It’s pretty much impossible to have an earnest discussion about action movies in the ’90s without the nameJohn Wooinevitably popping up. He’s an icon of film who earned his nickname as the godfather of “gun fu” for the stylish way his notable films seamlessly blended close-quarters martial arts action sequences with gunfights.
His reputation as a daringly creative filmmaker began in his native Hong Kong, where he notably became known as a pioneer of the’heroic bloodshed' genre. Initially popularized by Asian cinema, it wasn’t long before Woo’s iconic films likeThe Killeralso caught the attention of international audiences.
Hollywood soon beckoned and Woo became an iconic director of action movies, now adored by western audiences too. However, he was at the peak of his powers when he seemingly disappeared from Hollywood for two decades. Now that he’s back and turning heads once again, here’s the story behind John Woo’s 20-year absence from Hollywood, and why so many fans and insiders are excited about his return.
Woo’s Early Days in Chinese Cinema
Born Wu Yu-seng, he began his career in the industry as a script supervisor for Cathay Studios, but soon got his opportunity behind the camera in 1974. His directorial debut came with the Kung Fu filmThe Young Dragons,which featured fight scenes choreographed by Jackie Chan.
Imbuing the picture with elaborate action scenes and atypically modish cinematography, it was soon picked up by a large studio, which enabled Woo to make other films after it. However, after some early successes, Woo grewdissatisfied with the lack of creative controlafforded to him. After a string of commercially disappointing releases, he went on a self-imposed exile.
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This period later led to him being offered the chance to work on a pet project,The Better Tomorrow.The film became a smash hit and reinvigorated his career. Between its combination of complex emotional drama, and highly atmospheric slow motion gun fu violence, which was still novel back then, the film was a huge success. Between the ’80s and early ’90s, Woo and his signature action-thriller gangster-themed films were a cinematic revelation.
After he madeThe Killer(1989),the film became the most famous Hong Kong film in the USA, aside fromBruce Lee’sEnter the Dragon,and earned Woo a cult following in the States. With his reputation preceding him, Woo later moved there in the early ’90s and soon joined the famous line of successful immigrant filmmakers who had done the same.
John Woo’s Career in Hollywood
Despite suffering setbacks in adjusting to the cultural differences, Woo’s first film in Hollywood is now considered a cult classic action movie. Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme,Hard Targetproved to be a commercial success. Although not acclaimed, many prominent critics were quick to notice that the film rose above its genre withtechnical features that were brilliantly executed.
Over the next few years, Woo would go on to cement himself as an auteur of action films, and a director who placed an indelible stamp on the genre during this period. After making the tense action-thrillerBroken Arrow,starring John Travolta and Christian Slater, Woo went on to make his most famous Hollywood film.
That film was 1997’sFace/Off,a now iconic action film featuring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, who both interchangeably played an FBI agent and a terrorist. It became a thing of beauty, and a movie that combined stunning action sequences with the air of an operatic, deep dive into the human psyche behind two diametrically opposed personalities.Its balletic gun fu fight scenes, slow motion camera work, and great performances all coalesced to produce a film straddling lines between action blockbuster and arthouse noir.
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Following the immense success of the film, Woo went on to direct Tom Cruise inMission: Impossible 2,and although the film wasn’t critically acclaimed, Woo’s dynamic and over-the-top action scenes made it the most commercially successful film of his career. It seemed he could do no wrong and during his peak fame in Hollywood, at a time when he could have commanded any major script he wanted, Woo instead opted for two atypical films —Windtalkers(2002)andPaycheck(2003).
They both wound up being critical and commercial failures, and in an instant, it seemed like he had become persona non grata in Hollywood. Sadly, this would be the last time western audiences would see him for 20 years.
Woo’s Absence From Hollywood, Explained
Silent Night
Silent Night Review:John Woo Returns in an Action-Packed Movie with the Eye of an Auteur
During this 20 yeats, Woo returned to Asian cinema, where he continued making hit films there, such as the two-partRed Cliffmovies. Woo’stime away from Hollywoodwas still successful for him personally, but sparked rumors that he left because he was no longer receiving any scripts.
However, after returning to Hollywood, he slid back into his specialist genre when he directed the recently released action filmSilent Night.During an interview, Woo later shed more light on why he wasn’t snubbed at all, but actually took a break from Hollywood for more personal reasons:
“In Hollywood, I had been established as a “big movie” director, and there are so many good smaller-scale scripts that never came to me. My partner would always say, “John, you’re a big director! These are too small for you!” But I like trying things that are smaller and more personal. And not just action. I really enjoy making a human story, but I’d never get it. I wanted to tackle Silent Night as my first film here because I was excited by how it had no dialogue. It would allow me to use my visual technique and sound to tell a story.”
His Return and Future Projects
John Woo’s return to Hollywood has many fans and insiders excited at the prospect of what projects he might take on next. We already knew how wonderfully insightful and creative he can be with big-budget action films. Now, we also know that he’s just as open to making more dramatic, story and character-driven films too.
Having sorely missed his presence in western films for so long made us realize whatan immense impacthe had on them. While his fans are probably all guilty of wanting to shoe-horn him into immoderate, large-scale action flicks, we perhaps should have recognized how good he was as a storyteller on a humanistic level too.
After all, his modest upbringing and background saw him facing immense adversities as a member of a Chinese-Christian family sometimes persecuted for their beliefs. He also grew up struggling through poverty, faced bullying, and was admittedly very shy. A true student of films and art, he often credits the likes of actors like Bruce Lee, artists like Bob Dylan, movies likeButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,and French New Wave movies as inspirations behind his filmmaking.
What is clear is that John Woo is certainly much more than just an action director. WhileSilent Nightis so far being fairly well received, Woo is also set to work on an American version ofThe Killer,and hopes to also rekindle a passion project that tells the dramatic story of a Chinese railroad laborer. With these andother tantalizing prospects ahead, all we can say is — we’re glad he’s back.
