Hard Boiled (1992)
辣手神探
Action, Thriller, Crime • 2h 6m
Overview
A cop who loses his partner in a shoot-out with gun smugglers goes on a mission to catch them. In order to get closer to the leaders of the ring he joins forces with an undercover cop who's working as a gangster hitman. They use all means of excessive force to find them.
Director: John Woo
Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Teresa Mo Shun-Kwan, Philip Chan, Phillip Kwok, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Kwan Hoi-San, Stephen Tung Wai, Bowie Lam, Bobby Au-yeung Chun Wah, Keith Ng Shui-Ting, Lau Kong, Michael Dinga, Perrie Lai Hoi-San, Kenny Wong Tak-Ban, Lo Meng, Lam Kai-Wing, John Woo, Jun Kunimura, Lee Yiu-King, Benny Lam, Wai-Sun Lam, Gilbert Lam Wai-San, Jameson Lam Wa-Fan, Jack Wong, Paco Yick Tin-Hung, Benny Lam Diy-Kuen, Jacky Cheung Chun-Hung, Derek Kwok Jing-Hung, Raymond Tsang Chau-Ming, Buffalo Tang Tai-Wo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray > Disk Kino/WCL China import
review: Disk Kino
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray has the original mono
Director: John Woo
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray > Disk Kino/WCL China import
review: Disk Kino
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray has the original mono
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
Arrow has a different grade and a better encode, though the difference in either is not major.
Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray (similar to Criterion LaserDisc, but less distorted)
Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD
Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)
Arrow used the alternate mix, but with extra filtering and lowered dynamic range. The alternate mix has much better fidelity.
Director: John Woo
Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
Arrow has a different grade and a better encode, though the difference in either is not major.
Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray (similar to Criterion LaserDisc, but less distorted)
Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD
Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)
Arrow used the alternate mix, but with extra filtering and lowered dynamic range. The alternate mix has much better fidelity.
Director: Jean Renoir
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray
The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.
Director: Jean Renoir
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray
The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.
Director: John Waters
Director: John Waters
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
Director: John Waters
Director: John Waters
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray - subtle difference in encoding to the Criterion in encoding, trading blows in different shots, with Plaion taking a slight edge with less highlight blocking
1993 MGM LaserDisc/2000 Region 1 MGM DVD
Criterion's 2.0 sounds muffled due to noise reduction and EQ.
Plaion's 2.0 lacks bass and has a very bright EQ, more resembling the 5.1 remix. Plaion’s 2.0 doesn't have any filtering unlike the Criterion, see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23831289&postcount=110
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray - subtle difference in encoding to the Criterion in encoding, trading blows in different shots, with Plaion taking a slight edge with less highlight blocking
1993 MGM LaserDisc/2000 Region 1 MGM DVD
Criterion's 2.0 sounds muffled due to noise reduction and EQ.
Plaion's 2.0 lacks bass and has a very bright EQ, more resembling the 5.1 remix. Plaion’s 2.0 doesn't have any filtering unlike the Criterion, see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23831289&postcount=110
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray is closer to the original DVDs than the 2015 Criterion release, not sure about whether the StudioCanal 4K is like the Criterion 4K/original DVD
Criterion 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision, StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has MEL
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray is closer to the original DVDs than the 2015 Criterion release, not sure about whether the StudioCanal 4K is like the Criterion 4K/original DVD
Criterion 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision, StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has MEL
Director: Ridley Scott
Capelight 4K Blu-ray has better encode than Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Director: Ridley Scott
Capelight 4K Blu-ray has better encode than Criterion 4K Blu-ray
More Action on Blu-ray
Director: Akira Kurosawa
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray
BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.
The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.
Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray
BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.
The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.
Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Arrow includes the original theatrical sound mix in all its glory. All previous releases other than the 1996 AC-3 LaserDisc were tamed relative to the original theatrical DTS track.
The disc is authored by Duplitech, but doesn't exhibit any compression issues, though the image is pretty soft, that's likely just down to the stock used.
Old New Line Video LaserDiscs include an exclusive commentary track.
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Arrow includes the original theatrical sound mix in all its glory. All previous releases other than the 1996 AC-3 LaserDisc were tamed relative to the original theatrical DTS track.
The disc is authored by Duplitech, but doesn't exhibit any compression issues, though the image is pretty soft, that's likely just down to the stock used.
Old New Line Video LaserDiscs include an exclusive commentary track.
Director: John McTiernan
Director: John McTiernan
Director: Moritz Mohr
Italy Plaion has Dolby Vision, but the metadata is static: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=22742198&postcount=92
Director: Moritz Mohr
Italy Plaion has Dolby Vision, but the metadata is static: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=22742198&postcount=92
Director: Tommy Wirkola
Director: Tommy Wirkola
Director: James Cameron
Disney 4K Blu-ray's artificial smoothening of facial textures making actors look unnatural, grain reduction and other changes to make the film look less like a product of its time
Old WEB-DL or HDTV rip for non AI version
Director: James Cameron
Disney 4K Blu-ray's artificial smoothening of facial textures making actors look unnatural, grain reduction and other changes to make the film look less like a product of its time
Old WEB-DL or HDTV rip for non AI version
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
caps #1 (with FEL), caps #2
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
The compression is underwhelming on all discs, but despite trading blows in various frames, Lionsgate's re-released 4K disc wins.
