A Better Tomorrow (Chinese:英雄本色;Jyutping:jing1 hung4 bun2 sik1;lit. 'true colours of a hero') is a 1986 Hong Kongaction film directed and produced byJohn Woo, with a screenplay by Woo, Chan Hing-ka, and Leung Suk-wah. The film starsTi Lung,Leslie Cheung,Chow Yun-fat,Emily Chu, andWaise Lee. Ti plays Ho, atriad gangster and money counterfeiter who is sent to prison after being betrayed by his subordinate, Shing (Lee). After his release, Ho tries to reform himself and reconcile with his estranged brother Kit (Cheung), a police officer who resents him for his criminal past. Ho becomes torn between trying and failing to make amends with Kit, and following the advice of his friend Mark (Chow) to seek revenge for Shing's treachery.
The plot was heavily influenced byThe Story of a Discharged Prisoner (1967), a film admired by both Woo and producerTsui Hark. After formingFilm Workshop in 1984, Tsui asked Woo to write and direct a dramatic crime film. Woo saw this as his chance to break away from directing comedies forCinema City and developed the story based onDischarged Prisoner, adding his own ideas about honour and loyalty inspired bywuxia and the work ofJean-Pierre Melville. After convincing Cinema City to co-produce, Woo and Tsui began filming in early 1986, working with a budget of underHK$11 million. The majority of filming took place in Hong Kong, with some exterior shots filmed in Taiwan, and concluded after 80 to 100 days.
Released during a time when comedy films were popular in Hong Kong, Cinema City was expectingA Better Tomorrow to be abox-office bomb due to its dramatic tone and lack of a popular cast. However, it defied expectations and achieved immediate commercial success upon its release on 2 August 1986, earning over HK$34 million during its extended theatrical run. Critics praised the action sequences, Woo's direction, and the performances of its cast; English-language reviewers had mixed opinions about its melodramatic plot. The film was nominated for numerous accolades, winning twoHong Kong Film Awards and threeGolden Horse Awards.
A Better Tomorrow has been influential on action films since its release. Its stylised, balletic gunplay is considered the original source ofgun fu fight sequences. The movie's popularity led Hong Kong film producers to introduce more melodramatic elements into their crime films, leading to the emergence of theheroic bloodshed film genre.A Better Tomorrow is considered by critics to be one of the greatest action movies, with aHong Kong Film Awards panel ranking it second in its list of The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures in 2005. Its box office success spawned a direct sequel,A Better Tomorrow II (1987), a prequel entitledA Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon (1989), and two official remakes:one in South Korea released in 2010 andone in mainland China in 2018.
Triad member Sung Tse-ho[a] and his best friend, Mark Lee, run amoney counterfeiting business for their boss, Mr. Yiu. This activity is kept secret from Ho's younger brother Kit, a police cadet. Out of respect for their ailing father, Ho promises to stop being a gangster after completing his next business deal. At Mr. Yiu's request, Ho lets a subordinate named Shing accompany him toTaiwan to conduct business with a local mob. However, the gang ambushes them, causing a shootout that alerts the Taiwanese police. Ho tells Shing to escape while he surrenders; he is then sentenced to three years in prison. To ensure Ho doesn't implicate anyone, the Taiwanese gang sends a kidnapper to abduct his father. In the scuffle between Kit, his girlfriend Jackie, and the kidnapper, Ho and Kit's father is fatally stabbed. Before he dies, the father begs Kit to forgive his brother, but a furious Kit blames Ho for their father's death. Mark travels to Taiwan to exact revenge on the gangsters, shooting them dead in a restaurant. However, he is shot twice in his right leg, leaving him crippled and needing a leg brace to walk.
Three years pass, and Ho is released from prison. Determined to leave his past behind, he gets a job driving for a taxi company run by ex-convict Ken. Ho finds out that Shing has climbed the ranks of the triad during his time in jail, usurping Mark's position and status and even being entrusted with some of Mr. Yiu's responsibilities. He is devastated to learn that Mark, who had hidden the extent of his condition in his letters to Ho, has been cast aside by Shing after becoming disabled. Not wanting to be dragged back into crime, Ho refuses to confront his former protégé, opting to try and reconcile with Kit. However, Kit resents the fact that his familial tie to Ho is negatively impacting his career by preventing his promotion. In an effort to prove to his superiors that he can be trusted, Kit becomes obsessed with bringing down Shing, despite Ho's warnings.
Hoping to expand the triad's operations intodrug trafficking, Shing tries to persuade Ho to rejoin the triad. He tells Ho that they stand to make a lot of money if Kit is turned into acorrupt policeman. When Ho refuses, Shing has his men raid the taxi company, beat Mark nearly to death, and lure Kit into a trap that leaves him hospitalised with gunshot wounds. After Mark and Ho narrowly escape arrest, Mark pleads with Ho to stand up for himself and fight Shing. Fed up with his friend's unwillingness, Mark steals acomputer tape containing printing plate data from the counterfeiting business. Having a change of heart, Ho shows up on a motorbike, taking the tape with him. After using it to ransom Shing forUS$2 million and an escape boat to leave Hong Kong on, Ho transfers the tape to Kit to use as proof of Shing's crimes.
Through a conversation with Mr. Yiu, Shing reveals that he was the one who set up the ambush in Taiwan. After lying to his boss about a negotiation with Ho, Shing kills Mr. Yiu, coercing the witnesses to frame Ho as the murderer. At the ransom exchange site, Ho and Mark take Shing hostage and drive to a pier, where the boat is guarded by Shing's men. Ho implores Mark to escape by himself in the boat. Kit arrives to arrest Shing, but is taken hostage by the gangster's men. The two parties try to exchange Shing for Kit, but it quickly falls apart into a shootout. Hearing the sound of gunfire, Mark comes back to help his friends. The three of them kill most of Shing's henchmen, but receive non-lethal bullet wounds in the process. After seeing Kit rebuff his brother again, Mark berates him, telling him that Ho's present actions have made up for his criminal past. Mid-speech, Mark is shot from behind and killed by Shing.
As the police approach, Ho runs out of ammunition. Shing mocks the two brothers, stating that his money and influence will ensure his swift release from custody. Finally forgiving his brother, Kit hands Ho his revolver, and Ho shoots Shing dead. As redemption for his crimes, Ho handcuffs himself to Kit, and the two walk towards the gathered crowd of police together.
A Better Tomorrow drew inspiration fromPatrick Lung'sThe Story of a Discharged Prisoner (1967), a film greatly admired by bothJohn Woo andTsui Hark.[10][11] According to film criticLaw Kar [zh], Woo had witnessed Lung directing the movie atWader Film Studio [zh];[12] Tsui meanwhile, had seen it as a teenager and was impressed by the film's handling of social issues. Lung's movies eventually influenced Tsui to venture into filmmaking by creating short films.[10][13] Throughout his career, Tsui keptDischarged Prisoner on his mind, and considered making a dramatic work inspired by it. He first suggested an adaptation of Lung's film in the mid-1970s while working atTVB, but his idea was ignored.[10] Years later, Tsui would propose a similar project to the studio he was contracted with,Cinema City. Due to Cinema City's commercial success with formulaic comedies,[14][15] they refused, stating that local audiences would not want to watch such a serious movie.[16]
Undeterred by the rejection, Tsui founded the production companyFilm Workshop in April 1984 with his wife,Nansun Shi.[17] Tsui then approached his friend Woo, who had helped kickstart his directing career by getting him initial contract work with Cinema City, to come write and direct a gangster film.[18][19][20] Woo himself had been feeling burnt out while working in Taiwan for Cinema City. He had originally signed with the studio in hopes of getting more directorial freedom, but had instead been shunted into doing administrative work, stopping only to churn out a couple of company-mandated comedies for money. Woo was frustrated by his potential future, as he had desperately wanted to make a gangster film instead.[21][22][23] In a 2025 interview withVariety, he stated, "BeforeA Better Tomorrow, I didn't have much chance to try this kind of a style. Because I never got any support from the studio or anyone, I wasn't able to experiment."[24] Intrigued by Tsui's offer, he came back to Hong Kong in 1985, but was surprised by a perceived cultural shift when he arrived. Woo noted that there had been "gangster infiltration into all kinds of businesses—even the film industry—and a widespread feeling that there were no morals left, that many people would do anything to get ahead."[25] Taken aback by this, Woo decided that he would direct a film that would bring back and highlight "true values, like honour and chivalry".[26]
Inspired byJean-Pierre Melville, Woo began writingA Better Tomorrow with the goal of making it his own version ofLe Samouraï (1967).[18][27][28] Encouraged by Tsui to draw upon his own personal experiences to write the film's dialogue, Woo consideredA Better Tomorrow to be his first auteur movie.[28][29] He meant for the film to be a way for him to express his feelings about Hong Kong and human dignity, and didn't intend for it to be a political statement.[18][30] Woo also wanted it to showcase his friendship with Tsui, since both men had helped each other gain a foothold in their respective directing careers.[31][32]
Woo was influenced by the gallant tales ofwuxia, remarking that films likeA Better Tomorrow "are violent, but they also have an element of romance—not love, but chivalry—and there's always the dream of a better world."[33] He noted the impact that a previous directorial effort,Last Hurrah for Chivalry (1979), had on him, calling it a prequel toA Better Tomorrow.[34] While Woo used the basic plot ofThe Story of a Discharged Prisoner as the foundation for his film, including copying the Chinese title directly,[35] he made specific changes to the story's characters.[36] Woo turned the younger brother into a police officer in order to heighten the drama between the siblings, and reworked the original film's social worker character to be Mark.[36] Since Woo was a fan ofNicholas Ray'sRebel Without a Cause (1955), he wrote Kit to be an homage toJames Dean's character.[37] More notably, most of the characters in the original were rewritten to be male roles, despite Tsui's request to include female protagonists.[38] Tsui admitted that there was friction between him and Woo, stating that from a production standpoint: "I get too involved in the project, and there is not enough room for some directors to breathe. John Woo is very much independent."[39][40]
In addition to Woo,Chan Hing-ka [zh] and Leung Suk-wah (梁淑華) also received writing credits for the screenplay.[41] Chan was enlisted by one of the film's production managers, who remembered his work co-writing theTVB television seriesThe Battle Among the Clans (1985).[42] His primary screenplay contribution was introducing a romantic relationship between Kit and Jackie, as Woo and Tsui wanted the younger characters in the film to get more screen time.[43] For the film's English title, Woo asked Nansun Shi for a phrase that better reflected the film's themes of redemption and courage, shortening her suggestion of "For a Better Tomorrow".[44]
Once Woo agreed to direct and have Tsui handle production duties,[27] Tsui was able to persuade Cinema City to take a chance on the movie despite Woo's poor box office performance.[26][45] Film executiveKarl Maka approved the project after being convinced of its concept and marketability.[38] Joining Woo on the production was editor Ma Kam (金馬) and cinematographer Wong Wing-hang (黃永恆).Blackie Ko andStephen Tung were hired as the film'saction designers.[8] For theart direction, Woo employed Bennie Lui (雷志良), who was assisted byTim Yip.[46] Yip was a 21-year-old photographer who Tsui recommended after the producer saw his photography work in an exhibition.[47][48]
[Chow Yun-fat] had been acting in different things. I had seen him in one movie where he played a kind of retired killer and I liked him. And then I found out some things about him, that he always helped a lot of people. That he cared about people in his private life, that he helped his friends. And the more I heard the more I thought he was very much the same as my hero in the story.
