Just Heroes (1989) | Hong Kong Movie World film review

Just Heroes (1989)

Magnum Films Limited

Cast: John Chiang (David Chiang), Danny Lee, Chen Kuan Tai (Chan Koon Tai), Stephen

Chow Sing Chi, Wu Ma, Tien Niu, Cally Kwong, James Wong, Shing Fui On, Joe Ngai Chun,

Kelly Chu, Parkman Wong, Chiang Tao, Joe Nieh, Cheng Kang Yeh, James Ha

Cameo: Philip Ko Fei, John Chang, Ti Lung, Ku Feng, Yueh Hua, Paul Chun Pui, Lau Ka Wing,

Wong Shee Tong, Tien Ching, Tang Chia, Lo Lieh, Cheng Lui (Cheng Lei), Yuen Woo Ping, Bill Tung Pui,

Tina Chin Fei, Fung Hak On, Yi Fan Wai, Chan Kwok Kuen, Rico Chu

Writer: Ni Kuang, Tommy Hau Music: Romeo Diaz, James Wong

Associate Producer: John Chiang, Danny Lee Producer: Tsui Hark

Director: John Woo, Wu Ma (Ng Ma)

Genre: Gangs | Drama | Action Length: 102 minutes

"Maybe I'm pessimistic. Time goes on, but fightings never stop."

Firstly, there's two things wrong with the title. Just Heroes doesn't have any actual heroes in it,

but the characters are presented as such. Made in 1989 between John Woo's watershed films

A Better Tomorrow and The Killer, it has a similar feel to those movies, but is far blander

overall. Sharing directing duties with Woo is Wu Ma, who also co-stars.

Apparently the film was made as a tribute/benefit for Chang Cheh, which would make sense

considering how many of Cheh's friends and colleagues appear in the film. What we have here is

a purely generic gangster picture. A gang boss is assassinated, and internal power struggles over

his successor and suspected traitorship causes division within the organization.

Only men could make, or even enjoy this kind of movie. It's saturated with all the brotherhood

crap from Woo's other movies, with women playing peripheral roles of little significance. It's sad

to see actors like Chen Kuan Tai and David Chiang in such uninspiring roles, paling in

comparison to their former greatness.
Just Heroes is just a soap opera held together by several explosive gunfights and some popsicle

sticks. The opening battle takes place at a boat dock, then there's a night battle in a quarry, a

scene where Danny Lee and David Chiang team up in a drug refining factory, and a final battle

in a mansion. The only humorous moments derive from Joe Ngai Chun's character, a kid

infatuated with the gang lifestyle who quotes lines from his favorite mob flick-

A Better Tomorrow.

After over an hour and a half of baloney and bloodshed, Just Heroes redeems itself a tiny bit

with one pertinent line of dialogue. During a climactic standoff in the film's finale, a character says,
"You can kill me, but it doesn't mean you are good guys. In fact, we are all shits."

AMEN!!!!

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Related viewing: A Better Tomorrow (1986) Chow Yjn Fat, Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung

The Killer (1989) Chow Yun Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh