Arrow Video UK 4K UHD Blu-ray Synopsis: Director John Woo and producer Tsui Hark changed the Hong Kong film industry forever when they unleashed A Better Tomorrow; a thrilling noir update served with lashings of kinetic action that blew audiences' minds at home and abroad. Iconic Shaw Brothers actor Ti Lung stars as Ho, a money launderer for the triads who struggles to keep his criminal activities a secret from his younger brother, police cadet Kit (Leslie Cheung; A Chinese Ghost Story). When Kit finds out after Ho and his loyal friend Mark (Chow Yun Fat in his breakthrough role) are double-crossed and arrested, he casts him out of his life. Ho vows to go straight, desperate to regain his brother's love and trust. But when their ruthless former gang put a target on Kit's back, Ho and Mark must work together to turn the tables on them and finally take them down. At once a landmark film of 1980s Hong Kong cinema and the harbinger of John Woo's future star-studded career, A Better Tomorrow's electrifying action sequences, razor-sharp script and complex interpersonal drama have cemented it as a timeless classic for genre film fans and beyond. (95 Mins)

 

Imprint Asia Australian 4K UHD Blu-ray Synopsis: Jam-packed with explosive, truly over-the-top sequences of balletic violence and courageous bloodshed, the 'A Better Tomorrow' trilogy has been restored from its original camera negatives in Dolby Vision UHD, accompanied by hours of special features, plus an 80-page hardback booklet, all housed in a limited edition hardbox.

 

Shout Factory US 4K UHD Blu-ray Synopsis: John Woo's groundbreaking A Better Tomorrow explores the razor's edge that separates the opposite sides of the law with undeniable style and intensity. A Triad member attempts to reform and make amends with his brother, a policeman. The gangster's journey into the light, however, is hampered by his seemingly unbreakable ties to the gang he has left behind. Ti Lung (Drunken Master II), Leslie Cheung (The Bride With White Hair), and the immortal Chow Yun Fat star. (95 Mins)

 

Nova Media Korean Blu-ray Synopsis: N/A

 

Optimum Asia UK DVD Synopsis: The film which brought Hong Kong and international audiences to the stellar talent of John Woo (Hard-Boiled, Face/Off) and Chow Yun Fat (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), A Better Tomorrow is an undeniable Hong Kong action classic spawning innumerable imitations in it's wake. Chow is the slick killer Mark who, along with his best friend Ho (Ti Lung), are living the high-life after a very successful counterfeiting scheme. But troubles begin when Ho's younger brother Kit (Leslie Cheung – Happy Together), a police officer in training, discovers what his brother does for a living, leading the three to a blazing finale which pushes their loyalties to the limit. Joining the talents of Chow and Woo, A Better Tomorrow marks the first outing of a very successful pairing, which went on to reinvent Hong Kong film. (90 Mins)

 

Deltamac HK DVD Synopsis: The passage of a heroic character in the underworld seeking vengeance against conspirator and the love of his younger brother. The brothers are in conflicting roles, the outlaw and cop. Sung Tse Kit (Leslie Cheung), a dedicated police man blamed Tse Ho (Ti Lung) for fathers death as much as obstructing his career in the police force. Flamboyant Tse Ho and Mark (Chow Yun Fat) are betrayed by their jealous subordinate Tam Shing (Lee Tse Hung) into he counterfeit syndicate. Gun wounded Tse Ho gives himself up in order to let Tam Shing escape. After serving his jail term, repentant Tse Ho returns to Hong Kong to lead a new life and finds out Mark was crippled in the massacre for his vengeance. But crooked Tam Shing as a rising lieu tenant in the syndicate would not take the chances. He wastes no time to plot against Tse Ho and Mark...

 

Worldwide Cinema Dutch DVD Synopsis: From director John Woo comes the first-ever heroic bloodshed film. Two friends, Ho and Mark, quickly rise through the ranks in the Chinese underworld with their counterfeiting practices. But their success arouses jealousy among other gang members, and it's not long before Mark and Ho become victims of a bloody power struggle. Mark is seriously injured, and Ho ends up in prison. Three years pass, but when Ho is finally released from prison, he has only one goal: revenge... (91 Mins)

 