While Tsui had wanted to include women in the movie's leading roles—he expressed interest in gettingMichelle Yeoh to play a female version of Mark—the film wasgreenlit based on the selection of three male leads:Chow Yun-fat,Ti Lung, andLeslie Cheung.[50] In an interview withApple Daily,Raymond Wong Pak-ming, a co-founder of Cinema City, said that the role of Mark had initially been offered toGeorge Lam. However, Lam declined as he was already working for D&B Films.[51] According to theHong Kong Economic Times,Mark Cheng was next considered, but he was unavailable as he was filming Tsui'sPeking Opera Blues (1986).[52] Instead, Woo considered casting Chow, believing that his talent, charisma, and off-screen generosity would be perfect for the role of "a modern knight".[53][36][49] However, Cinema City initially balked at the proposal. While Chow was a popular television actor forTVB, his film roles had been so commercially unsuccessful that he had developed an industry reputation as "box office poison".[c] Additionally, Chow was not available at first due to scheduling conflicts, but Woo and Tsui both insisted on waiting for the actor to finish his previous commitments.[59]
For the role of Ho, Woo wanted Ti, a skilled martial artist best-known as a 1970swuxia film star forChang Cheh atShaw Brothers Studio.[60] However, Ti's career had been slumping as audience interest in martial arts films declined by the early 1980s, and when Shaw Brothers halted film production in 1986 to focus on television, he was left struggling for work.[61][62][63] Like with Chow, Tsui and Woo also had to navigate around the actor's filming schedule. Ti had grown a ponytail for his role inThe Legend of Wisely (1987), and could not cut his hair short forA Better Tomorrow's jail sequences. Tsui recalled thatWisely directorTeddy Robin became furious with him after he asked the director to let Ti wear a fake ponytail so that he could do both films. However, Ti was interested in the part because he found the script's focus on brotherhood intriguing,[64] and found a compromise with Robin by getting a mid-length haircut.[59]
Cheung, a famousCantopop star trying to establish himself as a film actor,[61] was cast as Kit to convince Cinema City executives that the project was financially viable.[57] The singer had earned commercial acclaim for his music career, having one of his songs, "Wild Wind" (不羈的風), earn a Gold Song award at theJade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation in 1985.[65][66] Cheung had also showcased strong acting performances intelevision dramas onTVB,[66] as well as various films that cast him for his boyish charm.[67] By playing Kit, he would act as a foil for Chow and Ti's characters by injecting the film with a youthful presence.[68][69]Terence Chang, a general manager at Film Workshop at the time,[70] said that he and Woo both noticed Cheung's potential when casting him.[71] At a 2017 film festival panel, Woo said that he liked Cheung's "rebellious" quality, stating that Kit was essentially a role where Cheung was playing himself.[72]
Rounding out the main cast was Emily Chu, who played Kit's girlfriend Jackie, and Waise Lee as Shing. Chu had previously starred alongside Chow inWitch From Nepal (1986), playing the titular character Sheila.[73] Lee, a civil servant who worked part-time as a model, caught Tsui's attention after attending a casting call for a television commercial organised by Tsui's company;A Better Tomorrow was his first film role.[74][75][76] Woo remembered that he and Tsui wanted Shing to be an atypical antagonist, and thus sought to avoid the clichéd portrayal of the character as an aging veteran criminal. Woo thought that Lee's "ordinary" appearance fit their description of someone the audience would see in everyday life.[77]
Film production began in early 1986 with a budget of under HK$11 million.[38] The film was shot in multiple locations across Hong Kong, with some exterior location filming in Taiwan.[78] Due to the film's limited budget, cinematographer Wong Wing-hang had to shoot the nighttime scenes with minimal lighting, as the production could not afford to rent lights.[79]
The film shoot was at times emotional for Woo; Cheung recalled that the director would sometimes cry on set.[80] Tsui remembered the production being subject to significant alterations, stating that "everything was on an unstable basis, sort of like walking on a boat—everything is moving, shaking, unbalanced."[59] When the actor they had cast as Inspector Wu struggled with delivering a suitable performance, Woo decided to step into the role himself, allowing both Chow and Cheung to direct him.[81][82] While the director bemoaned his own acting abilities, he believed that the character needed to be in the film "to show that morally things are not always black and white."[82]
One of the most notable changes during filming was Chow's involvement in the movie. The actor was initially slated to be on set for only 10 to 15 days as Mark.[59] However, as Woo and Chow bonded over their similar values and industry struggles, Woo gradually expanded the actor's supporting role after realizing how capable Chow was at playing Mark.[d] Chow, who had been emotionally connecting with the film's dialogue, was also similarly impressed by the production. He allowed Woo additional days to shoot with him for free when things went over budget.[29][59] Woo gave Chow considerable improvisational freedom, accepting the actor's suggestion to give Mark a toothpick to put in his mouth in order to make him seem cooler.[86] Woo also used Chow's real-life experience withRingo Lam as the basis for the scene where Mark recalls how he and Ho were forced to drink urine at gunpoint.[87][88] According to the director, Chow recounted that he and Lam were coerced into drinking an entire bottle of alcohol after Lam unintentionally insulted the owner of the restaurant they were dining at.[85] Chow was not the only actor to draw upon his life experiences to use in his performance. Ti stated in interviews that he used his close friendship with fellow Shaw Brothers actorAlexander Fu Sheng as the basis for Ho and Kit's relationship.[89]
The entrance ofSunning Plaza in 2013, and the Merit Industrial Centre (red building) in 2021
Many locations throughout Hong Kong were used during shooting. The scene where Mark is first seen buyingrice noodle rolls from a street vendor was shot on Jackson Road inCentral.[90][91][92] According to film historianGary Wong, the exterior shot of the hospital Ho's father is staying at was actually filmed outside of Christ the King Chapel, a building within theSt. Paul's Convent Church [zh] compound.[92] The scene where Ho sees Shing mistreat Mark was shot outsideSunning Plaza.[93][94][95] The underground car park shootout was filmed at the Merit Industrial Centre (美華工業中心) inTo Kwa Wan.[96][97] TheTin Hau Temple in Joss House Bay was used as the site of the ransom exchange between Shing, Ho and Mark.[92] Other filming locations include the formerCentral Police Station,[98] theWo Hop Shek Public Cemetery,[99] and the shipyards inAberdeen.[100] On the DVD commentary, Bey Logan states that due to the necessity of using a local stunt team, the scene where Ho and Shing get double-crossed in Taipei was actually shot in theNew Territories, with the exterior shots of the Taiwanese police cars filmed separately in Taiwan.[78] Also filmed in Taiwan was the sequence where Mark learns of Ho's arrest, which was shot onZhonghua Road [zh] in Taipei.[92] The tunnels where Ho and Shing hide in after being ambushed are Hong Kong's anti-aircraft tunnels, which were primarily used during World War II.[101] The prison sequence was also shot in Hong Kong, as directors like Woo were granted filming access to the local prisons and police training grounds by the government during the 1980s.[102] Logan notes that scenes inside Kit and Jackie's apartment were filmed on a set similar to ones used on a Hong Kong television series.[103]
Shooting was eventually completed on schedule, between a time frame of 80 to 100 days.[56] According to theOriental Daily News, Woo made a few cuts in post-production to reduce the film's length. This included a scene introducing Mark's wife—played by Fanny Sieh (薛芷倫)—as well as a sex scene between Kit and Jackie.[87]
Joseph Koo served asA Better Tomorrow's composer. He primarily used synthesisers for the background score, writing more dramatic music in the lead up to the action sequences.[104] Koo also composed the film's theme song, "In the Sentimental Past [zh]", with lyrics by frequent collaboratorJames Wong Jim, and sung by Cheung.[105] Written in therelative keys ofE major andC minor, it is a melancholic musical piece featuring harmonica, strings, keyboard, drums, and guitar.[106] Lyrically, "In the Sentimental Past" is about a warm reunion between individuals happy to re-express their feelings for each other.[107] Scholar Julian Stringer described "In the Sentimental Past" as having a "lilting, haunting melody" that "denotes pain, suffering and emotional trauma".[108] While Koo used the song as amusical motif at key emotional points throughout the movie, the full version with lyrics is played at the film's conclusion.[108][109]
The overarching design goals during production were to make the film feel modern and glamourous.[116] Art director Bennie Lui recalled, "John Woo wants it to be as gritty asTaxi Driver, but Tsui Hark wants it to be urban and urbane."[91] To fulfill Woo's requirement that the actors "look good in slow motion",Bruce Yu [zh], the film's costume designer, dressed the cast inArmani clothing.[117] Yu was responsible for conceiving Mark's coat-and-sunglasses look,[118][119] an outfit that combined the styles of several of Woo's cinema idols. Mark would wear a trench coat like the one worn byAlain Delon's character fromLe Samourai,[120][121] sportRay-Ban sunglasses similar to ones worn byKen Takakura, and shoot guns likeSteve McQueen andClint Eastwood.[122][117] Some of the costume design choices were symbolic. Woo stated that Shing was dressed in white to symbolise his former purity as an innocent person who "got trapped by the dark side of life".[91][123] According to Bey Logan, the black leather jacket Ho wears midway through the film is a callback to a similar jacket worn by Patrick Lung's character inThe Story of a Discharged Prisoner.[124]
