John Woo's famous uses of slow-mo, chaotic action, and tense stand-offs have become staples of the action movie genre, but the writer and director hasn't been content to rest on his laurels and is still coming out with new projects well worth watching. Recently, the director has begun filming a new action movie called Silent Night, and fans eagerly await to hear more about it.
While Silent Night is a work in progress, there are plenty of other great films that John Woo has directed that are worthy of praise. Voters on Ranker have cast their votes to determine which Woo projects stand as the best pieces of his historied filmography.
Note: Ranker lists are live and continue to accrue votes. Some rankings may have changed after this publishing.
Broken Arrow (1996)
Before Face/Off, John Woo’s film Broken Arrow was the first collaboration between him and John Travolta. Travolta received praise for his villainous performance, and the film received plenty of attention with Travolta and other great actors that had a role in the film.
Despite mixed reviews, Broken Arrow was a commercial success and is considered a fun watch due to the race against time theme and the threat of a nuclear bomb going off, alongside the intense action that comes with it. All things that John Woo fans crave and adore. Though Ranker users don't find it as timeless as some other Woo projects, it still placed in the top 10, perhaps due to being the start of this memorable actor/director combination.
Once A Thief (1991)
In the world of John Woo, it's not all action and explosions. Sometimes his movies have comedy and romance involved. This combination comes in the form of his film, Once a Thief, and the relative lack of action may have endeared it to Ranker voters.
Once a Thief was also released to mixed reviews. However, many fans still enjoyed the slapstick John Woo action-comedy that worked well with the three best friends who steal art and get caught up in a love triangle.
Hard Target (1993)
There are plenty of great films that Amazon Prime has for viewers listed on the site. For those looking for a great 90s movie that Amazon Prime offers, look no further than the 1993 film Hard Target.
Hard Target, of course, has plenty of action scenes, stand-offs, and outrageous moments. It would not be a John Woo film without these common tropes. The plot revolves around organized crime, chasing after evil hunters who pay a large sum of money for the ability to hunt a person. The story and scenes earned plenty of attention from fans who enjoy John Woo and his films, and the over-the-top 90s stylization has helped it remain popular among Ranker voters.
Red Cliff (2008)
Throughout his career, John Woo has worked in both America and China. During his break from Western media, John Woo returned to china and directed the well-received film Red Cliff.
Red Cliff has plenty of action and brings in a bit of history to its storyline. The movie received a lot of praise from both critics and moviegoers, who appreciated its ability to mix exciting action with a story of the final days of the Han Dynasty. Woo isn't known for historical epics, so the uniqueness of this piece may have helped it stand out to voters.
Bullet In The Head (1990)
John Woo is known for being a director, producer, writer, and editor, but some fans may be unaware of his minor acting roles. In his film Bullet in the Head, John Woo took on a character role in the movie.
Bullet in the Head received a lot of praise for its story of three friends that decide to start a life of crime in Saigon, but things progressively fall further and further apart for the trio. John Woo doesn't play one of the main characters, but his appearance as a police officer still makes the movie a must-watch for his fans.
A Better Tomorrow 2 (1987)
As the follow-up to A Better Tomorrow, the movie was filmed in Hong Kong like some previous films that John Woo directed. And like any previous John Woo film, it has all the trademark signs of being a Woo-directed project.
A Better Tomorrow 2 is known for the overtop violence, excessive and exaggerated amounts of blood and gore, and a body count above and beyond even most other shoot-em-ups. It’s considered one of the more brutal movies that Woo has directed, and despite some criticism, the consensus of viewers and some critics were positive. Realistic action can be great, but several Ranker viewers clearly appreciated the over-the-top combat.
Face/Off (1997)
During his time in America, John Woo directed some great films, several of which became cult classics. The film that has gained cult status and is known for one of the best acting roles performed by Nicolas Cage is Face/Off.
Face/Off has over-the-top action and crazy moments that involve both John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. Cage’s facial expressions are a big talking point and have inspired plenty of memes, while Travolta’s acting as the crazed character received plenty of attention. This, plus its massive fan base, has inspired a new director to take on the mantle of making a Face/Off 2.
A Better Tomorrow (1986)
John Woo has made a few sequels in his directing career, many of which proven just as popular with fans as the originals. However, for many fans, the first outing is always better than the sequel.
It's hard for a sequel to beat the prequel, such as the case with A Better Tomorrow and A Better Tomorrow 2. While the second film received plenty of great reviews (and votes on Ranker), fans found much more joy in the first movie, which used a relatively small budget to tell a more restrained but stylistic take on the classic set-up of a related gangster and police officer trying to reconcile.
Hard Boiled (1992)
With few exceptions, Woo likes to stick to the same genres and themes, but that hasn't stopped him from finding new ways to keep things interesting. It's clear that he has invested a lot of time in action films, and each one revels in doing a simple story exceptionally well.
Continuing the trend of John Woo film tropes, Hard Boiled is another excellent example of what attracts the fans. Action, shootouts, and standoffs all fill Hard Boiled, and it's kept it incredibly popular with fans both on and off Ranker. Following Woo's tropes, there is an intelligent character who is known for being a force not to be reckoned with. It meets all the requirements of a great, highly rated John Woo film.
The Killer (1989)
Fans of the director seem to gravitate towards the earlier work of John Woo. Whether it's the quality, character, or actions, fans enjoy it. His film The Killer is one of his movies that has it all.
The Killer is a film that has the signature John Woo touch. The film's over-the-top action scenes and a hard-to-kill villain. Those are complemented by the romance and the drama that takes place in the movie. It's no surprise that this film is at the top of the list.