Nook NotesPick a film
John Woo

Director

John Woo

Born September 22, 1946 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China45 films

John Woo Yu-Sen SBS (born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard Boiled and Red Cliff. His Hollywood films include Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Face/Off and Mission: Impossible 2. He also created the comic series Seven Brothers, published by Virgin Comics. Woo was described by Dave Kehr in The Observer in 2002 as "arguably the most influential director making movies today". Woo cites his three favorite films as David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, and Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï.

Start here

The best way into John Woo's work
Face/Off posterFirst watchFace/Off19977.1In order to foil a terrorist plot, an FBI agent undergoes facial transplant surgery and assumes the identity of a criminal mastermind.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Mission: Impossible II poster6.1Mission: Impossible II2000The Killer poster7.6The Killer1989Hard Boiled poster7.5Hard Boiled1992Red Cliff poster7.1Red Cliff2008A Better Tomorrow poster7.4A Better Tomorrow1986Paycheck poster6.2Paycheck2003Hard Target poster6.5Hard Target1993Windtalkers poster6.4Windtalkers2002

Filmography

45 films as director
  1. TBAX-CruciorDirector
  2. TBAGambinoDirector
  3. 2024The KillerDirector
  4. 2023Silent NightDirector
  5. 2017ManhuntDirector
  6. 2015The Crossing IIDirector
  7. 2014The Crossing IDirector
  8. 2010Reign of AssassinsDirector
  9. 2009Red Cliff IIDirector
  10. 2008Red CliffDirector
  11. 2006All the Invisible ChildrenDirector
  12. 2004The Robinsons: Lost in SpaceDirector
  13. 2003PaycheckDirector
  14. 2002HostageDirector
  15. 2002WindtalkersDirector
  16. 2000Mission: Impossible IIDirector
  17. 1998BlackjackDirector
  18. 1997Face/OffDirector
  19. 1996Once a ThiefDirector
  20. 1996Broken ArrowDirector
  21. 1993Hard TargetDirector
  22. 1992Hard BoiledDirector
  23. 1991Once a ThiefDirector
  24. 1990Bullet in the HeadDirector
  25. 1989Just HeroesDirector
  26. 1989The KillerDirector
  27. 1987A Better Tomorrow IIDirector
  28. 1986A Better TomorrowDirector
  29. 1985Run Tiger RunDirector
  30. 1984Heroes Shed No TearsDirector
  31. 1984The Time You Need a FriendDirector
  32. 1982Plain Jane to the RescueDirector
  33. 1982To Hell with the DevilDirector
  34. 1980Laughing TimesDirector
  35. 1980From Riches to RagsDirector
  36. 1979Last Hurrah for ChivalryDirector
  37. 1978Hello, Late HomecomersDirector
  38. 1978Follow the StarDirector
  39. 1977Money CrazyDirector
  40. 1976Hand of DeathDirector
  41. 1976Princess Chang-PingDirector
  42. 1975The Dragon TamersDirector
  43. 1974The Young DragonsDirector
  44. 1969Dead KnotDirector
  45. 1968AccidentallyDirector