Woo wanted to highlight the violence in the film to "make the audiences sense the invisible and widespread power of the underworld".[125][126] Assistant art director Tim Yip usedThe Godfather's suave portrayal of the mafia as inspiration.[47] The film's gunfights were partially inspired by the continual confrontations between good and evil inWesterns, as well as the martial arts choreography fromwuxia films.[127][128] Woo has stated thatA Better Tomorrow was the first time he tried incorporatingdual wielding pistols in a film. The idea stemmed from discussions he had with theprop master on the logistics of Mark killing 15 people in the restaurant shootout. Woo wanted his hero to use a handgun because he felt they possessed a "great spirit" to them that was reminiscent of Chinese swords. After being excited by the percussive qualities of the firing of aBeretta, he realised that two pistols could rhythmically communicate Mark's anger in combat.[129][130] To emphasise the power of the handguns, six different sounds were layered on top of each other for the film's gunfire sound effects.[131]
Martial arts films became popular throughout Hong Kong in the 1960s and 1970s, with thekung fu film eclipsing the popularity of thewuxia film throughout the 1970s.[132][133] However, by the early 1980s, local audiences began to grow tired of the traditional period pieces that were typical of the genre.[134][135] Instead, comedic movies saw mainstream success throughout the decade, often ranking in the top 10 of the highest-grossing films for that year.[136] By 1986, several popular comedy films, such asMr. Vampire (1985) andTwinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars (1985) had been produced. While some movies likeYes, Madam (1985) andRoyal Warriors (1986) involved police work, their focus ongirls with guns meant that they did not examine brotherly relationships likeA Better Tomorrow did.[137]
Because of those audience trends, Cinema City was not expecting the movie to perform well financially.[138] Tsui recalled that unhappy studio executives asked him to "burn the film" midway through production.[10] As a result,A Better Tomorrow was minimally advertised in Hong Kong.[139] The studio was also concerned with Chow's poor box office reputation: unlike the other actors, his portrait was not included in the film's publicity stills, and he received third billing in the credits behind Ti and Cheung.[56] Despite Cinema City's misgivings however, both action movies and crime dramas had risen in popularity with local audiences. The realistically grittyLong Arm of the Law (1984) had won multipleHong Kong Film Awards, and Cinema City's own action-orientedAces Go Places films had performed well at the box office.[19] In addition, the kung fu film genre had already started to modernise to cater to audience tastes. As evidenced by the success of movies likeJackie Chan'sPolice Story (1985), directors were transitioning to making action films set in contemporary Hong Kong, with fight scenes containing gunplay andhand-to-hand combat instead of swordfighting.[140][141]
SeeingA Better Tomorrow on opening night remains one of the greatest experiences of my movie-watching life. In ninety-five minutes, I watched the audience change. Having seen hundreds, if not thousands, of kung fu films with international audiences, I had never seen a crowd react the way the normally reserved, even jaded, Hong Kong filmgoers did to this somehow familiar yet totally different experience.
Ric Meyers, in an interview for a book aboutJohn Wick, a movie series inspired by Woo films likeA Better Tomorrow[142]
A Better Tomorrow was released in Hong Kong on 2 August 1986.[8] First shown at a midnight sneak preview, its initial screening received an extremely positive audience reception.[143] Woo recalled that "the people went crazy" while watching the film,[143] and Chow noted that "there was shouting and clapping of hands, which is not something that happens in Hong Kong movies."[144] The film went on to become the number one movie of 1986, grossingHK$34,651,324 (US$4,459,629.86) during its exhibition.[1] While the average theatrical run in Hong Kong is normally brief, lasting one to three weeks depending on a film's popularity,A Better Tomorrow ran for a then-unheard of sixty-one days in theatres.[145]
The film's release was rolled out across Asia over the course of the year. In Taiwan, it was released on 8 August 1986, selling 249,468 tickets across 128 screens until its last showing on 31 December of that year. It would grossNT$16,880,798 during its theatrical run, placing seventh at the Taiwanese box office of 1986.[146] First shown in South Korea on 23 May 1987 with Mandarin dubbing,[147][148]A Better Tomorrow was not initially a big success there,[149][150][151] selling less than 100,000 tickets during its initial run.[152] However, it grew a sizeable cult following after it began screening in smallersecond-run theatres, paving the way for the sequel's mainstream success in the country.[153] This particular run was notable, given that the popularity of Hong Kong films in Korea had diminished during the 1980s.[152] According to electronic ticket tracking performed by theKorean Film Council beginning in 2011, additional screenings of the film have since garnered over 23,000 admissions, and earned₩164,377,824 cumulatively.[154][e]
A Better Tomorrow has been re-released several times, such as in 2011 for the film's 25th anniversary of its Japanese release,[155] and in 2016 for its 30th anniversary in Korea.[156] In 2014, it was announced that theShanghai International Film Festival, in collaboration with sponsorJaeger-LeCoultre andfilm preservation laboratoryL'Immagine Ritrovata, would begin restoringA Better Tomorrow the following year.[79][157][158][159] This project was started in January 2015 and completed in May;[160] the restored film would be screened at the2015 Shanghai International Film Festival,[161] as well as theHong Kong International Film Festival in 2016.[162] A 4K remastered version was released theatrically in Japan on 22 April 2022 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the film's Japanese release date.[163][164] In North America, a remastered version was screened as part of the Hong Kong Cinema Classics retrospective presented byShout! Studios andGKIDS. First shown at theAmerican Cinematheque and theIFC Center in August 2025, the programme will continue throughout 2026 in multiple cities across the United States and Canada.[165][166][167] Shout! further announced in December 2025 thatA Better Tomorrow will be given a wider American theatrical re-release. The film will be shown on about 800 screens across three dates in March 2026, with a new pre-recorded interview with Woo following its presentation.[168]
Despite the movie's popularity across Asia, it never received a theatrical release in mainland China.[169][170][f] This did not stop Chinese audiences from watching piratedbootleg copies of the film that were smuggled into the mainland.[64][172] However, on 17 November 2017, Cantonese and Mandarin dubs of the remastered version were officially released in the country, grossing over US$3 million on its opening weekend.[173][174] The film went on to gross over US$4.8 million during its mainland theatrical run.[175]
A Better Tomorrow was released in Hong Kong to general acclaim by critics. Karen Fang states that contemporary reviews praised the film for being "explosive but sentimental" and "full of masculinity",[176] withDavid Bordwell remarking that most Hong Kong critics believedA Better Tomorrow to be Woo's best work.[177] According to Jenny Lau ofCinema Journal, local reviewers liked the film not necessarily for its violence, but more for its successful adaptation of traditionalwuxia tropes and action sequences.[178] Hong Kong criticLi Cheuk-to creditedA Better Tomorrow's success to its more thoroughly developed story, consistent melodramatic tone, and stylised violence. He also suggested that the heroic protagonists resonated with audiences feeling politically anxious over the upcominghandover of Hong Kong.[179]
Over the years, English-language critics were generally positive about the film.Glenn Kenny ofEntertainment Weekly said that American audiences would findA Better Tomorrow a welcome respite from most of the generic action movies made by Hollywood.[180] A reviewer forVariety described the movie as a "fine vehicle" for Woo, calling it a significant departure from the comedies that he had previously directed.[181] With many of the reviews being retrospectively written after the international success of Woo's later films, several critics chose to compare and contrastA Better Tomorrow withThe Killer (1989) andHard Boiled (1992). Alan Morrison ofEmpire said that many of Woo's stylistic hallmarks were present in the film, albeit in a rudimentary form.[182] Both Keith Phipps ofThe A.V. Club and Chris Gramlich ofExclaim! preferred watchingThe Killer andHard Boiled,[183][184] with Gramlich explaining that he felt Woo was still trying to refine his approach withA Better Tomorrow.[184]The Austin Chronicle's Marc Savlov said that while the movie was not as polished asThe Killer, nor as complex asBullet in the Head (1990), it was still a good representation of Woo's filmmaking style. He also believed thatA Better Tomorrow was essential viewing for anyone interested in Hong Kong cinema.[185]
Johnathan Crow ofAllMovie praised Woo's "baroque" visual style. He stated that thetracking shots,fast cutting, andslow motion explosions helped deliver an emotional, melodramatic experience that elevated the film beyond traditional action cinema.[186] ATV Guide reviewer echoed this sentiment, commenting that Woo's clear, purposeful direction made each newplot point seem like an unavoidable outcome.[187] Both Morrison and Kenny liked the final shootout; Kenny said that it was "one of the most ridiculously exhilarating—or exhilaratingly ridiculous—sequences of its kind."[180] Writing for theLos Angeles Times,Kevin Thomas said that he enjoyed the action and likeable characters, believing the film was a hallmark of Hong Kong cinema.[188] Thomas also liked Koo's music, writing that the sentimental score was a great match for the film's visual energy.[188] In contrast,Variety criticised the melodrama, finding the movie "contrived" and full of "overdone violence".[181] Gramlich said that too much emphasis was placed on an overly-complex story containing shoddy dialogue.[184]
Many critics praised Chow's performance as Mark. David Chute ofFilm Comment believed that Chow gave a "mesmerizing lead performance" that evokedRobert Mitchum,Ken Takakura andSteve McQueen.[189]Rolling Stone's Peter Kenis commended the film for making Chow "the ultimate cool-as-fuck Asian badass".[190] Morrison said that the actor stole the show,[182] a sentiment also shared by Phipps.[183] Conversely,Variety dismissed Chow and Cheung's performances as overacting. However, they praised Ti's "silent masculine presence" throughout the film, and appreciated the actor's understated vulnerability in his role as Ho.[181]TV Guide also believed Ti expressed the internal struggle of his character convincingly, and found Waise Lee's portrayal of Shing a standout.[187] Thomas singled out Woo's ability to get strong acting performances from his cast.[188]
