The Killer

Jeffrey moves through the crime world with clinical precision, believing his life as a hit man gives him a code and purpose. When a recent job leaves Jennie, a nightclub chanteuse, blinded, he decides to quit after one final assignment to fund her sight restoration. An unforeseen complication derails his plan and he ends up joining forces with a renegade detective, a choice that forces him to confront loyalty and a thirst for retribution as the city pulse quickens, neon glare cutting through rain on every corner. The chase spills into crowded markets, dim bars, and rooftop pursuits, all set to a pulse of sirens and rain.

Released in 1989, John Woo directs this original screenplay that became a landmark of his kinetic style, blending brutal action with emotional heft. The film pairs Chow Yun Fat as Jeffrey with Sally Yeh as Jennie, signaling Woo's signature crime cinema, where balletic gunplay meets charged moral drama. The film uses tight intercuts and widescreen framing to amplify peril and moral stakes.

The movie earned about 2,350,174 dollars worldwide, a modest tally that reflects its strong cult status and lasting influence on international audiences despite limited theatrical reach. Its later reputation as a defining action drama kept re-releases and critical discussions going well beyond its initial run.

Across decades, The Killer left a mark on action cinema with its stylized gunplay, moral tension, and the frequent use of doves as a visual motif. It helped define the heroic bloodshed tradition and influenced directors around the world, including Western filmmakers who borrowed its balance of brutality and sentiment.

Critics at release praised Woo's directorial control and the duel between duty and desire at the story's core. The film examines loyalty under pressure, the cost of violence, and the fragile line between protectors and predators. It remains a touchstone for character driven action and a benchmark for how style and moral conflict can coexist on screen.