In favour to get a r-rating, the movie had to be shortened shortly before the theatrical release.
The censored version has also been shown in European cinemas and was released later on DVD and Video. Later on, the Unrated-Cut came as a RC-2 DVD in Europe, but has never been released in the U.S..
As noticeable in the following report, not just violence has been cut but mostly alternative material has been used and some scenes have been re-cut. John Woo obviously took advantage of the situation and improved his movie by removing slight mistakes or tightening some long sequences. Besides these facts, the US-Version comes with a good quality anamorphic screen what should make the DVD interesting for real hardcore fans of John Woo or Van Damme.
Mysteriously, only the opening credits and the showdown has been
affected by the cuttings.
For instance the brutal dispute in front of the café in New Orleans or the shootings in the city are completely identical in both versions.
50 cuts and 23 re-cuts has been made with using new or alternative material.
The Unrated lacks one scene in comparison to the r-rated version.
Some differences are just single frames what could cause that I probably forgot one or another but the difference would be inconspicuous.
The time readings have been taken from the R-rated version.

Opening-Credits :

different scene progression:Unrated: 2:09 min.
R-rated: 2:16 min.
Douglas Binder pulls himself together and runs out of the screen.
(lacks in the Unrated-Version) Both following settings has been interchanged what causes the appearance of the commandments in other parts of the scene.

R-rated:	Unrated:

Altogether, the R-rated shows three short shots with a total duration of 3,5 sec. which lack in the Unrated-Version.


2:52 min.
A man screws a silencer to his gun.
1,6 sec.

3:12 min.
Binder tries to extract the arrow.
4,5 sec.

3:19 min.
Binder extracts the arrow and screams.
The scream has been placed over a shot of Pick in the R-rated which appears later in the Unrated-Version.
5,6 sec.

3:27 min.
Binder stands in front of the cottage and the "bad guys" shoot at him.
Mr. Lopacki fires another arrow off who just hits the window of the cottage. Binder takes a petrol can and throws it in direction of the aggressors. He shoots at the can and a "bad guy" dies from the explosion. Some of the shots from this passage are included in a different order in the R-rated version.
All in one, the R-rated lacks material in a total duration of...
22,2 sec.

Alternative material:
Unrated: 3:55 min.
R-Rated: 3:35 min.

In both versions Binder falls to the ground but in different angles.

R-Rated:

Unrated:

The Unrated lacks 0,4 sec..


Different order / Censorship :
Unrated: 4:18 min.
R-Rated: 4:00 min.

Mr. Lopacki shoots Binder an arrow in his leg.
The R-rated Version though shows Lopacki and Van Cleaf from Binders point of view.

R-Rated:	Unrated:

The R-rated lacks 3,5 sec..


4:21 min.

The Unrated shows Binder with an arrow in his chest as a freeze-frame whereas the R-rated goes straight on.
1,3 sec.

4:32 min.
Binder drifts dead on the water.
3,3 sec.

Showdown :

79:11 min.
The R-rated lacks a scene when Pick shoots at Chance.
3 sec.

79:38 min.
Chance flees.
2 sec.

Different order:
Unrated: 77:21 min.
R-Rated: 79:48 min.

The R-rated firstly lacks a part of the arriving rider.
The following order has also been slightly changed.

R-Rated:	Unrated:

The R-Rated offers a new shot of Chance (1,7 sec.) that misses in the Unrated Version (last frame of the R-Rated page). Although the R-rated is shorter than the Unrated.
The R-rated lacks material in a total duration of 2,8 sec. .

Alternative material :
Unrated: 77:30 min.
R-Rated: 79:38 min.

The angle is different.

R-Rated:	Unrated:

no difference


80:14 min.
One shot of a "bad guy" lacks.
1 sec.

Alternative material / Censorship :
Unrated: 77:50 min.
R-Rated: 80:15 min.

In comparison to the 12 gun-shots shown in the R-rated, the Unrated shows about 29.
Furthermore, different angles had been used.