At the23rd Golden Horse Awards, the film won the awards for Best Director (Woo), Best Leading Actor (Ti), Best Cinematography (Wong), and Best Sound Recording. In addition to Chow also receiving a nomination for Best Leading Actor, the film was further nominated for Best Feature Film, Best Supporting Actor (Lee), Best Film Editing (Ma), and Best Original Music (Koo).[192]
In an essay examining the development of China's independent films, directorJia Zhangke namedA Better Tomorrow as one of the popular Hong Kong films that were smuggled into the mainland by video pirates.[172] Similarly,bootleg recordings helped the film establish acult following amongst Hong Kong cinema fans in North America.[193][194] The film was first released in America onVHS in 1994.[180][187] It was later packaged with its sequels in a trilogy box set and released by Tai Seng Video on 26 May 1998.[195]
On 16 January 2001,Anchor Bay Entertainment released VHS and DVD versions of the film in North America. The VHS was inwidescreen and dubbed into English, while the DVD featured both English and Cantonese audio.[g] Anchor Bay later releasedA Better Tomorrow and its sequel as a box set on 2 March 2004.[202][203] In the United Kingdom, a DVD titledA Better Tomorrow Collector's Edition was first released on 30 December 2002.[204] Another Region 2 DVD release by Optimum Asia was released on 26 June 2006. The two-disc package contained a 90-minute cut of the film presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio, with additional features like audio commentary, a trailer, and a documentary on Woo calledCrossings.[205][206]
Following these releases, the film was never released onBlu-ray or streaming services outside of Asia for nearly two decades due to licensing issues.[207][24] However, after announcing in January 2025 that they had acquired worldwide rights fromGolden Princess Film Production,[208]Shout! Studios gaveA Better Tomorrow and its sequels a digital release on 8 July of that year.[209] Shout! also included the film as one of the titles shown on a newfree ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel of theirs called Hong Kong Fight Club.[210] In October 2025,The Criterion Collection addedA Better Tomorrow to theirvideo on demand (VOD) streaming service, The Criterion Channel.[211][212] Shout! released a seven-disc box set containing both 4K and Blu-ray versions of the entireA Better Tomorrow trilogy on 18 November 2025.[213][214]
Merchandise based onA Better Tomorrow has been released over the years. In 2016, toy manufacturer Enterbay issued a1:6 scaleaction figure of Mark Lee.[215][216][217][218] The figure came with multiple accessories, such as a pair of pistols, cigarettes, and bundles of money.[219] Beginning in 2018, an officially-licensed comic book adaptation by Wong Shui-pan (黃水斌) was released over the span of three issues.[220][221][222]
In September 2019, it was announced that musical directorWang Yong-beom [ko] would be adapting the film and its sequel into a South Koreanstage musical.[223][224] With music composed by Lee Seong-jun (이성준),[225] the musical would useA Better Tomorrow as the basis for its first act, with its second act utilising scenes fromA Better Tomorrow II and multiple flashback sequences to tell Kit's perspective.[226] Featuring anensemble cast of actors[h] and songs from both the first two films and Leslie Cheung's discography,[234][235][236] it premiered at the KEPCO Art Centre in Seoul on 17 December 2019.[223] Receiving generally positive reviews for its special effects and performances,[i] the musical was scheduled to run until 22 March 2020,[244] in January 2020, additional showings were added at theKeimyung Art Centre [ko] inDaegu from 10–12 April.[245] However, on 10 February 2020, the production company suspended all future performances of the musical, citing theCOVID-19 pandemic and offering refunds to ticket holders.[246][247] Shortly after, multiple reports surfaced alleging that the production company failed to pay some of the actors and crew for their work on the project.[248][249] ANewsis article stated that despite the musical attracting middle-aged audiences, it was not very popular amongst the target demographic of people in their 20s and 30s.[250]
In March 2024, it was announced in Japan that another stage musical based on the film would begin showing in the country that year.[251] This version was written and directed by playwrightChong Wishing [ja], who made major changes to the story. In his adaptation, Ho is an injured participant of the1989 Tiananmen Square protests who accepts Mark's suggestion to move to Hong Kong. After seven years pass, the pair join the triad, starting their counterfeiting operation one year before thehandover of the territory.[252] Two members ofTravis Japan,Kaito Matsukura [ja] andNoel Kawashima [ja], were cast as Kit and Mark respectively, withSho Aoyagi playing Ho.[251][253] The musical was performed from 24 June to 8 July 2024 at theNippon Seinenkan in Shinjuku, and then from 12–16 July at theOrix Theatre in Osaka.[254]
In ancient China, the people are a lot more spiritual and they have a code about honour, loyalty, and chivalry. Something about chivalry, if you got help from the others, you got to pay back double to the others and help out, and always [be] grateful and appreciate what you've got. And people like helping each other, that's our spirit. People can sacrifice themselves for the others.
John Woo, in a 1997 interview with Michael Singer[255]
A Better Tomorrow is a modern adaptation ofwuxia films, combining chivalric Chinese traditions with contemporary gunplay.[256][257] Woo takes inspiration from the partiallyConfucian moral codes ofwuxia's swordsmen characters (youxia),[258] and the long-standing rituals of the triads, which are rooted inTaoism.[258][259] Ho and Mark are portrayed as heroic outlaws who operate outside of the boundaries of mainstream society, like theirwuxia counterparts living in thejianghu.[260] They adhere to a conceptual "system of brotherhood, honour and justice" calledyi (義;ji6; 'righteousness'), and swear by a personal code of loyalty calledyi qi (義氣;ji6 hei3; 'breath of yi').[261][257][262] Conversely, Shing follows what Lisa Odham Stokes and Michael Hoover define as choosingjing (精;zing1; 'essence') overqing (情;cing4; 'feeling'). Unlike Ho and Mark, who possess the chivalrous trait of having empathy for others (qing), Shing is willing to betray his brotherhood because he values caring for his physical being (jing) first.[263]
To show the similarities between biological and triad brotherhood, Woo introduces mirrored relationships between the characters. Ho is the mature older brother of Kit, ablood brother to Mark, and a trusted mentor to Shing.[264][265] These parallels in kinship are reinforced through language: Mark is deferentially addressed with the honorificgor (哥; 'older brother'), and characters use the phrasedai lo (大佬; 'big brother') to refer to their triad superiors.[257][266] Problems arise when Kit and Shing reject their Confucian duty offilial piety towards theirdai lo: a grieving Kit demands Ho address him as "sir", and Shing double-crosses Ho for his own gain.[257] These parallel violations ofyi qi are presented through repeated scenes and symmetricalshot compositions, with Mark commonly used as the axis forcuts to highlight his importance as the film's emotional centre.[267] Stephen Teo wrote that Mark "represents an aestheticised model of thewuxia hero-cum-contemporary killer."[268] Despite becoming crippled, he draws upon the strength of his brotherly friendship with Ho to overcome his disability and transform into a heroic figure.[269] Mark's devotion to the triad code compels him to return and help Ho in the final firefight, and he displays his heroism in his plea to Kit to remember his fraternal loyalty, pushing Kit out of the way of Shing's gunfire.[270] When Mark dies, Woo employs theChristian imagery of apietà to associate his death withJesus. This religious reference highlights Mark as both a victim and hero who sacrifices themselves to rekindle Ho and Kit's relationship, and thus restore a world of traditional values andhomosociality.[271][272] Likewise, Ho gives up his freedom by pressuring Kit to arrest him, knowing that his brother's career will be salvaged by bringing him to justice.[273]
Some authors have discussed the film's usage ofmelodrama, and how its portrayal of brotherhood has been interpreted by some Western audiences ashomoerotic.[274][275][276] According to Julian Stringer, Woo's combination of action and melodrama produces a depiction of masculinity that is different from American films. Stringer asserts that Hollywood had segregated its output into masculine "doing" genres (like action) and feminine "suffering" genres (like melodrama, where female characters have their agency impaired). In Woo's "male melodramas", men participate in both violence and heroism, while also experiencing intense sadness and loss.[277][278] InA Better Tomorrow, Ho's agency is impacted by familial duties; he is reluctant to seek revenge on Shing because he wants to regain Kit's trust, as well as to honour his promise to his father of leaving the triads.[278] Woo also differs from American action films in that he avoids showing physically sculpted bodies. Instead, he prefers to showcase both "stylish clothes and accessories" as well as male emotional vulnerability, presented as intimate gazes between men.[279][280] Fang stated that this level of closeness, shown in Ho's post-prison reunion with Mark, is usually only reserved in Hollywood action films for impending character deaths.[266] Jillian Sandell wrote that these moments underscore the importance of male bonding within the triad code of honour, allowing Ho and Mark to foster a connection that is both "emotionally and materially fulfilling" despite their bleak circumstances.[276] Stringer argued that this depiction is not inherently homosexual, since it represses sexuality instead of foregrounding it.[280] Mikel Koven believed that interpreting Woo's gangster films as homoerotic misreads how the Hong Kong audience sees the male relationships.[281] Woo has echoed this sentiment, stating, "In my culture there is no hiding. If we need to cry, we cry. If you need to hug someone you do it whether they are your lover or your friend."[31]
