Beside the theatrical version of Hard Boiled (HK version), there is another, about 6 minutes longer Taiwanese version, like a 'first cut'. Mostly, this runtime difference results from additional material at the beginning or end of many takes (but not only action scenes). Sometimes, there are completely new or alternative takes. In rare cases, something entirely new has been added. In the HK version, Woo fixed some plot holes, but also created new ones. Fortunately, the whole Mad Dog vs. Tony and Yuen together with the rescue of the baby is worked out better. The first is better for the action, the other for continuity. The two story parts in the showdown (which is differently arranged in both versions) make more sense in the Taiwanese version. However, there are no censorship cuts.




Taiwanese version: ca. 131:19 mins. w/o black screen (ca. 5 mins.)
Hong Kong (HK) version: 127:28 mins.

Cut Taiwanese version: ca. 2 mins.
Cut HK version: ca. mins. at 238 cuts

Those numbers are just approximate, as many differences between those two versions just last a few frames. Although all differences of 5 frames and up need to be mentioned, there is no guarantee in this report for that because of the sheer amount of cuts. Cuts in the Taiwanese version are just mentioned as an aside, without runtime information. For this report, one second was equaled with 30 frames.



Chapters:
1. Tea house
2. Mob games
3. Attack on the warehouse
4. Yuen glides into the warehouse
5. Interlude on the boat
6. In the hospital
7. In the armory
8. Panic in the hospital
9. Murdering of the patients beginning
10. Yuen and Tony escape the armory
11. Hostage rescue in the admission
12. Commandos attack the building
13. Yuen and Tony face Mad Dog
14. Showdown

Information about aspect ratio and a comparison of the picture quality can be found at the end of the report.

1. Tea house

1:05
Yuen takes the coaster off his glass.
0.06 secs.

7:11
More birdcages and dishes are shot.
3.04 secs.

12:48
The Taiwanese version fades to the next scene 9 frmaes earlier.
The Chief of Police leaves the morgue. The female officer is walking through the office a little longer.
6.14 secs.

2. Mob games

14:09
Tony drives through the tunnel a bit longer.
2.21 secs.

25:29
Tony is talking a bit longer with his boss.
3.26 secs.

27:34
Alternative scene: During the talk between Tony and Johnny, you see Mad Dog in the HK version. In the Taiwanese version, it's Johnny and some employees.
HK: 3.01 secs.
Taiwanese: 6.21 secs.

27:58
Mad Dog turns away.
1.26 secs.

28:06
The mobsters recognize the covered car a bit earlier.
1.00 sec.

33:21
Yuen is standing a bit longer at the window of the police station.
0.17 secs.

33:38
The mobsters are approaching a bit longer.
0.27 secs.

33:41
Johnny takes the phone a bit earlier.
0.06 secs.

33:54
After the phone call with Tony, Johnny is seen a bit longer, MAd Dog a bit earlier.
0.11 secs.

34:11
Tony is lying motionless in his boat a bit longer.
1.09 secs.

34:18
The crane in the smoke can be seen a bit longer, plus 2 frames of Mad Dog.
0.13 secs.



3. Attack on the warehouse

35:00
Scenes have been changed chronologically. In the Taiwanese version, first the weapons are packed into crates and then the motorcycles come around the corner.
No runtime difference

35:17
A white sports car drives into the warehouse.
5.29 secs.

35:19
The driver gets out of the sports car..
4.08 secs.

35:22
The bikers and a welder can be seen a bit longer.
1.00 sec.

35:29
The bikers are driving a bit longer.
1.10 secs.

35:34
Again the bikes can be seen a bit longer. After that, Johnny in the car.
1.15 secs.

35:32
It's getting boring. Rides on two wheels.
0.15 secs.

35:41
3 frames of bikes, the rest is 2 men behind a scaffolding. Beginning/end of a take.
0.18 secs.

35:56
The guy calling Mr. Hoi hangs up and grabs a gun.
2.13 secs.

When the bikes enter the warehouse, the order of some scenes was changed and some are a bit longer.

36:50
The take of the Mercedes driving around the corner is longer. The bikers shoot a bit longer.
0.23 secs.

37:03
The beginning of a scene is a bit longer.
0.17 secs.