R-Rated:

Unrated:

The Unrated shows 2,6 more seconds.


re-cut:
80:26 min.
An angle of flushed pigeons has been erased to become replaced shortly later to cover an execution. (81:29 min.)
no difference


80:36 min.

The motorcycle gangster stands up. Chance says: "Give it a rest pal!" and kills the guy with nine shots.
Chance reloads and another gangster appears - and gets killed.
The R-Rated is in this scene more realistic because of the shots:
together with the execution, Chance shoots 38 times without reloading in the Unrated while Chance shoots just 12 times in the R-Rated.
11,7 sec.

81:03 min.
A arrow sticking in a throat is shown in a close-up view.
4 sec.

81:27 min.
The last shot has been covered with the already named pigeon scene.
1,4 sec.

81:45 min.
Chance makes a somersault.
2,8 sec.

81:47 min.
A shot at Chance on the row and the shooting guy misses.
1,7 sec.

Different order / Censorship :
Unrated: 79:45 min.
R-Rated: 81:48 min.

Some scenes have been readjusted. Altogether, the Unrated is longer (1,2 sec.)
and more violent.


R-Rated:

Unrated:

82:00 min.
Douvee appears.
1,7 sec.

Alternative material / Censorship :
Unrated: 80:02 min.
R-Rated: 82:02 min.

The shot in Douvees leg is shown from a shorter distance than in the R-Rated Version.

R-Rated:	Unrated:

no difference


Alternative material / Censorship :
Unrated: 80:09 min.
R-Rated: 82:12 min.

The Unrated is bloodier.

R-Rated:	Unrated:

no difference



82:14 min.

Lopacki extracts the arrow of his arm and grabs his gun.

This scene has probably been cut because Lopacki still has the arrow in his arm later on.
.
2,2 sec.

82:16 min.

The Unrated shows Lopacki how he gets shot before being kicked.

2 sec.

82:17 min.

The Unrated includes one more shot of the spin kick.

This scene has probably been cut because you can figure out than Van Damme could never hit his opponent.
1 sec.

82:20 min.
Chance goes on shooting at Lopacki.
1,6 sec.

82:53 min.
The R-rated Version lacks an insignificant shot of the exploding train.
2,8 sec.

82:54 min.
A bloody shot and a shot of Chance lack in the R-rated Version.
1,4 sec.

Alternative material :
Unrated: 81:07 Min.
R-Rated: 83:01 Min.

Unrated: Fouchon appears with a normal pistol and has a short gunfight with Chance.

R-Rated: Fouchon appears with a typical weapon.

R-Rated:

Unrated:

The Unrated includes 3,7 more seconds.


83:03 min.
The barrel explodes in another shot.
1,2 sec.

83:06 min.
The R-rated Version lacks some bloody hits.
1,2 sec.

83:08 min.
The "Bad Guy" flies directly into the camera.
1,1 sec.

83:14 min.
van Cleaf fires in another shot at Chance.
1 sec.

Alternative material :
Unrated: 82:00 min.
R-Rated: 83:43 min.


Both shots exist in both versions but they appear in a different order.

R-Rated:	Unrated:

no difference


83:45 min.
The R-rated lacks a shot of Chance and Van Cleaf.
1,3 sec.

83:49 min.
Both continue shooting at each other.
2,1 sec.

83:55 min.
The man with the grenade appears earlier.
0,6 sec.


83:56 min.
Chance stands up.
1,1 sec.

83:58 min.
Chance shoots at the "Bad Guy".
0,8 sec.

Alternative material / Censorship :
Unrated: 82:21 min.
R-Rated: 83:59 min.

The "bad Guy" gets shot more bloody in the Unrated:

R-Rated:

Unrated:

The Unrated includes 2,2 more seconds.


New order / Censorship :
Unrated: 82:41 min.
R-Rated: 84:18 min.

Firstly, the R-rated misses three shots at a "Bad Guy" and a shot where Van Cleaf shoots at Chance.
In the following scene, two shots have been exchanged.

R-Rated:

Unrated:

The Unrated includes 1,9 more seconds.