A Better Tomorrow has been interpreted as commentary on the disappearance of tradition with societal change. Woo was spurred to direct the film out of concern that traditional values in Hong Kong were being eroded by modernisation.[282][19] Caleb Kelso-March commented that the film portrays "conditions of capitalist modernity" found in Hong Kong at the time, such as the spread of organised crime and financial uncertainty.[283] Mark and Ho are depicted as men of humble beginnings who have risen the ranks of a capitalist society by becoming successful counterfeiters of American currency.[284][285] Sam Ho remarked that the code of brotherhood that Mark and Ho observe allows for illegal activities like counterfeiting, since mainstream Hong Kong society is not directly impacted by the forging of foreign currency. Shing's rise to power however, hurts on multiple fronts: his betrayal erodes the traditional values of the criminal underworld, and his move into drug trafficking directly harms Hong Kong civilians.[286][257] According to Karen Fang, Shing's ability to use money and power to escape consequence highlights the "degradation of justice in modern society."[287]
Jillian Sandell described the three protagonists as "loner heroes" who become marginalised from their respective organisations. Kit's policeman career is stalled by his brother's criminal affiliations, and Ho and Mark's position in the triad is upended when Shing usurps their power and status. Ho tries to legitimise himself by joining a taxi company run by ex-convicts, but he ultimately fails to "live outside the institutions available within Hong Kong capitalism" once Shing's subordinates ransack the company.[276] Sandell said that Mark represents the "supreme loner" whose code of honour causes him to reject any organisation; this lack of affiliation spells his inevitable death. According to her, Mark symbolically dies from fatigue instead of literal injury, since his kind of heroism is a "throwback to China's past with no place in contemporary Hong Kong".[276]
While Woo has maintained thatA Better Tomorrow was not intended as political commentary,[30] various scholars have viewed the film as a meditation on the anxieties surrounding the impending 1997handover of Hong Kong.[288][289][276] According to Tony Williams, Mark's dialogue about Hong Kong is an example of this uneasiness: after reflecting on the region's nighttime beauty with Ho, Mark grimly states, "Like most things, it won't last. That's for sure."[290] Kin-yan Szeto said that the marginalised characters form bonds over this uncertainty, equating Ho's struggle between loyalty and the law with Hong Kong's sense of identity between the United Kingdom and China.[291] Film criticLi Cheuk-to suggested that the film's popularity in Hong Kong might have stemmed from its role as an outlet for frustration over the August 1986 construction of the nearbyDaya Bay Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong. Li said that local audiences, concerned over the environmental impacts of nuclear power as well as Hong Kong's lack of autonomy over the plant's construction, empathised with Mark's feelings on personally fighting to "regain what we have lost".[292]
According to Woo, the world inA Better Tomorrow is an amalgamation of both his personal memories and his love of cinema.[293] Film scholar Po Fung said that the film's narrative structure contains similarities to Chang Cheh'sThe Duel (1971),[294] with Magnan-Park observing that Mark's self-sacrifice mirrors the martyrdom endings in Chang's films.[295] The movie also bears some resemblance to anotherShaw Brothers film,The Brothers (1979).[139] Li Cheuk-to further identifiedwuxia films directed byChor Yuen and written byGu Long as additional possible references.[35] Anne T. Ciecko said that the film shares a relationship with Japanesechambara films,[296] and Tony Williams highlighted the influence ofyakuza films on Woo's work, as they both involve "similar conflicts involving ancient loyalty and modern values".[297] Both Kristof Van den Troost and Karen Fang note that the film's iconic shot of Mark lighting a cigarette with a flaming bank note is similar to a sequence inNg See-yuen'sAnti-Corruption (1975).[298][299]
[Arthur Penn] used strongfilm language to explore the stunning romanticism and beauty of life and death. [...]Warren [Beatty] andFaye [Dunaway] look at each other with that knowing smile. They feel the end but they also feel eternity. The duality of knowing they are going to die but also knowing that their love will live on afterward. That is the romance that makes me hold my breath.
Woo also borrows liberally from non-Asian cinema. FromFrench New Wave films, he adopted the costuming of Alain Delon in Jean-Pierre Melville'sLe Samouraï. Fang said that these cinematic inclusions "foreground the film's stylisation and demonstrate how [Woo's] own film self-consciously pursues the 'coolness' that Woo constantly praises."[301] Woo also looked at American cinema for inspiration: Mark's slow-motion restaurant entrance was a nod toMartin Scorsese'sMean Streets (1973).[54] He was also heavily influenced byArthur Penn's romanticised depiction of the deaths of the titular characters inBonnie and Clyde (1967), and sought to recreate that feeling for Mark's death.[302] Fang believed that the film superficially shares some of the aesthetics offilm noir, such as itslow-key lighting and pessimistic outlook, but differs in its hopeful, redemptive ending where Ho handcuffs himself to Kit.[303]
Kenneth E. Hall said thatA Better Tomorrow can be interpreted as an allegorical, semi-autobiographical work referencing Woo's own feelings and experiences.[304] Like Ho and Mark, whose good fortunes run out after travelling to Taiwan, Woo experienced major dissatisfaction over being sent there by Cinema City to oversee its regional office. He also stayed in Taiwan for roughly the same amount of time as Ho's three-year prison sentence.[305][306] Ho and Mark's friendship can thus be read as an allegory for Tsui Hark's support of Woo.[19] The inclusion of Ken, who helps Ho reintegrate into society by giving him work, parallels Tsui rescuing Woo's career by letting him return to Hong Kong to directA Better Tomorrow.[307]
In an idea mirroring Patrick Lung's own acting role inThe Story of a Discharged Prisoner, Woo casts himself as a police inspector. This cameo can also be viewed as self-reflexive, in that Woo's character is shown gradually understanding—and even admiring—the gangsters over time.[308] In an interview, Woo stated, "I always believe that if you want to catch a thief you have to think like him and act like him, first. Then you can make your judgement."[82] Fang drew similarities between the cameo appearances of Woo,Woody Allen, andAlfred Hitchcock in their respective films; these acting roles indicate authorial control of their work.[305] This self-referential understanding is further deepened by Woo's decision to let the cast direct his acting; such a collaborative role reversal reinforces the film's themes of brotherhood and having empathy for others.[309]
The film's box office success positively impacted the careers of many of its participants. It turned both Woo and Chow into superstars in Asia, and helped forge a partnership in which Chow would star in many of the director's following films.[310][311] Woo was granted more creative freedom for his projects,[312] and some of his shelved films, likeHeroes Shed No Tears (1986), were released to capitalise on his newfound popularity.[313] It would also lead to a decades-long work relationship between Woo andTerence Chang, who would produce several of Woo's films in the future.[314]
Chow's performance in the film turned him into a local icon,[315][316] with him becoming known as "Brother Mark" in Hong Kong for years.[104] As a result of the movie's success, Chow began to receive a barrage of acting opportunities, enabling him to be cast in almost three dozen films from 1986 to 1989. Many of these movies became Hong Kong box-office successes, such asPrison on Fire,Tragic Hero, andAn Autumn's Tale (all 1987 and the third, fourth, and fifth highest-grossing films that year respectively),The Eighth Happiness (highest-grossing film of 1988), andGod of Gamblers (highest-grossing movie of 1989).[317]
Ti and Cheung also benefited from the film's success. His career rejuvenated, Ti would star alongside Chow in other Cinema City films throughout the late 1980s, such asTiger on the Beat andCity War (both 1988).[89] Cheung's performance as Kit, meanwhile, was considered to be a breakthrough acting role, strengthening his reputation as a multi-talented entertainer.[318][319][320] The theme song that he sang, "In the Sentimental Past", won three awards at the1986 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation: a Gold Song award for being in the top ten best songs,[321] and two additional awards for Best Composition and Best Music Arrangement.[322] The song also won an award at the 1986 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards.[323] In 1987, Cheung would sign with Cinema City and its record label subsidiary,Cinepoly Records.[324] At Cinepoly, he would release the best-selling album of 1987,Summer Romance, which would sell over 350,000 copies and be certified seven times platinum.[325][66]
Upon its release, the film sparked avid enthusiasm amongst Hong Kong audiences. Influenced by the movie's preoccupation with honour and loyalty, they began using thehonorific "gor" (哥) in casual slang to address each other.[326] Young men in Hong Kong began trying to emulate Mark by wearing long coats and sunglasses, despite the local humidity.[310][327] This fashion trend caused Alain Delon's branded sunglasses to sell out in Asia, spurring the actor to write a thank-you letter to Woo.[328] The long coat also subsequently began to be colloquially known as a "Mark coat" (Chinese:Mark哥褸;Jyutping:Mark go1 lau5) in reference to the character.[310][327]
A Better Tomorrow shaped the immediate production trends of Hong Kong cinema;Sek Kei wrote that after just a month in theatres, the movie had "effectively modernized the male role in martial arts action films in the past."[329] Kristof Van den Troost said that as a result of the movie's popularity, future Hong Kong crime films would shift away from gritty realism and adopt a more melodramatic tone.[330] Generally credited as the genesis of "gun fu",[331][332]A Better Tomorrow marked the starting point for theheroic bloodshed genre.[333][334][335][j] For a few years, a wave of gangster films were released in Hong Kong that imitated the tone, characters and themes found in Woo's work.[338][1] This partially contributed to the rapid growth of the Hong Kong film industry throughout the 1980s, with gangster movies representing 40% of the films produced in 1989.[339] Some heroic bloodshed films, likeRingo Lam'sCity on Fire (1987) andFull Contact (1992)—both of which star Chow Yun-fat—became successful in their own right.City on Fire earned both Chow and Lam a Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor and Best Director, respectively.[340]
