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Celluloid
ActionCrimeDrama HKIFF 1987 Editor's Pick

A Better Tomorrow Review (1986) — 82% Celluloid Score

Directed by John Woo · 1986 ·

Short answer

Is A Better Tomorrow worth watching?

Yes. A Better Tomorrow (1986) earns an 82% Celluloid Score. That puts it in our Recommended tier. Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one. See the 4 inputs.

82%
Celluloid Score Recommended

4-input transparent breakdown

93% Editorial Rating
94% Audience snapshot · excluded
78 Metascore
★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4
7.5 IMDb /10
0
Watch Trailer
Released
Runtime
1h 35m
Age rating
R (US) · R 18+ (Australia) · 15 (South Korea)
Cast
Chow Yun-fat , Ti Lung , Leslie Cheung , Emily Chu Bo-Yee , Waise Lee Chi-Hung , Tien Feng , John Woo , Sek Yin-Tsi , Kenneth Tsang , Wang Hsieh
Streaming
fuboTV, WeTV
Country
Hong Kong
Language
Cantonese

Also known as 英雄本色 Un mañana mejor Le Syndicat du crime City Wolf Alvo Duplo 男たちの挽歌 영웅본색 Yarın Çok Güzel Olacak

Where to watch

  • fuboTV
  • WeTV

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Where to watch A Better Tomorrow by country

Country Streaming on
India WeTV
Indonesia Netflix, WeTV
Japan Hulu, U-NEXT, WeTV
Malaysia Netflix, WeTV
Philippines Netflix, WeTV
South Korea Wavve, TVING, WeTV
Thailand Netflix, WeTV
United Arab Emirates WeTV
United States fuboTV, WeTV

Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.

Why this score?

  • Celluloid's editorial rating is exceptional (93/100).
  • Audiences widely enjoyed it (94%).
  • Metascore is generally favorable (78/100).
  • Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4/5).
  • Celluloid Score 82% combines 4 rating inputs; audience sentiment is shown separately. Consult the source notes for verification dates where recorded.

Best for

  • Viewers who want a well-regarded action, crime, drama pick
  • Short runtime — easy weeknight watch

Not ideal for

    Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

    Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

    Is A Better Tomorrow worth watching?

    Yes — A Better Tomorrow earns an 82% Celluloid Score. That puts it in our Recommended tier. It suits viewers who want a well-regarded action, crime, drama pick.

    Celluloid verdict

    John Woo’s heroic-bloodshed landmark made Chow Yun-fat an icon — stylish, operatic, and endlessly imitated across action cinema.

    , Founder & Editor

    Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

    What is A Better Tomorrow about?

    A reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.

    Watch the Trailer

    A Better Tomorrow stills

    Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.

    A Better Tomorrow production still 1
    A Better Tomorrow production still 2
    A Better Tomorrow production still 3
    A Better Tomorrow production still 4
    A Better Tomorrow production still 5
    A Better Tomorrow production still 6

    Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.

    Reader takes

    No reader takes published yet. Send yours and we may publish it after editing.

    A Better Tomorrow: frequently asked questions

    Is A Better Tomorrow worth watching?

    Yes. A Better Tomorrow (1986) has a Celluloid Score of 82%, averaged from the available Celluloid editorial, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb ratings. That puts it in our Recommended tier. Audience sentiment is shown separately and does not change the score.

    Where can I watch A Better Tomorrow?

    In the United States, A Better Tomorrow streams on fuboTV, WeTV with a subscription, and you can rent it from Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube. Elsewhere: WeTV in India; Netflix, WeTV in Indonesia; Hulu, U-NEXT, WeTV in Japan; Netflix, WeTV in Malaysia. Availability changes; the where-to-watch table on this page is refreshed from TMDB.

    How long is A Better Tomorrow?

    A Better Tomorrow runs 1 hour 35 minutes (95 minutes).

    What is A Better Tomorrow rated?

    A Better Tomorrow is rated R in the United States, R 18+ in Australia and 15 in South Korea. These are the official classifications as recorded on TMDB; check your local classification board for content advice.

    Who stars in A Better Tomorrow?

    A Better Tomorrow is directed by John Woo and stars Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, Emily Chu Bo-Yee, Waise Lee Chi-Hung.

    What is the Metascore for A Better Tomorrow?

    Metacritic's Metascore for A Better Tomorrow is 78 out of 100. It is one of the inputs to the Celluloid Score.

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