84:33 min.
The R-rated lacks a shot of Chance who shoots at Van Cleaf.
0,9 sec.

84:34 min.
Chance fires at Van Cleaf more often.
1,5 sec.

84:35 min.
Another full penetration has been cut.
0,7 sec.

84:43 min.
Shot of Van Cleaf and Chance.
1,9 sec.

84:54 min.
van Cleaf grabs for a grenade.
4,8 sec.

84:56 min.
Shot at both when Van Cleaf lowers his arm with the grenade.
5,6 sec.

85:10 min.
The shot at Fouchon is longer in the Unrated.
1,1 sec.


85:30 min.
Fouchon frets longer.
0,9 sec.


85:39 min.
Shot at Chance.
1,2 sec.

Alternative material :
Unrated: 84:23 min.
R-Rated: 85:42 min.

While the R-rated shows the kick for a second time in another angle, the Unrated shows Fachon.

R-Rated:	Unrated:

no difference


85:45 min.
The "Bad Guy" gets hit in slow motion.
1,6 sec.

86:11 min.
Chance makes a somersault and a spin in slow motion.
3,5 sec.

86:12 min.
Fouchon destroys some stuff while shooting.
3 sec.

86:13 min.
More explosions
1,9 sec.


Alternative material :
Unrated: 85:26 min.
R-Rated: 86:36 min.

The R-rated shows Chance at the sentence "How does it feel to be hunted?".
The Unrated misses this shot.

R-Rated:	Unrated:

no difference


Alternative material :
Unrated: 85:36 min.
R-Rated: 86:43 min.

The same with the sentence: "You should know better!"

R-Rated:	Unrated:

no difference


86:44 min.

Fouchon: "There isn't a country in the world I haven't fired
a bullet in! You can't kill me! You can't kill me. I'm on every
Battlefield! There's no winner here!"
Chance: "I don't see one."
Fouchon: "You're looking at him!"
During this conversation, Fouchon destroys some figures.
29,1 sec.

86:53 min.
A bloody full penetration misses.
0,5 sec.

87:01 min.
Douvee and Natasha appear. A shot of Chance who starts to run misses and has been reinserted some seconds later.
2,4 sec.

87:16 min.
Fouchon hits Douvee. The Unrated lacks some frames of a shot at Chance.
0,9 sec.

Different order :
Unrated: 86:49 min.
R-Rated: 87:26 min.


The order and some said passages are different.
The R-rated lacks the sentence "You won't do that, will you Mr. Boudreaux?" said by Fouchon.

R-Rated:	Unrated:

The Unrated includes 0,8 more seconds.


87:49 min.
A shot of Natasha is a bit longer.
1,3 sec.


88:35 min.
Fouchon grabs Natasha who says "please!".
A shot of Chance has been placed at a different point.
4,4 sec.

Cut in the Unrated :
Unrated: 88:31 min.
Chance prepares himself for the run.
+ 1,5 sec.

Alternative material :
Unrated: 88:34 min.
R-Rated: 89:04 min.
Chance starts running.

R-Rated:	Unrated:

no difference


Alternative material / Censorship :
Unrated: 88:53 min.
R-Rated: 89:23 min.

The Unrated includes some more frames of Chance spitting blood.
The R-rated Version shows Chance from behind.


R-Rated :

Unrated :

The Unrated includes 1,4 more seconds.


Alternative material :
Unrated: 90:39 min.
R-Rated: 91:19 min.

Different angles used...

R-Rated:	Unrated:

no difference

Douvee goes on and says: "I was dreaming. Chére I think about you."
This sentence misses in the R-rated.

1,7 sec.

Alternative material:
Unrated: 90:46 min.
R-Rated: 91:22 min.

Different angles were used when Douvee straightens himself up.
Besides that, the Unrated includes him saying: "I tell this turkey, he no kill this eagle. Oh, some headache I got here, oh! Oh my god!".
Chance answers: "What?".


R-Rated:

Unrated:

The Unrated includes 14,5more seconds.