Similar to its reception in Hong Kong, the film grew a devoted fan base in South Korea through its distribution in second-run theatres.[153] Enamoured by Chow's character, South Korean men also began styling themselves after him;[341] according to Kim Seung-goo, they would retroactively self-identify as "the generation of hero Chow".[342] The popularity ofA Better Tomorrow helped drive demand for more Hong Kong cinema releases in the country, including more heroic bloodshed films.[153][343] Jinsoo An commented that Korean journalists, recognising the relative novelty of ideas expressed in heroic bloodshed, conceived the term "Hong Kong noir" to describe the overarching "pessimistic energy and allegorical implications" found in the genre.[344] The success ofA Better Tomorrow helped its sequel achieve mainstream popularity in South Korea upon its release in 1988, withA Better Tomorrow II becoming the ninth highest-grossing film that year.[153] WhileA Better Tomorrow was resigned to fringe appearances in Western markets due to a lack of prior mainstream interest in Hong Kong cinema, Karen Fang stated that the film helped the development of international film markets for Hong Kong.[345]
A Better Tomorrow has been referenced numerous times across film and television.[k] In Japan, Chow's appearance as Mark inspired the designs and characterisations of similar characters inMobile Fighter G Gundam andBlack Lagoon.[360][361][362] Woo himself alluded to the film in a future directorial work,Just Heroes (1989), where a character would plant firearms in potted plants like Mark.[363][364] Many directors likeQuentin Tarantino,Robert Rodriguez, andthe Wachowskis acknowledge its influence on their work,[332] with Tarantino recalling that he also tried to dress like Chow for weeks after watching the film.[365] FilmmakerBenny Chan stated that he repeatedly watchedA Better Tomorrow for inspiration while directingThe White Storm (2013).[366] In 2023, a video clip of an animated beaver passionately lip-syncing a monologue delivered by Chow in the film became anInternet meme. Originally posted by a Chinese animator onBilibili the previous year, the video gained significant traction after being reposted onTikTok.[367][368]
After consulting a panel of industry filmmakers and critics, theHong Kong Film Awards rankedA Better Tomorrow second in its 2005 list of the Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures.[369][370] In 2010, members of theHong Kong Film Critics Society voted the film as one of the Top 10 Hong Kong Films.[371] The film was listed at number17 on theTaipei Golden Horse Film Festival's list of the 100 Greatest Chinese-Language Films in 2011.[372] That same year, theHong Kong Film Archive includedA Better Tomorrow in its 100 Must-See Hong Kong Movies exhibition. According to the curators, this programme featured a collection of films best representative of the region's "rich cinematic heritage".[373][374] The 6thJackie Chan Action Movie Awards in 2021 also listed the film as one of the top 10 best Chinese action films.[375]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 94% of 18 critics' reviews are positive.[376]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 78 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[377] Rotten Tomatoes placed the film on its list of 140 essential action movies.[378]Time Out listed the film first in its ranking of the 100 best Hong Kong films.[379] The magazine also placed it number40 in its list of the 101 best action films ever made.[380] In 2021,The Guardian listed it number18 on its list of the 30 best mobster movies,[381] andGamesRadar+ ranked it number9 in its 2025 list of the 32 greatest action films of the 1980s.[382]
The success ofA Better Tomorrow spawned two more movies.A Better Tomorrow II (1987) was a narrative sequel that followed Ho and Kit as they investigate Ho's former boss, Lung.[383] To take advantage of Chow's newfound superstardom—despite his character's death in the first film—the actor was recast as Mark's twin brother, Ken.[384] Woo and Tsui's creative disagreements throughout its production badly strained their friendship.[385]A Better Tomorrow II performed well at the box office, earning HK$23 million and becoming the sixth highest-grossing film that year.[386]
The fractured partnership between Woo and Tsui led to Woo not returning as director for the next film in the series. After collaborating onThe Killer (1989), Woo directedBullet in the Head (1990) without Tsui's involvement, basing his movie off of a script he had intended as a prequel toA Better Tomorrow.[54][385] Tsui would instead direct his own prequel film,A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon (1989). This depicted Mark's trip to Saigon during theVietnam War to bring his cousin and uncle back to Hong Kong.[387][388] For this movie, Tsui explored Mark's origin story, giving him a female mentor and love interest portrayed byAnita Mui.[389][390]A Better Tomorrow III made HK$18 million,[391] reaching eighth place at the box office and earning two nominations at the9th Hong Kong Film Awards.[392]
At the 27thShanghai International Film Festival in June 2025, the China Film Foundation premiered a film that usedgenerative artificial intelligence to reimagineA Better Tomorrow in a futuristic setting. This movie,A Better Tomorrow: Cyber Border (Chinese:英雄本色之賽博邊緣), was reported as the first animated feature film to be fully produced using artificial intelligence (AI). It was meant as part of a larger initiative by the China Film Foundation and its partners to embrace the use of AI in film production and restoration.[402][403][404] Woo said in a written statement that he was uninvolved with its production—having relinquished the rights forA Better Tomorrow—but was "curious about the outcome and the effect it might have on [his] original film."[405]
^Sung Tse-ho (宋子豪) and Sung Tse-kit (宋子杰) are the brothers' full names, with "Tse" being theirgeneration name.[3] In the film, they are informally referred to by their friends and close acquaintances as "Ah Ho" (阿豪) and "Ah Kit" (阿杰), which reflects how Cantonese speakers use the prefix "ah" to show familiarity with someone.[4] For brevity, these two characters will be referred to by their given names, Ho and Kit.
^Mark is usually addressed in the film with thehonorificgor (哥;go1; 'older brother'). This is both common parlance amongst triad members, as well as an indication of his brotherly relationship with Ho.[7] Additionally, Mark is sometimes referred to as小馬哥 (siu2 maa5 go1; 'little Mark brother').[6]
^This citation links to a dynamic web page. As such, results forA Better Tomorrow will be displayed by entering its Korean title, 영웅본색, in the search bar labeled '영화명' (movie name) and clicking the '조회' (search) button.
^At the time of the film's release, the mainland Chinese government enforced a strict quota of non-mainland-produced films that could be shown in the country.[171]
^Heroic bloodshed is what English-language writers use to describe theyingxiongpian (英雄片;jing1 hung4 pin3; 'hero movie'), an existing Chinese-language term for the genre of movies inspired byA Better Tomorrow. This term is derived from the original film's Chinese title.[336][337]
^References toA Better Tomorrow in Chinese-language film and television are attributed to these particular sources.[346][347][348][349][350][351][352][353]References to the film in South Korean film and television are attributed to the following sources.[354][355][356][357][358][359]
^Chan Yuet-mei (陳月媚) (25 January 2018)."黃百鳴破票房毒藥 發哥執三攤 Mark哥彈起紅30年" [Raymond Wong breaks the box office poison: Brother Fat picks up the third stall, Brother Mark bounces up and is popular for 30 years].Apple Daily (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved1 May 2025.
^"【經典男神】鄭浩南辭演《英雄本色》失走紅機會 為太太移居大馬成愛妻暖爸" [Mark Cheng declines role inA Better Tomorrow, misses an opportunity to be popular; moves to Malaysia and becomes a loving father for his wife].TOPick (in Chinese).Hong Kong Economic Times. 7 November 2019.Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved1 October 2025.
^Hui Yuk-man (許育民) (8 November 2017)."吳宇森將失意投放戲中 難忘張國榮的叛逆演出" [John Woo puts his frustration into the film; Leslie Cheung's rebellious performance is unforgettable].HK01 (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved1 January 2026.
^"《英雄本色》30年集体回忆" [A Better Tomorrow: 30 years of collective memories].Oriental Daily News (in Chinese). 5 September 2016.Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved5 October 2025.
^Zhang Yiling (张义凌) (9 November 2017)."吴宇森和31岁的《英雄本色》：他至今没有看第二遍" [John Woo and the 31-year-oldA Better Tomorrow: He to this day hasn't watched it a second time].Sina (in Chinese).China News Service.Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved1 October 2025.
^Yi Bao (懿宝) (19 December 2008)."周润发曾拍片不要片酬 黄百鸣感慨港片衰弱(图)-搜狐娱乐" [Chow Yun-fat once made a film without wanting remuneration; Raymond Wong laments the decline of Hong Kong films].Sohu (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved1 October 2025.
^Wu Xuying (吴旭颖) (14 November 2017)."《英雄本色》重映首映礼 吴宇森追忆张国荣哽咽落泪-手机新民网" [A Better Tomorrow re-screening premiere: John Woo chokes back tears remembering Leslie Cheung].Xinmin Evening News (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved1 October 2025.
^abSiu Nga-man (蕭雅文) (4 August 2021)."《英雄本色》35周年祭 揭開鮮為人知秘聞" [The 35th anniversary tribute forA Better Tomorrow uncovers little-known secrets].Oriental Daily News (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved1 October 2025.
^Ke Xiaoxiang (柯曉翔) (21 March 2019)."中環，追經典港片場景" [In Central, chasing classic Hong Kong film scenes].Alive (in Chinese). Business Weekly.Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved12 May 2022.
^abcdWong, Gary (16 February 2017)."英雄本色" [A Better Tomorrow].Film Pilgrimage (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved1 October 2025.
^Cheung Ga-man (張嘉敏) (17 May 2019)."造就《英雄本色》經典場面 建築為電影取景常客" [[I. M. Pei] contributes to a classic scene fromA Better Tomorrow, the buildings have acted as regular film shooting locations].HK01 (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved12 May 2022.
