When I was a young cinephile, I was introduced to directorJohn Woo’s excellentThe Killer, and it gave me what has continued to be a passion for foreign cinema. For those who only hear about international films around Oscar time, ones that can look crushingly dour, let me tell you about the international action scene of 1980s Hong Kong. Dubbed as “Gun fu” cinema, it was full of intense firefights, explosions, and a hefty dose of real Man Pain drama, but in the best of ways. It catapulted Woo into the international spotlight, madeChow Yun-fata major star (also of note, 1980s Chow Yun-fat wascaliente), and seriously influenced later directors likeQuentin Tarantino.
There were several seminal movies to come out of this era, including a particular favorite of mine (also directed by Woo)A Better Tomorrow II. (The firstBetter Tomorrowis fine, but2takes it to an insane level). But the most familiar and lauded of the Gun fu era is Woo’s 1989 filmThe Killer, about an assassin named Ah Jong (Chow Yun-fat) who accidentally blinds a young nightclub singer (Jennie,Sally Yeh) on a job for the Traids, and takes one last job to pay for her eye surgery. I meanthe setup is a classic. But! There’s romance, a double-cross, an act of unexpected mercy, and it all kicks off an investigation by Detective Li (played byDanny Lee) into Ah Jong. Li becomes obsessed with Ah Jong’s unexpected moral compass, and the two men become embroiled in a cat and mouse game that ultimately sees them teaming up. Without spoilers, it all leads to a church full of doves becauseof course it does. It’s amasterpiece.
So, naturally, Woo is looking to remake it. According toTHR, the director will be making the picture for Universal Pictures and eOne, but he wants to do so with a twist. As the report states,Black Panther’sLupita Nyong’ois in negotiations to star in the project, which sounds like it will see the lead roles gender-swapped. One of the key components toThe Killeris the chemistry and uneasy alliance between Ah Jong and Li, so finding the right person for the detective role will be key. But regardless, the idea of Nyong’o leading this remake sounds like an excellent idea. Why remake a classic unless you may bring something substantially different to it? And who better to do so than the original director? As THR writes, “The studio is describing the remake as a “blistering thriller that blends espionage with extraordinary stunts, an assassin is sworn to protect a young woman she accidentally blinded during a mob hit years prior.”
Bring it on. (And go watch or re-watchThe Killerwhile we wait for more!)
