A Hero Never Dies (DBHK)

Jack and Martin serve as hitmen for different gangland leaders, but their loyalty and competence only breed suspicion. In the end, both Jack and Martin are left for dead in a foreign land by their respective masters. However, what is more enduring and moving is the bond that develops between Jack and Martin through their repeated confrontations. Their mutual respect would become legend in the criminal underworld.

Bordwell was marvelled by director Johnnie To’s ability to craft complex and dazzling action sequences under limited resources. He wrote repeatedly about Jack and Martin’s coin-pitching scene, describing it as “kung-fu with wineglasses.” The visuals masterfully convey both the concrete and the abstract, as well as the revealed and the concealed, showcasing extraordinary cinematic intelligence. The film’s kinetic flow, precise editing and dynamic rhythm exemplify the unique cinematic aesthetic of “less is more.”

4/1: Post-screening talk in Cantonese with David Chan