Hard Boiled was released in Hong Kong in 1992 to generally positive audience reception. Woo were introduced, while the original plotline of a baby-poisoning psychopath was cut. With the death of screenwriter Barry Wong, the film's screenplay underwent constant changes during filming. After making films that glamorized gangsters and receiving criticism for doing so, Woo wanted to make a Dirty Harry styled film to glamorize the police. The film was John Woo's last Hong Kong film before his transition to Hollywood. The film stars Chow Yun-fat as Inspector 'Tequila' Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-wai as Alan, an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of the criminal triads. Hard Boiled ( Chinese: 辣手神探) is a 1992 Hong Kong action thriller film directed by John Woo from a screenplay by Gordon Chan and Barry Wong.