37:05
The end of a take is a bit longer, too. Followed by a take of mobsters. The following take is a bit longer, too.
1.00 sec.

37:08
Tony watches the raid, plus a few frames of the following scene.
2.00 secs.

37:30
The fall of the guy that flew across half of the warehouse is a bit longer, plus 2 frames with Mad Dog.
0.16 secs.

37:33
You see Tony. This scene can bee seen at 37:41 in the HK version.
No runtime difference

37:38
The jump of the bike into the container is a bit longer.
0.12 secs.

37:41
You can see Johnny.
1.27 secs.

38:03
One take of the assault is missing.
2.01 secs.

38:06
Mad Dog is running towards the car a bit earlier (on which he is jumping).
0.06 secs.

38:13
A man is standing in the bullets' way.
0.15 secs.

38:20
The next one, too. Then you see Mad Dog with the grenades a bit longer.
0.25 secs.

38:25
The guys in the container into which Mad Dog threw the grenades, are getting to cover a bit longer.
0.22 secs.

38:37
Mad Dog is standing a bit longer in front of the gate which he shot at.
0.28 secs.

38:48
The adversary falls a bit longer. You get a shot of Mad Dog a bit earlier.
0.20 secs.

39:57
Johnny tries to convince Tony a bit longer to change teams.
1.15 secs.

40:05
At the end of the talk, you see Tony a bit longer.
1.01 secs.

40:23
Mad Dog, too, is allowed to look mean a bit longer.
0.28 secs.

40:25
Johnny and Tony can be seen a bit longer.
0.27 secs.

40:29
The beginning of a wide shot in the warehouse.
0.13 secs.

40:31
Same here, but the end of a shot.
0.26 secs.

40:31
Yeung can be seen a bit shorter.
0.29 secs.

40:44
Johnny can be seen a bit shorter.
0.09 secs.

An additional take of Yeung in the HK version (1.19 secs.)

41:09
Tony is standing beside the car a bit longer.
0.19 secs.

41:24
Yeung loads his weapon a bit longer and the cars are driving into the warehouse a bit longer, too.
0.23 secs.

41:31
Tony walks through the warehouse a bit longer.
0.26 secs.

42:32
Two more men run towards the group.
1.24 secs.

42:48
The turn of the boss is a bit longer.
0.18 secs.

43:07
Tony gets picked on by his boss a bit longer.
4.24 secs.

44:47
The ex-boss says something else.
4.11 secs.

45:42
The boss looks at Tony a bit longer.
3.16secs.

45:43
Same here.
1.05secs.

46:00
After Tony has shot the guys, Johnny taps his shoulder a bit longer.
3.20 secs.



4. Yuen glides into the warehouse

46:03
Tony and Johnny twitch.
1.25 secs.

46:13
The guys are standing in the warehouse looking for Yuen a bit longer.
1.00 sec.

46:16
Same here.
2.06 secs.

46:45
Whereas Johnny is just held down by his bodyguards during Yuen's attack in the HK version, you can see him standing a short bit before that in the Taiwanese version.
0.14 secs.

46:55
One guy more falls on the ground after an explosion.
0.27 secs.

47:01
After Yuen has been chased over the car a bit longer by Mad Dog, Mad is shooting on Yuen a bit longer in an additional take.
0.23 secs.

47:27
Tony is leaning to the car a bit longer and Mad Dog can be seen on the ground in an additional take.
2.06 secs.

47:33
One of Yuen's victims shoots before he is shot.
0.18 secs.

47:43
Johnny drives away.
1.05 secs.

47:52
Tony shoots on Yuen in an alternative take.
1.00 sec.

48:07
Tony is leaning to the car writhing in pain a bit longer.
0.10 secs.

48:17
Same here.
1.08 secs.

The black screen in the Taiwanese version
In the Taiwanese version, instead of the fading from Yuen's angry face to Tony treating a wound on his boat there is a 5 minute black screen. The Taiwanese version loses 3.01 secs. due to the sudden end of the scene.



5. Interlude on the boat

53:51
Tony is sailing a bit longer.
12.00 secs.

53:56
Same here.
1.27 secs.

There are several short cuts between those two, with a total of 2.16 secs.

57:31
Tony walks to his boat a bit longer.
0.26 secs.

57:33
Tony climbs onto the boat.
0.27 secs.

