The Best Chow Yun-Fat Movies

Ranker Film
Updated August 11, 2023 1.6K votes 366 voters 36.4K views
Over 300 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Chow Yun-Fat Movies
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List of the best Chow Yun-Fat movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Chow Yun-Fat's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Chow Yun-Fat movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Chow Yun-Fat movies will be at the top of the list. Chow Yun-Fat has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Chow Yun-Fat movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Chow Yun-Fat films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best Chow Yun-Fat role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Chow Yun-Fat performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

This list below has everything from City on Fire to Treasure Hunt.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Chow Yun-Fat movies?" and "What are the greatest Chow Yun-Fat roles of all time?"

If you're a fan of Chow Yun-Fat, then check out our lists of the best Jet Li and Antonio Banderas movies as well.

Most divisive: The Story of Woo Viet
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  • The Killer
    1

    The Killer

    Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh
    67 votes
    • Released: 1989
    • Directed by: John Woo
    Mob assassin Jeffrey (Chow Yun-Fat) is no ordinary hired gun; the best in his business, he views his chosen profession as a calling rather than simply a job. So, when beautiful nightclub chanteuse Jennie (Sally Yeh) is blinded in the crossfire of his most recent hit, Jeffrey chooses to retire after one last job to pay for his unintended victim's sight-restoring operation. But when Jeffrey is double-crossed, he reluctantly joins forces with a rogue policeman (Danny Lee) to make things right.
  • Hard Boiled
    2

    Hard Boiled

    Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Philip Kwok
    78 votes
    • Released: 1992
    • Directed by: John Woo
    Hard Boiled is a 1992 Hong Kong action film written and directed by John Woo, and starring Chow Yun-fat as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Tony an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of the triads.
  • A Better Tomorrow
    3

    A Better Tomorrow

    Ti Lung, Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung
    65 votes
    • Released: 1986
    • Directed by: John Woo
    A Hong Kong policeman (Leslie Cheung) blames his reformed-gangster brother (Chow Yun-Fat) for the death of their father.

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  • A Better Tomorrow 2
    4

    A Better Tomorrow 2

    Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, Kenneth Tsang
    41 votes
    • Released: 1987
    • Directed by: John Woo
    A Better Tomorrow 2 is a 1987 Hong Kong action film written and directed by John Woo. A follow-up to its popular predecessor, A Better Tomorrow, the film stars returning cast members Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung alongside new cast member Dean Shek. The film was released in Hong Kong on 17 December 1987. Due to the popularity of Chow's breakout performance in the previous installment, he was cast in a new character as the twin brother of "Mark", who was killed in the previous film. A Better Tomorrow 2 is known for its over the top violence, exaggerated blood and gore, and body counts nearing the hundreds. Film director John Woo and producer Tsui Hark had disagreements over the focus of this film. Tsui felt that the film should focus more on Dean Shek's character. This led to the film being edited by both Tsui and Woo. Their disagreements would lead to a split after this film, with Hark directing A Better Tomorrow 3 and Woo moving on to create The Killer.
  • City on Fire
    5

    City on Fire

    Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Yueh Sun
    32 votes
    • Released: 1987
    • Directed by: Ringo Lam
    An undercover cop (Chow Yun-Fat) infiltrates a gang of jewel thieves, but things go terribly wrong during a heist.
  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
    6

    Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

    Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi
    60 votes
    • Released: 2000
    • Directed by: Ang Lee
    Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is an epic martial arts film that takes viewers on a journey through ancient China. The story revolves around two warriors, stoic Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) and fiery Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), as they cross paths with a mysterious young aristocrat named Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi). A stolen sword and dangerous secrets set the stage for a grand adventure filled with breathtaking fight scenes and stunning visuals. Directed by Ang Lee and winning four Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film, this movie masterfully blends action, romance, and Eastern philosophy in a captivating tale of honor, love, and destiny.

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