^Sam Chi-gong (岑志剛) (12 April 2019)."電影發燒友舊區朝聖 尋味本土歷史與人情" [Movie fans go on a pilgrimage to old districts to ponder over local history and human emotions].TOPick (in Chinese).Hong Kong Economic Times.Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved1 October 2025.
^Fung Paak-wai (馮柏偉) (23 April 2021)."漫步土瓜灣尋電影場景足迹 《英雄本色》Mark哥停車場35年無變" [Walking through To Kwa Wan to trace the footprints of film scenes: Mark's parking lot fromA Better Tomorrow has not changed for 35 years].TOPick (in Chinese).Hong Kong Economic Times.Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved1 October 2025.
^Chang Git-ying (曾潔盈) (15 May 2022)."【輕談淺唱不夜天】Mafia romantic world讓你耳朵變「大佬」！" [The "mafia romantic world" makes your ears become "big brother"!].HK01 (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved1 October 2025.
^"香港著名美术指导余家安去世，《英雄本色》小马哥形象出自他手！" [Famous Hong Kong art director Bruce Yu passes away; the image of Brother Mark inA Better Tomorrow came from his hand!].Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 3 August 2022. Archived fromthe original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^"三膺金像獎 炮製《英雄本色》Mark哥look 張國榮梅艷芳御用造型師余家安逝世" [Three-time Hong Kong Film Awards winner who created Brother Mark's look inA Better Tomorrow; Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui's exclusive stylist Bruce Yu passes away].Ming Pao (in Chinese). 4 August 2022.Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved10 October 2025.
^Byun, Hee-won (29 January 2016)."'응팔세대'의 영웅… 30년 만에 극장으로" [The hero of theReply 1988 generation... after 30 years, to the theatre].The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean).Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved28 April 2022.
^Jang, Young-yup (6 August 2008)."한국 최초의 오리지널 버전 상영 <영웅본색>" [Korea's first screening of the original version ofA Better Tomorrow].Cine21 (in Korean).Archived from the original on 29 May 2020. Retrieved2 July 2022.
^Jang, Ik-chang (28 September 2016)."홍콩 느와르의 전설 '영웅본색'" [The Hong Kong noir legendA Better Tomorrow].Biz.Hankook (in Korean).Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^Hang, Sang-hyung (17 January 2021)."영화 '영웅본색1' "세 남자의 뜨거운 우정을 그린 작품! 주윤발·장국영·적룡 주연"" [FilmA Better Tomorrow: "A work that portrays the burning friendship of three men! Starring Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung, and Ti Lung].Korea Lecturer News (in Korean). Archived fromthe original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^Kim, Dong-ryul (6 May 2016)."[김동률 교수의 1980's 청춘의 재발견] 홍콩 누아르에 바친다" [Professor Kim Dong-ryul’s rediscovery of youth in the 1980s: Dedicated to Hong Kong Noir].Seoul Shinmun (in Korean).Archived from the original on 6 May 2016. Retrieved28 April 2022.
^"香港映画祭り！『男たちの挽歌』にチョウ・ユンファ、ジェット・リー、トニー・レオン、レスリー・チャンら名優続々!!" [Hong Kong film festival! WithA Better Tomorrow and featuring Chow Yun-fat, Jet Li, Tony Leung, Leslie Cheung and other famous actors one after another!!].Cinema Today (in Japanese). 2 February 2011.Archived from the original on 2 October 2025. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^"『男たちの挽歌』4Kリマスター版公開決定！" [4K remastered version of "A Better Tomorrow" to be released!].Cinema Today (in Japanese). 4 March 2022.Archived from the original on 2 October 2025. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^"「男たちの挽歌」4K修復リマスター版が4月22日公開 "香港ノワール"の金字塔 : 映画ニュース" [A Better Tomorrow 4K restored remaster will be released on 22 April; a monumental achievement of "Hong Kong noir"].Eiga.com (in Japanese). 4 March 2022. Archived fromthe original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved28 April 2022.
^Yu Ruofei (宇若霏) (5 November 2017)."睽違30年 吳宇森《英雄本色》中國首映" [After a hiatus of 30 years, John Woo'sA Better Tomorrow premieres in China].Apple Daily (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved24 May 2022.
^"《英雄本色》修复版画质提升 三兄弟盛世美颜再现" [The restored version ofA Better Tomorrow has improved picture quality; the three brothers' beautiful faces re-emerge].Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 10 November 2017.Archived from the original on 2 October 2025. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^"香港電影金像獎" [List of nominees and awardees of the 6th Hong Kong Film Awards].Hong Kong Film Awards (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 13 August 2025. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^Cano-Murillo, Kathy (11 January 2001). "Pretty Women Rear TheirUgly Heads".The Arizona Republic. p. 20.ProQuest237972388.Coyote Ugly comes out on VHS (priced for rental) and DVD Tuesday. Other releases includeAmerican Movie (VHS),Sleepwalkers (DVD) andA Better Tomorrow (DVD and VHS widescreen dubbed in English).
^Lee, Luaine (15 December 2000). "Showbiz Notes: Petrie Wants Director-Proof Set".The Windsor Star. p. B5.ProQuest254373892.Before director John Woo became the No. 1 choice on the menu in the U.S. he was hot stuff in Hong Kong. Since he came to the states he's madeMission Impossible 2,Hard Target andFace/Off. But two of his classic Hong Kong films,A Better Tomorrow andA Better Tomorrow II, are due out on video and DVD on Jan. 16.
^Kim, Hyung-won (22 November 2016)."영웅본색 '주윤발'이 돌아왔다…엔터베이 영웅본색 액션피규어 출시" [Chow Yun-fat fromA Better Tomorrow returns... Enterbay'sA Better Tomorrow action figure is released].The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean).Archived from the original on 2 October 2025. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^Wai Chi-yat (尉遲一) (31 January 2019)."《英雄本色鋼筆手繪漫畫》1.0再版 黃水斌加聲效字" ["A Better Tomorrow Fountain Pen Hand-Drawn Comics" 1.0 reprint; Wong Shui-pan adds onomatopoeia].gameover.com.hk (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^"英雄本色電影鋼筆手繪漫畫1.0‧彩色封面" [A Better Tomorrow Film Fountain Pen Hand-Drawn Comic 1.0 – Colour Cover].Shuipan Workshop (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 2 October 2025. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^abShin, Young-eun (25 September 2024)."'영웅본색' 유준상·이장우·최대철, 1차 캐스팅 라인업 공개" [A Better Tomorrow's first casting lineup revealed: Yoo Jun-sang, Lee Jang-woo, and Choi Dae-chul].Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean).Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved11 October 2025.
^Yang, Jin-young (25 September 2019)."유준상·이장우·최대철 뮤지컬 '영웅본색', 12월 17일 월드프리미어" [MusicalA Better Tomorrow, with Yoo Jun-sang, Lee Jang-woo and Choi Dae-chul, has world premiere on 17 December].NewsPim (in Korean).Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved11 October 2025.
^Shin, Young-eun (19 September 2019)."뮤지컬 '영웅본색' 포스터 공개…왕용범 연출X이성준 작곡가 참여" [Poster for the musicalA Better Tomorrow made public... Directed by Wang Yong-beom and composed by Lee Seong-jun].Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean).Archived from the original on 2 October 2025. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^Yang, Jin-young (22 January 2020)."'영웅본색' 왕용범 연출·유준상 "폼잡기보다는 축제처럼 즐기시기 바랐죠"" [A Better Tomorrow director Wang Yong-beom and Yoo Jun-sang: "Rather than put on airs, we hope you enjoy it like a festival."].NewsPim (in Korean).Archived from the original on 2 October 2025. Retrieved2 October 2025.
^Kim, Hyung-joong (25 September 2019)."뮤지컬 '영웅본색', 유준상·이장우·최대철 등 호화 캐스팅" [MusicalA Better Tomorrow has luxurious cast such as Yoo Jun-sang, Lee Jang-woo, and Choi Dae-chul].The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Archived fromthe original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^abcdKim, Na-yul (14 October 2019)."'영웅본색' 오늘(14일) 1차 티켓 오픈..압도적 캐스팅 '눈길'" [First round of tickets forA Better Tomorrow opens today (the 14th)... Overwhelming casting 'attracts attention'].Herald Pop (in Korean).Herald Corporation.Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^abKim, Hyun-jung (25 September 2019)."유준상·이장우·최대철, '영웅본색' 캐스팅…강렬한 캐릭터 포스터" [Yoo Joon-sang, Lee Jang-woo, Choi Dae-chul cast inA Better Tomorrow... striking character posters].Xports News (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Lee, Min-ji (11 October 2019)."한지상, 뮤지컬 '영운본색' 송자걸 役 합류" [Han Ji-sang joins the musicalA Better Tomorrow as Song Ja-geol].Newsen (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Jo, Yoo-kyung (26 November 2019)."'영웅본색' 한지상x박영수x이장우, 궁금증 자아내는 자걸 역 콘셉트 사진" [Han Ji-sang, Park Young-soo, Lee Jang-woo inA Better Tomorrow, concept photos of the role of Ja-geol that arouse curiosity].The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^abPark, Soo-in (25 September 2019)."유준상 이장우 최대철 뮤지컬 '영웅본색' 출연, 1차 라인업이 이정도" [Yoo Joon-sang, Lee Jang-woo, and Choi Dae-chul appear in the musicalA Better Tomorrow, and this is just the first lineup].Newsen (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Kim, Na-kyung (21 November 2019)."뮤지컬 '영웅본색' 박인배, 개성 담은 2차 컨셉 사진 공개" [Park In-bae of the musicalA Better Tomorrow reveals a second concept photo with individuality].Korea Economic Daily (in Korean).Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved6 October 2022.