The guy shooting Tony in the back can be seen a bit earlier before the shot in the HK version.

60:11
However, he can later be seen a bit longer in the Taiwanese version.
0.14 secs.

60:13
The shooter is stumbling on the boat in an alternative take.
1.07 secs.

60:17
Yuen can be seen once more in an additional take.
0.23 secs.

60:52
A bad guy gets shot in the chest.
0.21 secs.

6. In the hospital

In the HK version, the elevator opens and the mobsters exit it with Tony in the wheelchair 1.03 secs. earlier

63:11
The doctors are examining Tony's wounds a bit longer.
2.07 secs.

63:38
After Johnny has left, Tony shortly twitches when the nurses take care of his back.
2.06 secs.

64:04
During the conversation of Tony and Johnny about the traitor, both can be seen a bit longer.
1.19 secs.

64:14
Same here.
1.19 secs.

65:50
After the traitor has been shot, first Tony can be seen a bit longer, then Yuen in the bar.
0.10 secs.

66:12
The hurt traitor stumbles into the bar a bit later.
0.18 secs.

66:53
Yuen is watching the admission a bit earlier.
2.09 secs.

67:04
Yuen is sneaking through the admission suspicious.
0.28 secs.

67:12
Same here.
1.05 secs.

67:29
Same here.
<0.13 secs.

67:33
Yuen is walking towards two male nurses a bit longer.
0.21 secs.

68:05
Yuen is watching the traitor's operation a bit longer. Johnny's cars can be seen a bit earlier.
0.27 secs.

68:51
Yuen and the doctor walk to the elevator a bit longer and the cars' arrival can be seen a bit earlier.
1.15 secs.

69:15
Tony with the bouquet can be seen a bit longer.
0.19 secs.

69:17
The traitor is driven around the hospital a bit longer and Yuen follows him.
1.06 secs.

69:20
Same here.
0.12 secs.

69:24
After the traitor has arrived in his room, Yuen checks the perimeter.
Part of this scene can be seen between other cuts in the HK version. (3.28 secs.)
8.13 secs.

69:36
Tony amusedly sees two mobsters following him.
4.28 secs.

70:40
Yuen is leaning over the traitor a bit longer.
1.04 secs.

70:43
Same here.
0.19 secs.

70:45
Same here.
1.12 secs.

71:22
When Yuen looks at the paper crane, he smiles a bit longer.
0.24 secs.

71:30
Yuen pushes the traitor into another room.
2.24 secs.

71:36
Mad Dog is standing at the reception a bit longer.
0.16 secs.

73:08
The scene when Yuen is talking with Tony about his life undercover is cut differently in both versions. Whereas there are more cuts to the traitor and the killer lurking in the shadows behind the door in the HK version, there is almost exclusively the conversation between Yuen and Tony in the Taiwanese version. So the HK version is the better choice and runs 7.06 secs. longer.

74:33
After the murder you see Yuen a bit shorter and the dead body is taken to the other room a bit earlier.
0.19 secs.

74:37
The killer is closing the door a bit longer before he starts disposing of the body a bit earlier.
0.15 secs.

74:45
Yuen is leaving the room a bit longer.
0.26 secs.

75:15
Tony is running a bit longer looking for the dead traitor.
0.14 secs.

75:49
Yuen and Tony are watching the paramedics a bit longer in the basement.
0.14 secs.

76:11
A baby held by a nurse can be seen, then Teresa
4.22 secs.

76:11
Teresa watching the babies is cut differently in the Taiwanese version. Whereas the HK version has sudden cuts, there are smooth changes in the Taiwanese version.
No runtime difference

77:33
During the conversation between Teresa, Tony, and Yuen one take is shorter. This scene seems a bit roughly cut (containing just 7 frames) in the HK version.
0.24 secs.

79:28
Yuen walks towards the dead man at the desk.
4.04 secs.

7. In the armory

After Yuen has shot the cable, a part of a close-up of his disappointed face is missing in the Taiwanese version.

86:37
Yuens CPR efforts can bee seen a bit longer.
0.23 secs.

86:51
Mad Dog is in the armory.
2.13 secs.

Mad Dog's first shot is cut differently in both versions. In the HK version, there is also a short repetition of a scene.