The Lionsgate 4K re-release includes original matrixed Dolby Stereo mix, transferred from a LaserDisc, with missing cues at side changeover points corrected, and consistent volume throughout, as well as two remixed variants in 5.1 and 7.1 Atmos. The 5.1 is incorrectly labeled as original on the menu.
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
caps #1 (with FEL), caps #2
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
The compression is underwhelming on all discs, but despite trading blows in various frames, Lionsgate's re-released 4K disc wins.
The Lionsgate 4K re-release includes original matrixed Dolby Stereo mix, transferred from a LaserDisc, with missing cues at side changeover points corrected, and consistent volume throughout, as well as two remixed variants in 5.1 and 7.1 Atmos. The 5.1 is incorrectly labeled as original on the menu.
Director: Newt Arnold
France ESC 4K Blu-ray, better than Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray.
Capelight 4K Blu-ray (the ESC 4K Blu-ray have no original 2.0 and a different Atmos mix. More about the ESC mix in this review)
Director: Newt Arnold
France ESC 4K Blu-ray, better than Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray.
Capelight 4K Blu-ray (the ESC 4K Blu-ray have no original 2.0 and a different Atmos mix. More about the ESC mix in this review)
Edit History
5/28/2026
blah-ray
Added
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/search/label/Hard%20Boiled%20%281992%29
Added
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/search/label/Hard%20Boiled%20%281992%29
4/4/2026
Best Audio Release
From
To
From
To
Additional Info
From
Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.
Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD.
There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.
For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.
To
Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.
Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD.
There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.
For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.
From
Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.
Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD.
There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.
For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.
To
Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.
Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD.
There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.
For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.
3/29/2026
Additional Info
From
Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.
Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was even more boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD, the shout was also padded;
There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.
For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono and stripped to one channel. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.
To
Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.
Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD.
There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.
For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.
From
Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.
Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was even more boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD, the shout was also padded;
There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.
For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono and stripped to one channel. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.
To
Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.
Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD.
There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.
For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.
3/29/2026
Best Video Release
From
Britain Arrow 4K Blu-ray, Correct grade and archival extras missing from the Shout Factory 4K Blu-ray
To
UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray, correct grade and archival extras missing from the Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
From
Britain Arrow 4K Blu-ray, Correct grade and archival extras missing from the Shout Factory 4K Blu-ray
To
UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray, correct grade and archival extras missing from the Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
3/28/2026
Best Audio Release
To
To
3/27/2026
Best English-Friendly Release
Upcoming Release
From
British Arrow 4K Blu-ray, Imprint 4K Blu-ray
From
British Arrow 4K Blu-ray, Imprint 4K Blu-ray
Best Video Release
To
Britain Arrow 4K Blu-ray, Correct grade and archival extras missing from the Shout Factory 4K Blu-ray
To
Britain Arrow 4K Blu-ray, Correct grade and archival extras missing from the Shout Factory 4K Blu-ray
3/27/2026
Additional Info
Added
Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.
Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was even more boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD, the shout was also padded;
There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.
For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono and stripped to one channel. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.
Added
Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.
Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was even more boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD, the shout was also padded;
There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.
For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono and stripped to one channel. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.
2/12/2026
Upcoming Release
From
British Arrow 4K Blu-ray upcoming
To
British Arrow 4K Blu-ray, Imprint 4K Blu-ray
From
British Arrow 4K Blu-ray upcoming
To
British Arrow 4K Blu-ray, Imprint 4K Blu-ray
2/3/2026
1/30/2026
Upcoming Release
From
Arrow 4K Blu-ray teased
To
British Arrow 4K Blu-ray upcoming
From
Arrow 4K Blu-ray teased
To
British Arrow 4K Blu-ray upcoming
11/4/2025
Best English-Friendly Release
From
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
From
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
Upcoming Release
From
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
To
Arrow 4K Blu-ray teased
From
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
To
Arrow 4K Blu-ray teased
Best Video Release
From
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
From
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
10/21/2025
Format
Added
UHD Blu-ray
Added
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly Release
Added
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
Added
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
Upcoming Release
Added
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
Added
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
Best Video Release
Added
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
Added
Shout/Arrow UHD upcoming
Blu-ray.com
Added
https://www.blu-ray.com/Hard-Boiled/22165/#Releases
Added
https://www.blu-ray.com/Hard-Boiled/22165/#Releases
caps-a-holic
Added
https://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=5566
Added
https://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=5566
DVDBeaver
Added
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare5/hardboiled.htm, http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/hardboiled.htm, http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/hardboiled.htm
Added
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare5/hardboiled.htm, http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/hardboiled.htm, http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/hardboiled.htm
