Once a Thief: An Uneven John Woo Entry That Still Delivers the Goods (4K/Blu-ray)

The Film:

Hot on the heels of Shout! Studios' recent release of "Bullet in the Head" comes the next entry in their Hong Kong Cinema Classics series, "Once a Thief," another John Woo outing that may not be quite as well-known to some as his more popular works like "The Killer," "Hard Boiled," or "A Better Tomorrow." Once more, Shout! is giving the film a stunning upgrade and loading it up with over two hours of extras, so let's delve right in and see how this Woo work stacks up to the beloved director's impressive collection of classics.

The film focuses on a trio of childhood friends who have grown up to become art thieves: Red Bean Pudding (Chow Yun-fat), James (Leslie Cheung), and Red Bean (Cherie Chung). When they are asked to steal a cursed painting in France, Red Bean turns the gig down, but the other two decide to steal it anyway as a challenge. This leads to certain complications and a confrontation from the man who wanted to hire them in the first place, with Red Bean Pudding barely escaping with his life. As the three try to get on with their lives in the wake of the aftermath, they soon find themselves drawn into another plot involving the same painting. Will their luck hold out as they try to execute yet another daring heist?

"Once a Thief" presents a rather unusual offering from acclaimed writer/director John Woo in that, while it still gives the audience plenty of thrilling action & exciting heist sequences, it also tries to add quite a bit of levity throughout the proceedings as well. This does end up leading to a somewhat uneven tone throughout the film as it tries to balance the serious side of its narrative, which involves the trio's unwavering friendship, their line of work, and the dangerous plot they find themselves drawn into, with seemingly random bouts of goofiness that pop up here and there, clearly meant to show us that they still have a significant lighter side to their characters despite their chosen vocation.

However, even with its tonal fluctuations, the film is a rather entertaining romp that never goes too far off into the realm of silliness, though one does get the feeling that it would have ended up being a little stronger if they had toned down those portions to help with the inconsistent tone that threatens to derail the serious nature of the story. It may not be the most memorable outing in John Woo's incredible & extensive filmography, but, as mentioned, it still manages to give the fans exactly what they would expect from one of his films, including a compelling storyline, characters that you can easily get engaged with, and, of course, plenty of thrills along the way, ultimately making it a Woo work well-worth seeking out.

Video/Audio:

This edition of "Once a Thief" comes with the film on both 4K (2160p, UHD) and Blu-ray (1080p, HD) in 1.85:1 transfers of marvelous quality, featuring a picture that is crystal clear & sharp. Likewise, the mono DTS-HD Master Audio tracks are fantastic, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in outstanding quality. Overall, Shout! Studios has once again done an incredible job in both departments for the film's new release.

Special Features:

Audio Commentary with Film Producer James Mudge

Handling a Heist (24 Minutes): An interview with director/co-writer John Woo.

Thoughts About Thievery (21 Minutes): An interview with screenwriter Clifton Ko.

Stealing Some Shots (27 Minutes): An interview with cinematographer Poon Hang-Sang.

Heists and Lows (8 Minutes): An interview with producer Terence Chang.

Art of the Steal (10 Minutes): An interview with editor David Wu.

Hong Kong Confidential (8 Minutes): An inside look at the film with author Grady Hendrix.

Once a Star, Always an Icon (17 Minutes): A featurette that has film critic Frank Djeng discussing actor Leslie Cheung.

Archival Interview with Actor Kenneth Tsang (7 Minutes)

Conclusion:

John Woo's "Once a Thief" may not be one of the most memorable entries in the beloved director's incredible filmography, especially with its uneven tone that somewhat threatens to derail the more serious aspects of its narrative, but even so, it remains a rather entertaining outing that still gives fans exactly what they want from one of his films, including a compelling storyline, engaging characters, and plenty of action, ultimately making it worth giving a shot.

Score: 3.5/5

Now available on 4K/Blu-ray.

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