87:22
Yuen zdraws his weapon and Tony can be seen a bit longer.
1.11 secs.

87:29
After Tony's shots, the camera zooms towards the seemingly empty armory and back on him again a bit longer.
0.18 secs.

In the HK version, the camera moves about the armory a bit longer.

87:55
you can see Teresa a bit longer after she has noticed the rose.
2.11 secs.

88:10
Johnny arrives at the hospital.
6.14 secs.

88:35
Yuen starts strangling Mad Dog a bit earlier.
0.10 secs.

89:35
Mad Dog has Tony in his grasp a bit longer.
1.11 secs.

90:03
Mad Dog and Tony can be seen a bit longer at the alarm.
0.11 secs.

90:18
You can see the doctors a bit longer.
0.17 secs.

90:25
Yuen is crawling for cover a bit longer.
1.01 secs.

90:39
After Johnny has given order to release the gas, you can see the monitors in the headquarter a bit longer.
1.24 secs.

90:54
Tony grabs a gun before Mad Dog leaves the armory.
0.18 secs.

91:02
Before Tony throws the weapon to Yuen, he can be seen a bit earlier.
0.07 secs.



8. Panic in the hospital

91:21
The nurses and Johnny can be seen a bit longer.
1.01 secs.

91:26
At the end of the take, Johnny can be seen a bit longer.
0.25 secs.

91:37
Same here.
1.04 secs.

91:39
A male nurse is dragging another nurse with him.
1.00 sec.

91:42
More turbulence in the hospital.
0.22 secs.

the panic in the hospital, the first murders of the patients, and the arrival of the police are put together in a different order in both versions. In the following part of the report, the additional scenes of the Taiwanese version will be put in the respective places of the HK version. The order will not be mentioned separately.

91:54
The Chief of Police grabs the annoying hospital boss a bit earlier.
0.19 secs.

91:56
Then he pushes him a bit longer.
0.07 secs.

92:02
Afterwards, he is waving his finger a bit longer.
0.11 secs.

92:06
A female police officer runs to the babies a bit earlier.
0.07 secs.

92:12
The people's exiting the elevator takes a bit longer. The following scene is shortened 3 frames.
0.26 secs.

92:14
The middle part of the first scene with the babies is lost in the HK version, as it is cut in two contrary to the Taiwanese version, in which this scene is one.
1.17 secs.

92:24
The female police officer walks to another baby.
2.06 secs.

92:27
A bit more turbulence in the admission.
0.26 secs.

92:29
A mobster is talking on the phone before turning to Johnny.
1.06 secs.

92:33
Again a bit more turbulence.
0.18 secs.

92:39
The wheelchair is rolling over the shards a bit longer.
0.21 secs.

92:46
The guy behind Johnny answers the phone.
0.27 secs.

92:53
When the doors close, you can see the monitors a bit longer.
1.16 secs.

92:57
Same here.
0.20 secs.

93:14
The patient is falling a bit longer.
0.18 secs.

93:28
A woman is running down the stairs a bit longer.
0.04 secs.

93:35
The door to the operating room opens a bit earlier.
0.11 secs.



9. Murdering of the patients beginning

93:49
The man shot on the stairs turns around after his fall, so you can see the bullet holes in his chest. The other cop can be seen a bit earlier.
0.16 secs.

93:59
In front of the door, a bed is pushed around a bit longer.
0.15 secs.

94:07
A patient is falling to the ground a bit longer and a police transporter can be seen a bit earlier.
0.27 secs.

94:13
A new view of the parking lot in front of the hospital.
2.06 secs.

94:13
The guy behind Johnny is talking on a phone before he mentions the policemen.
1.03 secs.

94:20
Once again a new shot of the parking lot.
2.02 secs.

94:20
Policemen are saving patients a bit longer.
0.17 secs.

94:29
Johnny can be seen a bit longer.
0.18 secs.

94:43
Same here.
2.26 secs.

94:46
The man in the window with the shotgun shoots a second time.
0.24 secs.

94:47
A whole new shot of mobsters coming around a corner.
3.00 secs.

94:49
The patients are pushed to the admission a bit longer.
0.07 secs.

94:54
Pushing of the patients goes on.
0.13 secs.

95:00
Dead bodies are removed on the outside a bit longer.
0.24 secs.

