Connection
Hard Target is a american film of genre Drama directed by John Woo released in USA on 20 august 1993 with Jean-Claude Van Damme
Hard Target (1993)
If you like this film, let us know!
- Infos
- Casting
- Technical infos
- Photos
- Videos
- Film quotes
- Characters
- Music
- Awards
Add to a movie listReleased in USA 20 august 1993
Length 1h37
Directed by John Woo
OriginUSA
Themes Sports films, Transport films, Films about automobiles, Martial arts films, Road movies, Chase films
Rating62%
Hard Target is a 1993 American action film directed by Chinese film director John Woo in his American directorial debut. The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chance Boudreaux, an out-of-work Cajun merchant seaman who saves a young woman, named Natasha Binder (Yancy Butler), from a gang of thugs in New Orleans. Chance learns that Binder is searching for her missing father (Chuck Pfarrer), and agrees to aid Binder in her search. Boudreaux and Binder soon learn that Binder's father has died at the hands of wealthy sportsman Emil Fouchon (Lance Henriksen) who hunts homeless men as a form of recreation. The screenplay was written by Chuck Pfarrer and is based on the 1932 film adaptation of Richard Connell's 1924 short story, The Most Dangerous Game.
Hard Target was Woo's first American film and was also the first major Hollywood film made by a Chinese director. Universal Pictures was nervous on having Woo direct a feature, and sent in director Sam Raimi to look over the film's production and to take Woo's place as director if he were to fail. Woo went through several scripts finding mostly martial arts films with which he was not interested. After deciding on Chuck Pfarrer's script for Hard Target, Woo wanted to have actor Kurt Russell in the lead role, but found Russell too busy with other projects. Woo then went with Universal's initial choice of having Jean-Claude Van Damme star. Woo got along with Van Damme during filming and raised the amount of action in the film as he knew that Van Damme was up for it.
After 65 days of filming in New Orleans, Woo had trouble with the Motion Picture Association of America to secure the R rating that Universal wanted. Woo made dozens of cuts to the film until the MPAA allowed it an R rating. On its initial release, Hard Target was a financial success but received mixed reviews from film critics. Critics found Hard Target to have good action scenes but noted the weak script and poor quality acting from Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Synopsis
In New Orleans, a homeless veteran named Douglas Binder is the target of a hunt. He is given a belt containing $10,000 and told that he must reach the other side of town where he would then win the money and his life. Hunting him are the hunt organizer Emil Fouchon, a businessman named Mr. Lopaki who has paid $500,000 for the opportunity to hunt a human, Fouchon's lieutenant Pik Van Cleaf, and mercenaries including Stephan and Peterson. Binder fails to reach his destination and is shot by three crossbow bolts. Van Cleaf retrieves the money belt.Actors
Jean-Claude Van Damme
(Chance Boudreaux)
Lance Henriksen
(Emil Fouchon)
Yancy Butler
(Natasha Binder)
Arnold Vosloo
(Pik van Cleef)
Wilford Brimley
(Uncle Douvee)
Comments
Leave comment :
Suggestions of similar film to Hard Target
There are 209 films with the same actors, 32 films with the same director, 80197 with the same cinematographic genres (including 13 with exactly the same 7 genres than Hard Target), 10432 films with the same themes (including 7 films with the same 6 themes than Hard Target), to have finally 70 suggestions of similar films.If you liked Hard Target, you will probably like those similar films :
Face/Off (1997)
, 2h18Directed by John Woo
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Spy films, Sports films, Films about terrorism, Transport films, L'usurpation d'identité, Films about automobiles, Martial arts films, Road movies, Chase films, Escroquerie
Actors John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Gina Gershon, Dominique Swain, Alessandro Nivola
Rating72%
FBI Special Agent Sean Archer (Travolta) has a personal vendetta against civil freelance terrorist Castor Troy (Cage) who six years earlier killed Archer's son Michael while trying to assassinate Archer. Archer lays an ambush to capture Castor and his younger brother and terrorist accomplice Pollux at a small Los Angeles airport. During the ambush, Castor goads Archer with knowledge of a bomb located somewhere in the city set to go off in a few days, but is knocked into a coma before Archer can learn more.
Broken Arrow (1996)
, 1h48Directed by John Woo
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Spy
Themes Spy films, L'action se déroule en une journée, Films about terrorism, Transport films, Films about automobiles, Aviation films, Rail transport films, Road movies, Children's films, Chase films, Arme nucléaire, United States Armed Forces in films
Actors John Travolta, Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Delroy Lindo, Frank Whaley, Bob Gunton
Rating60%
Major Vic "Deak" Deakins (John Travolta) and Captain Riley Hale (Christian Slater) are pilots in the United States Air Force. After a sparring match, the pilots are assigned to a top secret evening exercise over Utah, flying a B-3 Stealth Bomber (a fictional iteration of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber) with two B83 nuclear bombs on board.
Last Hurrah for Chivalry (1979)
, 1h47Directed by John Woo
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama, Martial arts, Action, Martial arts
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Kung fu films, Wuxia films
Actors Damian Lau, Lau Kong, Mars
Rating69%
Last Hurrah for Chivalry is a story about two killers for hire. The two assassins are master swordsmen with no allegiance. They decide to help out a local merchant, seeking revenge against a kungfu master. The plot contains multiple twists of deception, leaving characters wondering who to really trust. The story ultimately ends with a revelation as to who truly has honor. Most of the swordplay is very fast-paced.
