Rubbish


Over-rated and crappy. I have seen films like this done better by John Woo and Tsui Hark. I was dissapointed as this was Chow Yun Fat, Simon Yam and the incredible Anthony Wong, when you hear the cast list you think to yourself, wow what an amazing cast...Then it ends up being an average crime movie with too much dancing and sex. I was looking for an ACTION movie not an Erotic piece of turd. I am not even going to bother watching any other of "Ringo Lam's excellent movies". This was the first I had seen by him and thought it was far too boring and slow-paced. Sure Anthony Wong puts in yet another fine performance but that can't save this movie. Besides it was more of a porn movie than anything, Chow was just standing about, not acting, just using his "coolness". If thats what makes for a good performance then that is a load of *beep*. I give it 3/10. Yet another over-rated Asian Action movie (The Killer-still better than this though, Score, Returner, Versus) Go watch Hard Boiled, A Better Tomorrow Trilogy, Bullet In The Head, in other words John Woo NOT Ringo Lam.

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You are wrong Chris. Full Contact is a cool film about betrayel, revenge and redemption. These three elements combined with stylish action scenes, give Full Contact it's own unique identity. 8/10.

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I can understand the original posters reaction in a way, although to delibrately not watch any more Ringo Lam films is rather idiotic if you ask me!
Ringo Lam is sometimes classed as an action director duly because he his from Hong Kong, but his films are actually thrillers rather than action movies, he can do action sequences in them but he places a lot more on his characters and on the plot rather than on set-pieces. 'Full Contact' is prossibly the closest to a straight action movie that he has done but his own style of film making makes it more very different from the works of John Woo etc. It is more style over substance then most of his other work (especialy the more realistic City on Fire)but the characters despite the're OTT dress sense are still very well written. This is why his Hollywood career never took off after the Jean-Claude van Damme movie 'Maximum Risk' which he directed as it was obvious that producers wanted a action movie and the director was making a thriller. Needless to say he ended up back in Hong Kong again making films like the brilliant 'Full Alert' which is worth checking out if you can find it.

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I wasn't expecting much from this, but it actually turned out to be an excellent movie.

Good plot. I mean, usually movies about revenge feature the wronged guy killing all the ones that betrayed him. Not in this.

The characters are pretty unique, too. The Judge in particular. But also Sam, who had quite a transformation via his betrayal.


Also to my ear, the soundtrack included Eon's "The Spice Must Flow" (minus the sample of the same name), which is a good thing.

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I loved all the scenes where Chow uses the balisong (a.k.a. butterfly knife). This was the first film that I got to see the balisong in operation when I bought the DVD of Full Contact in 2004 (the previous UK video versions -- and quite a few other territories around the world -- had balisong sequences cut as the weapon was somewhat frowned upon). I was just mesmerised at the way he twirled it and some of the uses of it (using one of the handles to trap the wrist and force the blade against it to inflict a nasty cut; the classic Shaw Brothers-inspired shot where he holds the weapon in the rain and the rain falls on the blade in a cool manner, gently ringing as it does so; and its use in the climactic battle).

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Well, as Alfred Hitchcock would say 'It's only a movie'.

That's the point; movies don't necessarily have to adhere to the same kinds of restrictions that occur in real life; it's all supposed to be a bit of escapism (which is what Hong Kong cinemagoers wanted -- anything too realistic was not really their idea of getting away from everyday life for a couple of hours or so). If they adhered too much, they would arguably be pretty boring by comparison.

In some cases, realism can be messy. A prime example is demonstrated excellently by Chow in this film. One thing that's a natural reaction to people who aren't really used to firing guns (such as actors) which is very noticeable is that they tend to blink every time they fire them. While this is a natural reaction, it's very off-putting and doesn't look particularly cool when someone's firing a gun and they're blinking like mad (probably why the performers in The Matrix and Terminator were wearing sunglasses a lot!). Chow demonstrates very well in this movie alone that he was very good at firing a gun without blinking (e.g. the scene in Full Contact where he shoots at the coconuts while training his left hand to shoot accurately, where you see a close-up of his face where he effortlessly looses ammunition in quick succession without blinking -- it looks so much better.

And of course there are other bits of cinematic licence used in films that aren't really true to real life (e.g. breaking really solid ice easily -- if it's got that really thick white core you'd be lucky if you could even crack it, as demonstrated by the squibs going off and barely leaving a divot in the ice blocks in this film; shooting a gun while on horseback; sound effects in space; people seeing long distances underwater without wearing a mask -- in reality you'd be lucky to see 10cm in front of you! And of course, during the finale in this film, I'd love to know the Olympic marksman who taught Simon Yam's character how to shoot the gun out of Chow Yun-Fat's hand from that distance -- or even how Chow was accurate enough to be able to throw his balisong at just the right angle to pierce Simon's gun-wielding hand just after the 'You think your knife will be faster than my gun?' bit)

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The movie was ok. However, Hard Boiled and Killer are much better imo. 7/10

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Fair enough if you didn't enjoy it, however personally I love it; brilliant action, Simon Yam's outstanding gayness, Chow riding a motorcycle whilst shooting people, inventive 'bullet-cam' and, if you have the HKL DVD, a random commentary with Gary Daniels, Bad Dude.

Although the ending was silly, even if it is probably just Chow dreaming before he dies; he should have just died in the rain.

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Well then Chris that's a pity because Ringo Lam has directed some of the most gritty crime movies ever to come out of Hong Kong. Full Contact was his first attempt at doing an over the top and violent action movie and that's part of the reason it bombed on it's original release. the local audiences wheren't used to seeing such a wild movie from Lam and of course seeing Chow playing such a blood thirsty character. You wanna dismiss his movies, go ahead but you're missing out.

"Got no plan for my life span"

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I agree, this was trash. It was painful to watch two fine actors like Chow and Anthony Wong in such a terrible movie. I think the only scene worth anything was when Chow's character and Mona talk outside while Sam is recuperating from having the bullet taken out from his leg.

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I've watched the first two thirds of this and I have to agree so far with the first poster's sentiments... although I feel he was a bit harsh...

Plot doesn't make sense. Acting is variable. Direction is tired.

I wasn't impressed, but it only cost me £7 in HMV so there we go...

Chow Yun Fat is still a legend though.


"I know it and you know it. Yellow Dog doesn't even know what town he's in."

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This movie was okay in my opinion because this was my first hong kong chow yun fat movie. I am awaiting the new release of the killer on jan 8th, and hopefully i'll be getting hard boiled for my birthday.

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Rubbish?

Now come on. This was a damn fine film. Sure it was over the top, but it was supposed to be, just like The Killer and Hard Boiled (And just for information I'd place this just beneath The Killer but way above Hard Boiled).

The stylistic shots have been copied many times since. Who up until this time had followed a bullet?

Sure, Yun Fat played on his coolness, but then that IS Yun Fat! The butterfly knife twirling was inspired. The 'Rocky inspired' recovery was cheesy, but not too much.

We in the Scala (RIP) thought it was top notch. My ears are still ringing from the cheers and whistles when we saw that hand grab for the case.

Rubbish? Hardly.

Cinematic genius? Doubt it.

One of the best action flicks of the last 20 years? Definately.

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rubbish?? far from it mate...

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As an action film and compared to John Woos action films yeah it isnt that hot. Chow Yun Fat was good in it but yeah the plot was lame. I thought City On Fire was FAR FAR better



Randall Flagg is watching you

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