95:01
The bad guy kicks the door.
0.24 secs.

95:04
The Chief of Police can be seen a bit longer.
0.09 secs.

From now on, both versions share the same order of scenes again.

95:54
You can see another baby.
2.22 secs.

96:17
You can see Tony in the armory.
2.06 secs.

96:23
Johnny is watching the camera a bit longer.
0.20 secs.

96:26
Tony and Yuen are walking towards the camera while Johnny talks about the gas flowing into the armory.
The take with the camera can be seen a bit later in the HK version. (1.13 secs.)
7.11 secs.

96:30
You can see Johnny a bit longer.
1.03 secs.

96:34
Johnny and afterwards Tony can bee seen a bit shorter.
0.25 secs.

96:56
Yuen is toying with the shotgun a bit longer.
0.13 secs.

97:08
Johnny is grinning a bit longer and Yuen is loading the shotgun a bit longer, too.
0.18 secs.

97:10
The explosion of the camera is taking a bit longer.
0.19 secs.

97:20
You can see the explosion from farther away.
1.04 secs.

97:24
Yet another explosion.
0.19 secs.

97:42
The camera is a bit longer circling the cops that are putting on bulletproof vests.
1.28 secs.

97:44
The beginning and the end of the explosion can be seen a bit longer.
0.19 secs.

97:50
The two cops are putting on bulletproof vests.
2.01 secs.

97:56
Yuen is patting the wall of the morgue a bit longer.
0.13 secs.

98:01
Tony is standing on the stairs a bit longer.
0.23 secs.

98:07
The bunch in the admission can be seen a bit longer.
0.13 secs.

98:10
Same here.
0.17 secs.

98:23
The cop covering in a patient's room draws his weapon.
1.16 secs.

98:33
The cop hanging around on the stairs with the patients comforts the child in his arms a bit longer.
0.28 sec

99:15
Yuen aims a bit longer with the grenade before throwing it on the C4.
0.23 secs.



10. Yuen and Tony escape the armory

99:30
The first two victims of Yuen in the morgue can be seen a bit earlier.
0.08 secs.

99:32
The end of this take is a bit longer, too.
0.13 secs.

99:34
The next enemy can be seen from a different angle.
0.29 secs.

99:36
Tony slides over the floor a bit earlier.
0.06 secs.

99:40
Tony shoots in the opposite direction before turning around.
0.05 secs.

100:03
Two mobsters are watching the ID of the undercover cop a bit longer.
0.15 secs.

100:16
A frightened doctor can be seen.
1.24 secs.

100:32
The mobsters are hanging around the corridor a bit earlier.
0.09 secs.

100:41
Yuen is looking around the corner a bit longer.
0.26 secs.

100:49
The opening of the door to the first victim is a bit longer.
0.15 secs.

During Yuen and Tony's attack on the mobsters in the corridor, the HK version is shortened 2-3 frames in several takes. In the scene where a mobster puts his gun to Yuen's head, however, the HK version runs 11 frames longer during two scenes.

101:11
The bunch in the admission can be seen a bit longer before the shot in the background.
0.10 secs.

101:20
The two mobsters running towards the shot's origin is a bit longer.
0.25 secs.



11. Hostage rescue in the admission

101:23
The bunch in the admission can be seen a bit longer while Tony and Yuen are walking through the door.
2.00 secs.

101:39
The camera move above the bunch begins a bit earlier, too.
1.24 secs.

101:51
Yuen is walking towards the group a bit longer and Johnny is watching the monitors a bit earlier.
1.05 secs.

101:55
Same here.
0.20 secs.

102:00
Yuen looks angrily a bit longer.
0.17 secs.

102:04
'Looks' are missing again.
1.09 secs.

102:13
An additional take of the throwing on the ground.
0.15 secs.

In the HK version, there is a take in this scene which is missing in the Taiwanese version.

102:21
The mobsters in the middle of the group's falling on the ground is a bit longer.
0.16 secs.

102:23
The fall of the following ones is a bit longer, too.
0.12 secs.

102:31
The cut from Yuen to the space in front of the hospital is a bit shorter.
1.03 secs.

102:34
Two prolonged takes between the cops in front of the hospital.
0.19 secs.

102:37
The cops' running towards the hospital is a bit longer. There is a completely new take of the shooting of two patients.
1.23 secs.