MIA UK VHS Synopsis: Supercool mobster Mark (Chow Yun Fat) is a man of honour in a world of crime. His partner Ho (Ti Lung) is having second thoughts because kid brother Kit (Leslie Cheung) is an ambitious cop. Kit remains blissfully ignorant until Ho is double-crossed, their father is murdered and Ho is imprisoned. Mark swears to avenge his friend, but his right leg is shattered in the ensuing shoot-out, a legendary scene of sensationally choreographed gunplay. When Ho leaves the slammer he finds the crippled Mark reduced to scrubbing dirt off the gang boss' stretch limo. Both are determined to go straight, but neither Kit nor the crimelords are done with them yet. Finally, Mark Ho and Kit must face their destiny in a blazing crossfire of conflicting loyalties and hot lead. Who will survive? John Woo creates a finely tuned balance of strong characterisation and ballistic action, while Chow is flawless in the role which launched him into superstardom. (95 Mins)

 

Views: Respected Triad member Sung Tse Ho and his best friend Mark, handle a money counterfeiting business for their big boss, Mr Yiu, but there underworld activities are kept secret from Ho's younger brother Kit, who is training as a police cadet. Ho accepts their father's dying wish for him to retire as a gangster, to which he agrees to, but only after one more job. Taking a shifty and ambitious young Triad called Shing with him, Sung Tse Ho travels to Thailand where he is then double-crossed and attacked by a rival gang, leaving him shot and arrested after helping Shing escape. Soon after, back in Hong Kong, Tse Ho's father is attacked and murdered, enraging Kit who then learns of his brothers' wrong-doings. Meanwhile, Mark takes his revenge on the Traid gang that turned on Ho, killing off all their members but taking a bullet in the leg during the blistering shoot-out. After a few years have passed, Ho gets released and returns to Hong Kong where he finds his brother holding a grudge and his near-crippled best friend washing cars under a new Triad boss – Shing; his shifty subordinate who has quickly worked his way up the ranks. Determined to leave his past behind him and makes amends with his cop brother, Sung Tse Ho starts working legitimately and tries to make a clean slate. But Shing is having none of it! Playing a twisted game to draw Ho back into the underworld, using his best friend and brother as pawns, the three of them must pull together one last time to put a stop to Shing and destroy his crime syndicate no matter what it takes!

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In one of the ultimate modern tales of brotherhood, A Better Tomorrow helped make household names of it's stars and director, fast becoming a firm favourite to fans of action cinema and film around the world. Although Woo had already gained notoriety and success with his films such as Hand Of Death (1975), Last Hurrah For Chivalry (1979) and Heroes Shed No Tears (1984) to name but a few, the world sat up and took notice of him as a director when A Better Tomorrow proved to be a huge hit. With this classic story of cops and robbers, the team-up of of director Woo and producer Tsui Hark have delivered one of Hong Kong cinemas finest films that keeps it's audience gripped from start to finish with some fantastic cinematography, an emotionally charged and amazing soundtrack, brilliant cast, stunning gun-play action and, of course, incredible performances from it's main stars. Supposedly taking it's inspiration from Patick Lung's film, The Story of a Discharged Prisoner (1967), which had sat with both Woo and Hark for many years, A Better Tomorrow became a vast change of direction for Woo after years of comedies and failures leading up to this had took it's toll on him. Taking notes from his many years of working on films of wuxia gallantry, Woo brought the film to life flipping swordsmen to gangsters and cops, traditional China to modern day Hong Kong, and swapping swords for guns. But it worked...

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Truth be told, by the time I had gotten around to actually seeing A Better Tomorrow, I had already fallen in love with Chow Yun Fat after watching the incredible Hard Boiled (1992), Full Contact (1992) and The Killer (1989) back in the early 90's – so I was just a little late to the game in seeing the film that really helped launch him as the action-star we all know him for today. Chow's emotional and defining performance as 'Mark' gave cinema one of its most memorable characters, which paved the way for a collection of tributes and spoofs from other HK film-makers that still continue to this day. The awesome Ti Lung, who I find doesn't usually receive the same amount of credit for his role, plays his part flawlessly delivering some fantastic action and lump-in-the-throat moments as he carries genuine love and emotion between his best friend and younger brother, Kit, who was played by the late Leslie Cheung. At first, I wasn't too keen on this beautiful actor/singer as the hot-headed cop brother, but as I got older and warmed to him in other movies over the years (not to mention repeated viewings of A Better Tomorrow), you soon see that Woo and Hark had made the right choice in putting these three together on-screen. Waise Lee, who was actually making his film debut here, plays the role of the menacing Shing pretty damn well. While he's never been one of my favourite actors on the scene, it's only fair to say that Lee definitely does the job as a character you just love to hate. The lovely Emily Chu, who had just starred with Chow Yun Fat in Witch From Nepal that same year, stars as Kit's troubled and breezy girlfriend. Of course, she would return with the guys in Woo's ballistic sequel as well as star with Chow Yun Fat in Scared Stiff and Flaming Brothers, and Leslie Cheung in Rouge – all of which were made the following year. The additional casting of Kenneth Tsang just helps strengthen things even more, and fans should keep an eye out for a hilarious cameo by producer Tsui Hark as one of the examiners at the music recital, and catch the wooden acting of director John Woo who pops up throughout as an officer of the force.