^Nam, Ji-eun (9 January 2020)."'영웅본색' 명장면이 눈앞에…공연 무대로 돌아온 명작들" [The famous scenes ofA Better Tomorrow before your eyes... The masterpieces that returned to the stage].The Hankyoreh (in Korean).Archived from the original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Kim, Pyo-hyang (21 January 2020)."뮤지컬 '영웅본색' 4050 아재 극장으로 불러들였다" [A Better Tomorrow musical brought 40–50-year-old men into the theatre].Hankook Ilbo (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Shin, Young-eun (31 October 2019)."뮤지컬 '영웅본색' 원작 영화 OST, 뮤지컬 넘버로 재탄생" [MusicalA Better Tomorrow: the soundtrack of the original film reborn into musical numbers].Star Today (in Korean).Maeil Business Newspaper.Archived from the original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Jeong, Da-hoon (21 December 2019)."뮤지컬 '영웅본색' 프리뷰 공연 성료..영화보다 더 영화 같은 '짜릿함'" [The preview performance of the musicalA Better Tomorrow was successfully completed... is a "thrill" more movie-like than the movie].Seoul Economic Daily (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Oh, Dae-hyuk (3 January 2020)."뮤지컬 '영웅본색'이 바라는 이 시대의 영웅" [The hero of this era that theA Better Tomorrow musical hopes for].Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Yang, Jin-young (11 January 2020)."'영웅본색' 템포와 서정성의 조화…영화 속 인물 살아온 듯" [The harmony of the tempo and lyricism ofA Better Tomorrow... it's as if the characters in the movie had come to life].NewsPim (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Lee, Jae-hoon (24 December 2019)."영화에 대한 철저한 오마주···뮤지컬 '영웅본색'" [A thorough homage to the film...A Better Tomorrow musical].Newsis (in Korean).Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Lee, Deok-gi (25 January 2020)."뮤지컬 '영웅본색' 4월 대구서 공연" [A Better Tomorrow musical to be performed in Daegu in April].Yonhap News Agency (in Korean).Archived from the original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Park, Soo-in (10 February 2020)."'영웅본색' 제작사 측 "11일부터 공연중단, 신종 코로나 확산방지"" [The production company ofA Better Tomorrow: "The show will be suspended from the 11th to prevent the spread of COVID-19"].Newsen (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Kim, So-yeon (10 February 2020)."우한 폐렴 때문에…뮤지컬 '영웅본색' 조기 폐막" [Due to the Wuhan pneumonia... the musicalA Better Tomorrow closes early].The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean).Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved11 October 2025.
^Jeon, Hye-won (10 March 2020)."뮤지컬계 임금 미지급 사태, 언제까지 반복되나" [The unpaid wage situation in the musical industry: how long will this be repeated?].Asia Today Korea (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Park, So-young (18 February 2020)."뮤지컬 '위윌락유' '영웅본색', 공연 취소 논란..코로나 아닌 출연료 문제" [MusicalsWe Will Rock You andA Better Tomorrow, controversy over the cancellation of performances... Not coronavirus, but a performance fee issue].OSEN (in Korean).Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Lee, Jae-hoon (10 February 2020)."신종 코로나 확산, 뮤지컬 '영웅본색' 공연 취소" [COVID-19 spreads, performance of the musicalA Better Tomorrow cancelled].Newsis.Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^ab"Travis Japan松倉海斗・川島如恵留W主演、音楽劇「男たちの挽歌」演出は鄭義信" [Travis Japan's Kaito Matsukura and Noel Kawashima co-star,A Better Tomorrow musical directed by Chong WIshing].Stage Natalie (in Japanese). 16 March 2024.Archived from the original on 19 December 2024. Retrieved11 May 2025.
^"Travis Japan松倉海斗&川島如恵留、音楽劇でW主演 香港映画の傑作『男たちの挽歌』を舞台化" [Travis Japan's Kaito Matsukura and Noel Kawashima co-star in musical play, adapting the Hong Kong movie masterpieceA Better Tomorrow for the stage].Oricon (in Japanese). 16 March 2024. Archived fromthe original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved20 October 2025.
^"松倉海斗・川島如恵留がW主演の音楽劇「男たちの挽歌」青柳翔らのビジュアル解禁" [Kaito Matsukura and Noel Kawashima co-star in musicalA Better Tomorrow, Sho Aoyagi and others' visuals unveiled].Stage Natalie (in Japanese). 15 April 2024.Archived from the original on 23 January 2025. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Wen Shenting (文沈汀) (31 August 2009)."香港黑帮电影：审美化的江湖" [Hong Kong gangster films: The aestheticization of thejianghu].Southern Metropolis Weekly (in Chinese). Sina. p. 5.Archived from the original on 4 September 2009. Retrieved13 May 2022.
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^"1986年度十大勁歌金曲頒獎典禮 (其他獎項)" [1986 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation (Other Awards)].TVB (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 11 January 2008. Retrieved11 May 2022.
^"歷年十大中文金曲頒獎 - 第九屆 (1986)" [The Top 10 Gold Songs Awards over the years – 9th edition (1986)].RTHK (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved11 May 2022.
^Chan Wing-si (陳穎思) (14 June 2022)."精裝追女仔｜三個角色同一人演 呢位客串演員竟然係三級片導演" [The Romancing Star: Three different roles are played by the same person, and this guest actor is a Category 3 director].HK01 (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved6 October 2025.
^"【IT狗】神還原周潤發《英雄本色》經典場面 陳湛文致敬Mark哥拍攝富心思" [Amazing reconstruction of Chow Yun-fat's classic scene inA Better Tomorrow: Peter Chan pays tribute to Brother Mark for his thoughtful shooting].TOPick (in Chinese).Hong Kong Economic Times. 20 January 2022.Archived from the original on 6 October 2025. Retrieved6 October 2025.
^Yoo, Won-jeong (19 February 2019)."#복고 #평점 #캐릭터…'극한직업' 이유있는 신드롬" [#Retro #ratings #characters...Extreme Job, a syndrome with reason].No Cut News (in Korean).Archived from the original on 4 October 2025. Retrieved4 October 2025.
^Ham, Young-hoon (25 March 2021)."한류 이전 '향류', 색계·영웅본색·아비정전의 홍콩 그곳" [Before the Korean Wave, the "Hong Kong wave": the Hong Kong places ofLust, Caution,A Better Tomorrow, andDays of Being Wild].Herald Corporation (in Korean).Archived from the original on 4 October 2025. Retrieved4 October 2025.
^"周潤發靠此片鹹魚翻身、劉在錫一聽主題曲就瘋掉！你不能錯過《英雄本色》的10大理由" [Chow Yun-fat relied on this film to make his comeback, Yoo Jae-suk goes crazy when he hears the theme song! Top 10 reasons why you can't missA Better Tomorrow].Yahoo! News Taiwan (in Chinese). 1 April 2022.Archived from the original on 4 October 2025. Retrieved4 October 2025.
^"周潤發捐身家做善事感動韓國網民 《Running Man》來港欲野生捕獲發哥" [Chow Yun-fat donated his total wealth to do good deeds, moving Korean netizens;Running Man came to Hong Kong to wanted to capture Brother Fat in the wild].TOPick (in Chinese).Hong Kong Economic Times. 19 December 2018.Archived from the original on 4 October 2025. Retrieved4 October 2025.
^Zhou Huixiaowan (周慧晓婉) (17 October 2021)."第六届成龙国际动作电影周闭幕，华语十大经典动作电影发布" [The 6th Jackie Chan International Action Film Week concludes, top ten classic Chinese-language action films announced].Sohu (in Chinese).The Beijing News.Archived from the original on 4 October 2025. Retrieved4 October 2025.
^Wei Qimeng (魏其濛) (23 June 2025)."《英雄本色》《笑傲江湖》等一批经典电影将制作"AI重焕版"" [A Better Tomorrow,Swordsman, and a number of other classic films will get "AI enhanced versions"].Sina Finance (in Chinese). Assisted by student reporters He Yichen (何奕辰), Yu Jia (俞佳), and Sha Yiwen (沙易雯).China Youth Daily.Archived from the original on 4 October 2025. Retrieved4 October 2025.
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Leung, Wing-fai (Spring 2011). "Multi-Media Stardom, Performance and Theme Songs in Hong Kong Cinema".Canadian Journal of Film Studies.20 (1):41–60.doi:10.3138/cjfs.20.1.41.JSTOR24411854.
Tsang, Raymond; Cunliffe, Tom (June 2022). "Experimental Shorts, Film Culture, and Third World Cinema in 1950s–1970s Hong Kong: An Interview with Law Kar".Journal of Chinese Cinemas.16 (2):201–214.doi:10.1080/17508061.2023.2266140.ISSN1750-8061 – viaEBSCO Information Services.Early in 1967, members of College Cine Club went to watch Lung Kong shootingStory of a Discharged Prisoner on location in Wader Film Studio in the New Territories. We went there and John Woo was there too, to watch Lung Kong shooting. He was quite impressed with Lung Kong, we were all impressed with Lung Kong at that time.
Van den Troost, Kristof (Summer 2024). "Registers of the Melodramatic Mode: The 1980s Heroic Bloodshed Cycle in the History of the Hong Kong Crime Film".Screen.65 (2).Oxford University Press:233–257.doi:10.1093/screen/hjae020 – via Oxford Academic.
Woo, John (June 1998). "About John Woo".Asian Cult Cinema. No. 20. Vital Books. p. 55.
Xu Lixia (許莉霞) (25 July 2017)."鋼筆下重現Mark哥落魄淒美 黃水斌：爭返口氣，就係唔想港漫冇咗" [Reproduced under the fountain pen, the down-and-out poignance of Brother Mark; Wong Shui-pan: Fighting for one last breath—because I don't want Hong Kong comics to be gone].Ming Pao Weekly (in Chinese).Media Chinese International. Archived fromthe original on 4 October 2025. Retrieved4 October 2025.
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