Johnnie To's first directorial work for Milkyway Images was not a financial success, as was the case with many of the first productions of the then newly instituted company. However, as years passed, the artistic value of “A Hero Never Dies” was eventually recognized and it is now considered a HK action classic.
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The story revolves around two hardcore rivals, Jack and Martin, who are the top henchmen of two opposing triads in the middle of a gang war. As is usual the case with such intense rivalries, the two opponents are quite similar. They are both good looking, brave and bold to a fault, relentless, bad-mouthed, frequent the same bar, love good wine, have gorgeous girlfriends who have accepted being with gangsters, are excellent shooters, and they enjoy shooting the legs of a man who is supposed to be an even bigger boss than their own. Inevitably, their clashes are gruesome, either involving ambushes, car crashes or shootouts, all of which are presented in a marvelous as much as cult sequence that takes place mostly inside their favorite bar. As their fight becomes even more intense and a number of their comrades end up being killed, the despicability of their bosses also is revealed as another of the things they have in common. Eventually, both their lives end up in shambles as they avoid death by sheer luck and their girlfriend's efforts, but the thirst for revenge remains.
Johnnie To directs a very stylish noir, filled with action, playfulness, drama and nostalgia in equal measures. The pace, courtesy of Chan Chi-wai's editing is relentless and carries for almost the whole film, even the rather dramatic parts. To's knack in directing visually captivating action scenes is highlighted as much as possible here, with the scenes in the bar (which is also the main source of playfulness in the film), the shootout between the two gangs, the one in the hospital and most of all, the finale, being magnificent. In that regard, one can only marvel at Siu Keung Cheng's cinematography, as he realizes To's imagination in the most artful and impressive fashion.
Apart from the action, however, the drama that permeates the film adds to its context, with To presenting the underworld as a setting filled with heroics, but also treacherous and despicable people, who deem the heroes and their loyalty, damned. Leon Lai as Jack and Ching Wan Lau embody all these elements, from the cocky coolness to the desperate resolve excellently, with their symmetrical chemistry being one of the best traits of the film.
The combination of the story, cinematography, and music by Raymond Wong (particularly the main theme) are the elements that give the film its sense of nostalgia, which takes over the middle part of the narrative, along with the drama.
The way Johnnie To manages to combine all the aforementioned elements deem “A Hero Never Dies” a movie that has it all and which is a true masterpiece of action cinema.