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The gritty action and gun-play is choreographed by Stephen Tung Wei and Blacky Ko who do a great job in providing some intense moments of action, as well as some explosive scenes and stylised shoot-outs. Along with John Woo's infamous slow-motion and violent kills, it definitely makes for a number of memorable moments and helped launch the 'Heroic Bloodshed' genre into the limelight; inspiring more than a few cinematic moments in many action films that soon followed. I must point out that, a film as emotional about brotherhood and friendship as this was, made some impact on me when I watched it in my later teenage years. The scenes between Chow Yun Fat and Ti Lung alone were so dramatically intense, they would leave a lump in my throat more than once – and still do today after all these years. A Better Tomorrow is an absolute gem of a film that will always be remembered and loved by many fans of Asian (and non-Asian) cinema. From the first time I watched it right up until the last, the film stands proud as a classic piece of entertainment. Action packed, emotional, gritty and beautifully directed – there's no ignoring why this is recognized as the one that put Chow Yun Fat on the action-movie map. And it's easy to see why! I couldn't recommend it enough. This is without a doubt, one of John Woo's finest moments and one of my all time favourite movies!

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Recently restored in glorious 4K UHD and released as a seven-disc trilogy box-set by Shout Factory (in the UK by Arrow and Australia by Imprint), A Better Tomorrow has never looked better with it's stunning cinematography and powerful score now exploding off the screen like never before. Accompanying this new release is a fantastic and insightful audio commentary by James Mudge that really dives deep into the film itself and everyone behind it. A new fantastic 34 minute interview with John Woo reveals some great insights to the production while producer Terence Chang, screenwriters Gordon Chan and Chan Hing Ka deliver their own views on the classic. The Raid (2011) director , Gareth Evans, gives his own interview on his introduction to John Woo, Hard Boiled, A Better Tomorrow and more, showing what a true fan-boy of the films he really is. An episode of Hong Kong Confidential sees author Grady Hendrix break down the film, delivering a great piece on John Woo, A Better Tomorrow and it's stars – in his own fun and expressive way, of course. A full HD Hong Kong trailer and unrestored Japanese version follow before, finally, we are treated to around 4 minutes of cool poster art, lobby cards, stills and more in the image gallery which helps make this one of the finest releases ever of this Hong Kong classic...

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Overall: One of my all time favourites and a film that inspired a generation, A Better Tomorrow is one film that deserves to be seen and a genuine classic of Hong Kong cinema!

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Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng & F.J. DeSanto, Audio Commentary with James Mudge, Interviews with John Woo, Terence Chang, Chan Hing Ka, Gordon Chan, and Gareth Evans, Hong Kong Confidential with Grady Hendrix, Archival Interviews with John Woo, Kenneth Tsang, Waise Lee and Ti Lung, Archival UK Featurette, 2025 Introduction by John Woo, Alternate English Credits, Trailers and Image Gallery

 

Imprint Asia 4K UHD Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Audio Commentary with James Mudge, Isolated Track Interviews with John Woo, Terence Chang, Chan Hing Ka, Gordon Chan, and Gareth Evans, Hong Kong Confidential with Grady Hendrix, Code of Bullets Archival Featurette, Trailers and Image Gallery

 

Shout Factory 4K UHD Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Audio Commentary with James Mudge, Interviews with John Woo, Terence Chang, Chan Hing Ka, Gordon Chan, and Gareth Evans, Hong Kong Confidential with Grady Hendrix, Trailers and Image Gallery

 

Nova Media Blu-ray Extras: Trailer, Code of Bullets Archival Featurette, Gallery

 

Optimum Asia DVD Extras: Audio Commentary with Bey Logan, Interview with John Woo

 

Deltamac DVD Extras: Trailer

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Watch my unboxing video for the Shout Factory release HERE

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Watch my unboxing video for the Imprint Asia release HERE

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Watch my unboxing video for the Arrow Video release HERE