The Killer (1989)
, 1h51Directed by John Woo
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Buddy films, Gangster films
Actors Chow Yun-fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Kenneth Tsang Wing Kong, Shing Fui On, Barry Wong
Rating76%
A Hong Kong assassin, Ah Jong, is on his last job for the Triad (a criminal organization), but accidentally damages the eyes of a young nightclub singer named Jennie with a muzzle flash in a shootout. After the attack, Ah Jong begins to watch Jennie perform at the nightclub and escorts her home when she is attacked by thugs. Jennie and Ah Jong begin to fall in love during his frequent visits at her apartment. Driven to help her secure the money for a sight-saving corneal transplant, he accepts one final hit. A police detective, Li Ying, spots Ah Jong completing the job but the assassin escapes. The Triad leader Hay Wong Hoi double crosses Ah Jong, and instead of paying him, sends a group of hitmen to kill him. During Ah Jong's escape from the Triad, a young child is injured by a stray bullet. After dispatching the attackers, Ah Jong rushes the child to the hospital while being followed by Li and his partner Sgt. Tsang. Once the child regains consciousness at the casualty ward, Ah Jong escapes Li and Tsang.
A Better Tomorrow II (1987)
, 1h45Directed by John Woo
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Gangster films
Actors Chow Yun-fat, Dean Shek, Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, Emily Chu, Regina Kent
Rating71%
Several years after the events of A Better Tomorrow, Sung Tse-ho (Ti Lung) is offered early parole by the police in exchange for spying on his former boss and mentor, Lung Sei (Dean Shek), who is suspected of heading a counterfeiting operation. Inspector Wu (Lau Siu-ming), the leader of the crime task force, wants to mark his retirement with the capture of a high profile criminal like Lung.
Hand of Death (1976)
, 1h35Directed by John Woo
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama, Martial arts, Action, Martial arts
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Kung fu films
Actors Tao-liang Tan, James Tien, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, John Woo, Yuen Biao
Rating59%
During the Qing Dynasty the Shaolin disciples are hunted down by a powerful warrior who wants to rid the Shaolin men from China. At a remote training camp a group of Shaolin train together, their best student Yun Fei is given the task of taking down Shih Shao-Feng and his reign of terror. Along the way he befriends Chan Yuan-lung's character named Tan Feng, who is a blacksmith.
Bullet in the Head (1990)
, 2h16Directed by John Woo
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama, War, Thriller, Action, Crime, Politic
Themes Politique, Sports films, Martial arts films, Political films, Gangster films
Actors Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Jacky Cheung, Simon Yam, Paw Hee-ching, John Woo, Tseng Chang
Rating74%
In 1967, Hong Kong, Ben, Paul, and Frank are childhood friends and members of a gang. They regularly brawl with members of other gangs. Ben becomes engaged to his girlfriend Jane and Frank takes out a loan to pay for the reception. He is attacked by the leader of another gang, Ringo, and they fight over the money. After the wedding Ben and Frank attack Ringo in retaliation and Frank gets carried away and kills him. They meet with Paul and decide to flee Hong Kong to escape the police. They decide to go to Vietnam, as they have heard that there is money to be made as smugglers due to the war.
Reign of Assassins (2010)
, 1h57Directed by John Woo
Origin Chine
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Historical
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Kung fu films, Wuxia films
Actors Michelle Yeoh, Jeong Woo-seong, Wang Xueqi, Shawn Yue Man Lok, Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛), Paw Hee-ching
Rating68%
A narration tells of a legendary Indian Buddhist monk, Bodhi and the belief that his mummified remains has mystical powers.
Hard Boiled (1992)
, 2h6Directed by John Woo
Origin Hong kong
Genres Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Gangster films
Actors Chow Yun-fat, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Philip Chan, Teresa Mo, John Woo, Philip Kwok
Rating76%
In a tea house in Hong Kong, Officer "Tequila" Yuen (Chow Yun-fat) and his partner Benny (Bowie Lam), attempt to arrest a group of gun smugglers while they are making a deal. After an ambush from another gang member, a fierce gun battle breaks out. The gangsters are defeated but with several police officers badly wounded, and Benny is killed. Tequila, seeking revenge, decides to kill the gangster who ambushed them, rather than arrest him. This angers his boss, Officer Superintendent Pang (Philip Chan), who wanted the gangster alive to testify. Tequila is ordered off the case.
Once a Thief (1991)
, 1h43Directed by John Woo
Origin Hong kong
Genres Thriller, Comedy, Action, Crime
Themes Films about children, Sports films, Martial arts films, Buddy films, Heist films
Actors Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Chung, Kenneth Tsang Wing Kong, John Woo, Philip Kwok
Rating66%
The story is of three orphans and their two father figures. They are taken in by both a wealthy crime boss which leads to their close friendship, and a kind police officer. Nevertheless, the trio grows up learning high-tech methods of theft and specialize in stealing treasured paintings. After a heist in France goes awry, Red Bean Pudding is thought to be dead and James takes his place as Red Bean's lover. However, Pudding returns in a wheelchair, and the group begins planning their next heist for themselves, fall out of favor with Chow, and various complications and gun battles ensue.