Five Johnnie To films you should stream right now
The famed Hong Kong filmmaker is best known for his offbeat gangster movies, but he has nearly every other genre under his belt
Words by Dan Schindel
New York’s Museum of Modern Art is currently in the midst of its retrospective screening series Chaos and Order: The Way of Johnnie To, running until Oct. 13. This tribute to the famed Hong Kong filmmaker presents more than 20 of his films from throughout his five-decade career, which does not cover even half of his incredibly prolific output. Still, it’s nicely curated to include titles that showcase the broad scope of genres that To’s work represents. While he’s best known for directing some of Hong Kong’s greatest, most offbeat gangster movies, To has also worked in romance, superhero pictures, slapstick comedy, sports dramas, supernatural horror, martial arts films, and more—he’s even made a musical!
Those not in New York needn’t miss out on appreciating To’s filmography. Many of his movies are available to stream on various services. Here’s just a small sample of great ones you should check out.
The Heroic Trio (1993)
No Hollywood superhero movie has ignited the sheer megaton of star power that this film has by bringing together Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, and Anita Mui in the early ’90s. For that matter, I’m not sure any Hollywood superheroines have kicked as much *ss as Cheung’s Thief-Catcher, Yeoh’s Invisible Woman, and Mui’s Wonder Woman, who battle a subterranean supervillain who’s been kidnapping babies. Sadly, Executioners, the sequel, which was released the same year (Hong Kong film production during its boom era was on another level), is not currently legally available to stream.
The Mission (1999)
This is perhaps the archetypical To gangster movie, following a crew of Triad members tasked with protecting their boss from assassination attempts. But most of the film operates in a laid back tone, following the characters as they simply kill time and hang out, making for a winning study in homosocial bonding. And then when danger does rear its head, things get incredibly tense; one shopping center shootout in particular is considered one of the crown setpieces of To’s career, structured more around long, tense silences than gunplay fireworks.
Election (2005) and Election 2 (2006)
This duology is an intrigue-filled look at the mechanics of democracy and the limits of institutions—it just happens to play out within the milieu of organized crime. Each film follows an election within the Wo Shing Wo triad, a real syndicate that does in fact hold a vote to select a chairman every two years. By giving backroom wheeling and dealing life-or-death stakes (make the wrong move and you might get fed to dogs), the films satirize how much of the political process is built on norms that are maintained mostly by collective agreement—and are just as easy to violate.
Both films are on Tubi.
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (2011)
One of To’s many collaborations with fellow popular Hong Kong director Wai Ka-fai centers on a constantly shifting love triangle between high-powered corporate types against the backdrop of the Great Recession. The story is firmly in the tradition of classic rom-coms, full of melodramatic reversals of fortune. He stands her up, and then a few years later he becomes her boss! He sobers up to be with her, but then loses touch! He designs a skyscraper as a tribute to her! It’s delightful. The sequel, Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 2, is just as good but unfortunately not available to stream at this time.
On Netflix.
Drug War (2012)
To went to Mainland China for this production about a mid-level drug manufacturer turned police informant helping lead an elaborate operation to ensnare his bosses. The plot simmers as a procedural about two-thirds of the way through before exploding into a series of frenetic, almost apocalyptic shootouts. It’s a chess game right up until the board gets knocked over, and To excels in both tones.
Published on October 8, 2024