Producer: John Woo

As a standalone film ‘A Better Tomorrow 3’ is a fairly watchable effort thanks to an intriguing premise, but as a prequel to ‘A Better Tomorrow’ it just doesn’t quite cut it.

Not a complete waste of time as it does provide some basic gangster movie stylings but ‘Blood Brothers’ is just that: an exercise in style and a style that has been done much better by other films.

‘Bullet in the Head’ still packs an enormous emotional punch and is very much one of the all time classics of Hong Kong cinema.

Probably best described as a cliché-ridden mess that is condemned by a combination of a poor script, bad casting and laughable action.

A great set up is unfortunately wasted via odd creative choices, too much focus on comedy-romance and a reliance on grating theatrics.

Despite having no conclusion of its own, all of the groundwork of the characterisation and story make the next chapter an exciting prospect.

Part 2 is certainly the superior one, but both deserve individual credit for reviving the dying embers of John Woo’s career.

Fast, fresh, funny and full of character and tension, this is wuxia done well and should be seen by fans of the genre at their earliest convenience.