John Woo's tribute to Ken Takakura

Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo's (center) latest crime thriller Manhunt, a Chinese version of a Japanese film by the same title, stars Chinese actor Zhang Hanyu (left) and actress Qi Wei. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The new story features the protagonist as a Chinese lawyer working for a Japanese medicine company. After being framed for murder, the lawyer, played by Zhang, attempts to clear his name.

Woo, 71, is widely regarded as a pioneer of Hong Kong action movies, especially those in the 1980s and '90s.

His films such as A Better Tomorrow (1986), The Killer (1989) and Hard Boiled (1992) paved his way to direct Hollywood blockbusters Face/Off (1997) and Mission: Impossible 2 (2000), making him one of the most recognized Chinese names in the West.

But in recent years, Woo has seen failure with The Crossing films, based on the true story of the sinking of the Chinese liner Taiping.

The two films－which had a combined budget of 400 million yuan ($61.2 million), and stars like Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Song Hye-kyo－were released in 2014 and 2015. They raked in around 250 million yuan at the box office.

Woo turned down invitations to direct superhero movies from Hollywood when he decided to do The Crossing movies. But he says he has no regrets.

"I am not a fan of sci-fi stories and I am not good at directing such movies. Personally, I like stories with human interest," he says.

Most of Woo's movies showcase brotherhood and promise, which he says is because of his education and the historical figures he admires.

Speaking about his connection with Japanese cinema, Woo says he is a diehard fan of Akira Kurosawa, one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema.

"Every year I watch Kurosawa's classics at least once. And Seven Samurai has inspired me on editing, shooting and pace of filming," he says.

As for his comfort zone－action movies－Woo will soon get international reactions to Manhunt.

Venice has been lucky for Woo. He was presented the Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement in 2010, making him the first Chinese filmmaker to take home the award. And, Manhunt is expected to give a boost to the veteran filmmaker's career.

But some critics say that youngsters－now a major force among moviegoers in China－may not be as nostalgic as earlier generations.

Contact the writer at xufan@chinadaily.com.cn