OVERALL: Draw

* The R1 "Dragon Dynasty" UE has the best selection of extras, and a DTS track. Purists note the subtitles are "dubtitles".
* The UK CE release has DTS and a remastered anamorphic picture, but is short on extras. Purists note the subtitles are proper subtitles from a new translation based on the original dialogue.
* R0 Criterion has exclusive Audio commentary, but is non-anamorphic, in a slightly different aspect ratio and OOP (although it has dropped significantly in price and is not so hard to find second-hand).
* The R0 Fox Lorber release has also Audio commentary, but is non-anamorphic.
* The French release has a documentary, but the subtitles are "forced" (and only in French). It´s also remastered.
* The Taiwanese disc is the longest cut of the film, but is dubbed, in an incorrect aspect ratio, has "burnt-in" subtitles and is not director John Woo's preferred version.

Fans may want to consider several releases.

This film is also known as:
-Hot-Handed God of Cops
-Ruthless Super-Cop
-La shou shen tan

CUTS:

• R0 America- Criterion Collection - No cuts (127:27 NTSC).
• R0 America- Fox Lorber/Winstar - No cuts
• R0 Hong Kong- Mei Ah Home Entertainment - No cuts
• R0 Remastered Hong Kong- Mei Ah Home Entertainment - No cuts (127:28 NTSC).
• R0 Japan- Pioneer - No cuts (127:30 NTSC).
• R0 Taiwan- Long Shong International - No cuts - "Preview" version (136:19 [131:13] NTSC).
  - The longer preview version screened in Taiwan before director John Woo made his final edits for the Hong Kong release; NOT the director's preferred cut.
  - Features skippable black screen between 52:42-57:48 due to the studio using a master that came in two separate parts.
  - Black screen excluded running roughly 4 minutes longer than the Hong Kong Theatrical cut featured on all the other releases.
• R0 United Kingdom- Prism Leisure - No cuts
• R0 Collector's Edition United Kingdom- Tartan Video - No cuts (122:24 PAL).
• R0 New Release United Kingdom- Tartan Video - No cuts (122:16 PAL).
• R0 Original Release United Kingdom- Tartan Video - Yes - 5 seconds of violence removed (122:24 PAL).
• R1 Ultimate Edition America- The Weinstein Company - No cuts.
• R2 France- HK Video - No cuts
• R2 FSK 16 Germany- e-m-s - Yes - Heavily cut "FSK 16" version (92:20 PAL).
• R2 FSK 16 Germany- Splendid Film - Yes - Heavily cut "FSK 16" version (92:14 PAL).
• R2 SPIO/JK Uncut Germany- e-m-s - No cuts (122:23 PAL).
• R2 Japan- Geneon - No cuts (127:28 NTSC).
• R2 Scandinavia- Scanbox Entertainment - No Cuts (122:40 PAL).
• R3 Thailand- Rose Media & Entertainment - No censor cuts (127:22 NTSC).
  - No censor cuts but visual blurring during scenes where the "business end" of weapons are in direct contact with persons.
  - Scenes with drinking or smoking feature a burnt-in Thai warning for the dangers of these habits.

Do you own a release not listed? Then please visit our forums and let us know!

Comparison added by Craig on 19/07/01
Comparison last updated by James-Masaki_Ryan on 11/06/17

UPDATE LOG:

01/06/14 - Added the German e-m-s/Splendid Film and Thai releases, more details and notes to R0 Criterion, more details and runtimes to UK releases and further cut notes to R0 Taiwan.
02/06/14 - Added 2 x Japanese releases.
11/06/17: Updated UK original Tartan, capsaholic.