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A Better Tomorrow

Play trailer Poster for A Better Tomorrow 1986 1h 35m Action Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A Hong Kong policeman (Leslie Cheung) blames his reformed-gangster brother (Chow Yun-Fat) for the death of their father.
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A Better Tomorrow

Critics Reviews

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Jake Cole Slant Magazine Nov 11
An opera of sorts whose elaborate gunfights are its arias. Go to Full Review
Tom Cassidy Common Sense Media Jan 27
4/5
Released in 1986, this first iconic collaboration between writer-director John Woo and actor Chow is a gripping action drama that set the template for an entire genre. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Nov 22
3/4
The movie -- and, subsequently, the entire genre -- would be defined by its melding of melodramatic storylines and riveting action sequences. Go to Full Review
Pat Padua Spectrum Culture Nov 11
Such fevered shootouts have become de rigueur ... and Woo was its prime mover, a mild-mannered personality whose fever dreams ignited a big bang whose reverberations are still viscerally felt in 2025 Go to Full Review
Anushka Halve Film Companion 12/11/2023
John Woo's A Better Tomorrow not only set the gold standard for intense corridor shootouts, but also laid the foundation for a stylistic template that would resonate throughout Woo's illustrious career. Go to Full Review
Jake Euker F5 (Wichita, KS) 08/04/2005
3/5
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Audience Reviews

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Jah B 2h John Woo's A Better Tomorrow is a true classic, one of the greatest action films of all time and it gets better with every rewatch. John Woo's late 80s and early 90s Hong Kong films are required viewing for any action movie fan so if you haven't seen any of them, make sure to start with this classic and keep going! See more Allen 2h Seeing a John Woo movie in the big screen is a fun experience regardless. Seeing a classic like A Better Tomorrow is even better! Not just an action movie. a dramatic story about brothers with amazing action and Woo's classic gun battles. The interview with Woo was a great extra. See more Eric 8h Classic action movie with a good story sont make it like this anymore See more Paul 18h Better than I remember. Looks great. John Woo and Chow Yun Fat!!! See more Pete F 20h Pure storytelling and style. Such an action epic with amazing, passionate performances and stellar to look at. These are really re-releases I can get behind! See more Emmanuel 22h This was a great opportunity to experience in the theater an excellent film originally released when I was only 7 years-old. I’d never seen it on VHS/ DVD, so this was a treat. ‘A Better Tomorrow’ was ahead of its time for the style of storytelling and visual effects it offered. In 2026, it still holds up against more recent film offerings. The accompanying interview with filmmaker John Woo gave much insight into how it all came together. I’m very glad to have been able to see this film in the theater. See more Read all reviews
A Better Tomorrow

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Movie Info

Synopsis A Hong Kong policeman (Leslie Cheung) blames his reformed-gangster brother (Chow Yun-Fat) for the death of their father.
Director
John Woo
Producer
John Woo, Hark Tsui
Screenwriter
Chan Hing-Kai, Leung Suk-Wah, John Woo
Production Co
Cinema City Film Productions, Film Workshop
Genre
Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language
Chinese
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 1, 1986, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Mar 1, 2026
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 9, 2016
Runtime
1h 35m
Sound Mix
Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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