A BETTER TOMORROW 2010 Blu-ray Review

Among fans of Hong Kong films, "A Better Tomorrow Remake" are fightin' words. This is one of John Woo's classics, a classic of the heroic bloodshed genre, one of Chow Yun Fat's finest films, and one of the defining classics of '80s Hong Kong action cinema. In 2010, director Song Hae-seong (Failan, Rikidozan) took on the challenge of retooling ABT and transposing the action to Korea. The film is actually not bad, given the handicap of being perpetually compared to the original.  A Better Tomorrow 2010 manages to stand on its own two feet. Well Go USA have given A Better Tomorrow 2010 a solid A/V presentation on their Blu-ray disc with minimal bonus material, however, the film looks and sounds fantastic.

A new take on the Hong Kong action classic that launched Chow Yun Fat to international stardom, director Song Hae-seong's remake of A Better Tomorrow features an all-star class including Seung-heon Song, Kang-woo Kim, and Jin-mo Ju. In the treacherous world of the black-market weapons trade, honor and vengeance go hand in hand. Adapted from writer/director John Woo's original screenplay.

Many of you will have seen/memorized John Woo's original A Better Tomorrow.  This is the film that shoved Chow Yun Fat into the HK limelight and was Woo's calling card to the international action community. Taking on seemingly sacred material like this is the kind of thing most film fans dread.  I can only imagine that there are as many of you out there who'll refuse to see this film on principal as there were who refused to see the A Nightmare on Elm Street remake. Let me first say that this new film in no way outshines the original, but it is a lively and technically outstanding take on familiar material.

We all know that South Koreans know how to shoot beautiful action, and A Better Tomorrow is no different.  Unfortunately, the action overpowers characterization for most of the film.  That wouldn't be a problem if there were more action, but the majority of the film's 2+ hours is spent on exposition and character development. It really isn't until the final third of the film that these characters really begin to latch onto the viewer and create a bond. 

Much of the plot is pretty much copied over with new names and places attached.  Brothers Ho and Kit are now North Korean defectors. One a cop, the other a crook. Rather than a "business" trip to Taiwan, the gangsters are sent on an errand to Thailand, both end in similar clusterfucks. The problem is that, as with many Korean films, the plot gets bogged down in unnecessary exposition, leading to a typically bloated runtime.  What Woo's film managed to do in 95 minutes, Song's film fails to accomplish in 125. That is to create sympathetic characters, fantastic action, and keep the pace brisk. Much of the first half of the film could be whittled down and we'd be left with a much better paced film, that being said, the real gem of this film is, in my opinion, worth waiting for.

The final third of A Better Tomorrow 2010 builds to a climax worthy of its predecessor. The final gunfight in the original film is one of the most iconic sequences in HK film and is certainly the most memorable sequence of that version.  Song manages to get this sequence right in a spectacular way, with action, cinematography, and choreography possibly even surpassing Woo's version. I know that may sound like sacrilege, but I tried to go into this film with an open mind, and I was blown away.

I tried not to judge A Better Tomorrow 2010 before watching it.  I think I mostly succeeded and what I came away with was an experience that, while not completely riveting, was engaging nonetheless. The film is beautiful to look at, and when it hits its mark, it is as solid an action thriller as anything out there.  The run time and extra padding was its main downfall, if there's one thing Korea hasn't really managed to do thus far it is to breed a class of top notch editors who can stand up to directors and get films paced better. However, I can't blame that on this film, it's a recurring problem.  A Better Tomorrow 2010 is a great looking film that takes a while to find its heart, but when it does, you'll be right there with them.

The Disc:

As I've become accustomed to, Well Go USA have given us an excellent quality release of A Better Tomorrow 2010. The A/V is perfect.  The image is bright and contrasty, the detail is easy to spot and exceptionally sharp, and the dark sequences (of which there are many) showcase a natural and pleasing level of film grain.  The audio is just as good, with a DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track that will have you ducking the bullets whizzing past you at various points during the film.

The extras on this film are relatively light.  There are several interviews, including about 3 minutes of stuff with John Woo, a brief making of, and some trailers.  The entirety of the bonus material can be viewed in about 15 minutes. Nothing too in depth, but they can't all be. Overall, this is a more than solid presentation of a solid film that doesn't quite reach the heights of its antecedent, but it tries and manages to do pretty well on its own.