Once a Thief (1994)

I wanted to but couldn't!

Don't listen to the negative reviews

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It's a good caper with some nice tension and action. Better acting than you would expect in a movie like this.

*SPOILERS* Once a Thief (1991) is a true disappointment for me. I don't get the hype, this slapstick humor in this film and I don't get what is so good about this film?! I have a lot of problems with this comedy. I have never saw Yun Fat-Chow acting so awful in any movie. This movie is way overrated, the pacing is very slow and boring, the dialogue is dull and the ending is a mess. I mean how can people praise this film? Am I the only one who doesn't like it? Nice cover and nice tagline "They only stop to reload. " What reload? I haven't seen anything been reload in this stinker movie. The plot is confusing to me. 6.8 on IMDb Is way overrated, Hard Target, Broken Arrow and Paycheck get's thumbs down but this one get's thumbs up? low! This film isn't for me, I rather watch Hard Boiled and The Killer. I would rather watch Jackie Chan's Armor of God (1986) is way much better movie than this stupid film. What was John Woo thinking while trying to write a stupid action comedy, with less action, less shot outs and wow Chow Yun-Fat embarrassed him self on here. The music is awful is like more French than Chinese. The ending was awful, why did they have to show those three been parents to three kids was stupid! Chow Yun-Fat turned out a clown Jesus. Like I said I would rather watch Jackie Chan's Armor of God (1986), Police Story 3: Supercop (1992) and Wheels on Meals (1984) which are far way better action comedy's than this stinker is. Well anyway the movie starts slow, I don't get who are those three people except they are professional art thieves: Are they lovers? or they are brothers and sisters because I thought they were all relatives brothers and sisters or they are just childhood friends? Trough half of movie Chow Yun-Fat is suddenly on a wheelchair and doesn't do anything trough whole movie. By the end of the film he jumps off the wheelchairs and starts kicking his father's face: honestly? that wasn't Chow Yun-Fat that was his stunt double, John Woo did not make a slow motion so that everyone wouldn't see Chow Yun-Fat's stunt double. Jesus this movie was horrible. What is Cherie Chung doing in this movie? What is her story? Trough whole movie she doesn't do anything, I honestly haven't saw her as an art thief, but I saw her as a fake lover mistress to those two guys Chow Yun-fat and Leslie Cheung. She had no action scene in this movie nothing, she did nothing. I did like some few things in this movie that were really good, I like the action scenes on the opening scene when Chow Yun-Fat is robbing the truck and Leslie Cheung is under the track that was great scene. Leslie Cheung droves under the truck his motorcycle and he slides him self under truck, that was great scene and really dangerous stunt work. The scenes with flying destroying the car were great and it was really stunts used, the shootouts with Leslie Cheung where really entertaining and I like the explosion. I liked Kong Chu playing those trio adopted policeman father, Kong Chu also played Chow Yun-Fat's friend Fung Sei in The Killer (1989) which the actor right after The Killer when and made this movie with John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat. The last shout outs where also entertaining but that was all. Leslie Cheung saved a young boy a kid from shooting and he saved his life that was way decent from the character to do, I liked that. This movie isn't for me, I rather watch Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Hard Boiled, Paycheck and The Killer those are my favorite John Woo movies. John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat favorite movies are Hard Boiled and The Killer which are far, far way better movies than this one, even acting is way better in The Killer than in here. I am giving this movie a 3 nothing more I don't get the hype for this film. I am very disappointed with the comedy and slapstick humor in here I wasn't excepting this from John Woo. Once a Thief (Chinese: 縱橫四海; pinyin: Zong heng si hai; Literal Title: Criss-Cross Over Four Seas) is a 1991 Hong Kong crime film written and directed by John Woo,3/10 Grade: E- Studio: Golden Princess Film Production Limited, Milestone Pictures Starring: Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Chung, Kenneth Tsang, Kong Chu Director: John Woo Producers: Terence Chang, Linda Kuk Screenplay: John Woo, Janet Chun, Clifton Ko Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 48 Mins.

This is not a deep movie. This not a serious movie. Come expecting some fine fluff, and you will be rewarded with exactly that.I've read HK movies described as schizophrenic [& I DO like them very much, because they are not predictable], but I think multiple personality better describes this one. At first one, it looks like a breezy art-theft caper movie out of the 1960s...but not for long.Too many bodies--faceless and without personality, to be sure, collect for the breezy label to fit...but then...then there is the dancing scene. You ain't been nowhere and you ain't seen nothing until you have seen Chow Yun-fat dancing in a wheelchair. The whole movie may be worth this scene alone.

ONCE A THIEF (Zong Heng Si Hai)Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound format: MonoThree professional thieves (Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung and Cherie Chung) steal a valuable painting coveted by their villainous mentor (Kenneth Tsang), leading to violent retribution.John Woo redeemed the commercial failure of his masterpiece BULLET IN THE HEAD (1990) with this breezy comedy-caper, designed to restore his directorial fortunes at home and abroad. Originally conceived as a dark-hearted tragedy, Woo and co-screenwriter Clifton Ko (FOREVER YOURS) re-tooled the project for a Chinese New Year release, allowing the director to indulge his fondness for French New Wave cinema by setting much of the narrative within continental Europe, toplined by some of HK's biggest - and most iconic - movie stars. Chow overplays his role as an experienced jewel thief who alienates his loved ones by refusing to take life seriously, while Cheung and Chung are sympathetic and beautiful as his trusted sidekicks (the scene in which they dance the tango at a swank party is one of the highlights of their respective careers). Typically of Woo, the action scenes are fluid, dynamic and endlessly inventive, photographed with glossy precision by world-class cinematographer Poon Hang-sang (SHANGHAI GRAND). Planned and executed within a three month period (!), the movie overcomes its rough edges and jarring comic interludes (get a load of that final scene!) to emerge as an irresistible blend of big stars, fancy glamour and creative set-pieces. Woo returned to the story in 1996 for a Canadian TV movie (using the same title) which was dismissed by fans and general audiences alike, and quickly disappeared. Stick with the original.(Cantonese dialogue)