One of Johnnie To's earlier films, this tale is more akin to the hard crime thriller of Martin Scorsese rather than To's recent "tongue-in- cheek" style. What we have here is brutal storytelling of blackmail, espionage, corruption, and violence all facing one struggling Hong Kong detective. Even by today's standards the violence is both shocking and disturbing to see. Some sequences may be over the top, and while out of place they are vastly entertaining. The plot of "a washed-up cop pulled back in for one last job" had been done to death even back in 1988, however Johnnie To added in some twists plus heavy suspense to make the material fresh. In my opinion the faults are the editing and lack of charisma from Waise Lee's character. The protagonist could have been more likable to better engage the audience, and the editing is dated with some awkward cuts and sped up/slowed down moments which don't blend well with the drama. Other than that the material hit home with me, and the all-out conclusion left me in awe. Keep in mind this is filled with winding clues and bloody confrontations, not an easy watch. -7/10

Co-Director Johnnie To who has also created other classic Chinese crime flicks, Fulltime Killer 2001, Drug War 2012, The Mission 1999 and Exiled 2006 and co-director Wah Yeung have created another gem in The Big Heat.Starring Waise Lee who has also been in another classic flick, Bullet in the Head 1990 and another classic Chinese Crime flick, A Better Tomorrow 1986.Also starring Joey Wang.Also starring Philip Kwok who has also been in other classic flicks, Tomorrow Never Dies 1997, Crippled Avengers 1978, Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky 1991, Shaolin Temple 1976, Master of the Flying Guillotine 1976 and another classic Chinese crime flick, Hard-Boiled 1992.Also starring Matthew Wong.I enjoyed the violence and non-stop action.If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic Chinese crime flicks, Above the Law 1986, Beast Cops 1998, A Better Tomorrow II 1987, Crime Story 1993, Ebola Syndrome 1996, Flash Point 2007, Full Contact 1992, Gen-X Cops 1999, Invisible Target 2007, SPL: Kill Zone 2005, The Killer 1989, On the Run 1988, In the Line of Duty 1986, Vengeance 1970, White Tiger 1996, Burning Ambition 1989, Safe 2012, Fatal Move 2008, The Viral Factor 2012, SPL 2: A Time for Consequences 2015, Dog Bite Dog 2006, Big Bullet 1996, Firestorm 2013, The White Storm 2013, Paradox 2017 and Year of the Dragon 1985.

Tsui Hark produces and Johnnie To directs this classic tale of hard-boiled cops and powerful criminals who might be above the law, but aren't above justice (Hong Kong style).Waise Lee plays the detective who wants to crack the proverbial 'one last case' before retirement, with Wong Hin-Mung as the rookie with a weak stomach and admirable support from Phillip Kwok and Lo Ging-Wa as the ice-cool action cops with an unspoken respect and affection under the competitive appearance of their relationship. Paul Chu Kong is truly fearsome as the ruthless villain, and Joey Wang is... cute as a chipmunk (sorry, but she really does look like one - she must never have babies with Donnie Yen!).The film opens with a shocking image of a power drill piercing a hand, in quite convincing detail. It's just a nightmare/metaphor for Waise Lee's nerve condition, but it sets the tone for the film effectively - one of the most violent and cynical films Hong Kong has produced. It's reminiscent in more ways than one of the recent SPL, and the appropriation of the name from Fritz Lang's at-the-time-shocking noir is... appropriate. The film is quite openly influenced by Robocop too, with several moments of violence essentially stolen from Verhoeven's still-shocking work. This is mostly at the start of the film... as it progresses it shifts more towards Hong Kong style gunplay action in the John Woo style, but never gives up on its mission to up the ante for violence. There is some fantastic gunplay in the film, grittier and less stylised than Woo's, but just as 'ballistic'.The film is just as intense in its narrative and atmosphere as in the action, genuinely 'thrilling' and dark as it sucks you into the characters' situation, making you care for the relatively-good guys and despise the undeniably-bad guys. There's very little 'fluff' or wasted screen time (Tsui Hark's tacked on cameo at the end being the major exception!).I first saw the film years ago - one of the first DVDs I imported when I joined the digital world, as it happens. I wasn't all that impressed at the time, though the level of violence/gore definitely stuck in my head. After an overdue rewatch on the new/improved HK DVD, Waise Lee is still a terrible actor, even in this (one of his best efforts), but the film is so intense and uncompromising that he can't destroy it. If Chow Yun-Fat had been free (and affordable) there is no doubt in my mind that this would be held up as one of the all-time classics of HK Cinema's 'Golden Age'. My new evaluation is that it comes pretty darn close anyway.

The Big Heat (1988) was a violent and brutal police drama that is still shocking and disturbing. A police inspector(Waise Lee) is partially crippled in his quick draw hand. He's haunted by the fact that he'll never be able to use it like he did ever again. Meanwhile a brutal crime lord (Chu Kong) is making all kinds of trouble amongst the Hong Kong Police department. Corruption is at an all time high and no one is innocent. Inspector Lee and his partner (Philip Kwok) are assigned a new partner (Matthew Wong) and a foreign fellow officer, the four of them make a very unlikely group of officers. Their job is to take out and apprehend the crime lord (or is it?). The hot Joey Wong is the love interest of the novice officer.If you like no holds barred action films, then look no further. Violent deaths, brutal fist fights and hardcore action is the rule in this movie. I haven't seen anything like this in a long time and neither will you. Maybe some day a true uncut version of this movie will appear. But don't worry about it because I doubt it'll be any more bloodier than it already is.Highly recommended for the sheer carnage alone.