the docks, while maybe a bit over-the-top, was seriously gripping. I was genuinely invested in these characters, which is rare for an action flick, imo. I gotta say, the director (whoever he was) knew how to stage action. The camera work during the shootouts, the use of slow-motion... it's all so stylish without feeling pretentious. It gives the action a kinetic energy that's hard to replicate. I need to dig into more of this director's (John Woo!) work for sure. Definitely a reminder that practical effects and great character work trump shiny CGI any day of the week. Anyone else get seriously choked up during the ending? Maybe im just a sap. Regardless, "A Better Tomorrow" definitely lived up to the hype. Def one that earned its place in action movie heaven!