102.48
An enemy's fall is a bit longer.
0.10 secs.

The scene of the man who has been shot through the window by Tony falling through the shards is missing in the Taiwanese version.

103:06
An enemy starts aiming a bit earlier.
0.10 secs.

103:18
Tony is shooting a bit longer.
0.16 secs.

103:26
An enemy is falling through a window a bit longer. Then you see Yuen a bit earlier.
0.26 secs.

103:41
You can see the cops in front of the hospital a bit earlier.
0.10 secs.



12. Commandos attack the building

103:44
An enemy in the window is fidgeting a bit longer and the special forces are running towards the hospital a bit longer, too.
0.18 secs.

103:47
Mobsters are shooting patients in a new take. One of them is the unlucky guy crashing his head through the glass of the door of the patient's room with the cop.
2.06 secs.

104:04
Two guys of the special forces pull the aforementioned victim away from the door.
0.14 secs.

104:48
An enemy is approaching and Tony starts shooting at him. You can see two hits while the enemy is thrown against the wall and he sinks to the ground penetrated by bullets. Somehow he still seems to be alive. Maybe for Woo that might be a bit too much, as the same guy survives two other shootings with Yuen before finally ending his life by getting killed by Yuen who additionally is holding a baby on his arm.
9.26 secs.

104:54
In a new take an enemy is running sideways before jumping to the side also in the HK version (makes more sense).
0.28 secs.

105:31
More turbulence in front of the hospital.
2.09 secs.

105.35
A cop is sitting on a window.
1.06 secs.

Now, for something different, there is the (in)famous scene lasting almost 3 minutes without any cut. It is, surprise, identical in both versions.



13. Yuen and Tony face Mad Dog

109:25
Tony and Yuen stay a bit longer in the room which is under Mad Dog's attack.
1.11 secs.

Now it's getting tragic:
After Tony and Yuen have come across Mad Dog with his grenade launcher, both version again have differently ordered scenes, and guess what: The Taiwanese version is missing almost 2 minutes (exactly 102.24 secs.). In many scenes, the Taiwanese version is significantly shorter than the HK version. Above all, scenes in front of the hospital were cut, but also many scenes of the fight between Mad Dog and Yuen with Tony. Those cuts will not be examined any further, however.
So now there are the scenes which are longer in the Taiwanese version, mentioned at the runtime slots where they were supposed to be in the HK version.

109:44
Mad Dog's reloading is a bit longer. As there is a cut here in the HK version, the middle part is lost.
1.29 secs.

109:49
Yuen's jumping out is a bit longer.
0.11 secs.

109:56
Mad Dog's falling from the table is a bit longer.
2.25 secs.

111:13
Two parents are holding their baby. Other worried parents ask the police about the other babies.
6.14 secs.

111:30
The cop with Teresa and the babies is shooting the window behind which the enemy is supposed to be. This scene should have been kept in the HK version as the enemy is rushing around a corner and firing back during a split second. In the Taiwanese version, it takes 2 seconds which is much more realistic.
2.09 secs.

111:46
The other cop's cry for help is a bit longer.
0.16 secs.

113:22
Yuen is holding the baby in his arm a bit longer.
0.29 secs.

113:35
Same here.
1.11 secs.

The packs of C4 are placed in different order in the two versions after the attack on Yuen and the baby.

115:26
Tony is falling over the table a bit longer and Mad Dog fires an additional shot.
0.21 secs.

During the fight Mad Dog versus Tony, which ends with laying down their arms, there are missing some transitions between scenes, all of a length of ca. 2.3 frames, 0.17 secs. in total

117:39
Tony finishes off a victim of Yuen and shoots the enemy in the back (who is already lying on the floor). Naughty, naughty.
2.06 secs.

118:29
The baby in Yuen's arms is seen a bit shorter.
0.09 secs.



14. Showdown

122:04
Johnny presses Tony to the ground a bit longer.
0.24 secs.

122:15
Johnny pulls Tony towards him a bit longer.
0.15 secs.

122:22
Same here.
0.29 secs.

122:30
Same here.
0.25 secs.

124:04
There is an additional take of the Chief of Police.
1.14 secs.

125:02
The cops are walking towards Johnny and Tony a bit longer.
0.28 sec