John Woo

Many people have commented on the collective works of John Woo. All comment on his use of gunplay, and on his cinematography. Very few people realize that he is probably one of HK's best comedy directors. All of his films share a slight comedic edge, often hidden in irony or a character trait.

His subtlety as a director is amazing, and I would compare him with Mr. Kurosawa in many aspects. Audiences are inundated with shallow films, conditioned by an industry that churns out overpriced drivel that sometimes produces a gem, mostly by accident. You only have to look at the hype surrounding most films to realize that they are selling the image of the film, as opposed to the film itself.

Certainly Mr. Woo is not immune to such whimsies of the studios. His films are decidedly commercial, at least when compared to the norm. But, like Mr. Spielberg, is he commercial or does he merely make films that people like to see?