Movie:
Heroes Shed No Tears, originally released in 1986, was directed by John Woo, who also wrote the script. The movie is notable for Woo's first foray into the heavy use of guns, and while it was released after A Better Tomorrow, it actually was completed earlier. The movie stars Eddy Ko (Chan Chung) and Ching Ying Lam (a Vietnamese Colonel).

Five Chinese mercenaries are sent into the Golden Triangle, which lies between Burma, Cambodia, and Thailand, by the Thai Government. Their mission is to destroy the drug trade located there that is responsible for 75% of the world's opium. Once that's accomplished, they must capture their General and bring him across Thailand's border. The mercenaries, led by Chan Chung, manage to accomplish their first two objectives, and then rescue Chung's son from the General's minions. But in trying to get the General across the border, they save a French Reporter and incur the wrath of a Vietnamese Colonel who hunts them relentlessly using soldiers and natives. Now on the run from the Colonel and the General's men, they must find a way to reach the border before they're all dead.

With few exceptions, I usually enjoy John Woo's movies; they're action packed and most of them contain a decent plot. Heroes Shed No Tears is no different in those respects: Woo has quite a few excellent action scenes in the film, though they lack some of the style he develops later on. Eddy Ko is quite the mercenary as well. While its not on par with some of Woo's other films, I did enjoy Heroes Shed No Tears; however, the film is just so grim and brutal, especially in the torture scene, that I doubt I'll be revisiting it again soon.

Picture:
Heroes Shed No Tears is presented in 1.66:1 non-anamorphic widescreen. The transfer seems overly soft throughout with some grain, but varies wildly in terms of print defects such as lines, specks, and marks. Some scenes are riddled with them, but others have just a few or none. There is also some shimmer from time to time. Colors throughout are decent, but appear muted in a few scenes. Flesh tones, overall, are accurate, but in a few scenes, they seem overly orange. Blacks are decent throughout. The film is certainly watchable, especially for a Hong Kong film 15 years old.

Sound:
Heroes Shed No Tears is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English; though the film was originally in Stereo, that track is not present. The 5.1 track seems a bit thin sounding in places with rather weak explosions and gunfire. Dialogue is understandable without any dropouts. Optional subtitles are available in traditional and simplified Chinese, as well as in English.

Extras:
Extras include a profile for Woo, along with a plot synopsis, which is from the DVD case, and five trailers. The trailers are for Heroes Shed No Tears, Last Hurrah for Chivalry, Magnificent Butcher, Naked Killer, and Duel to the Death.

Summary:
Fans of Woo's films will certainly want to give Heroes Shed No Tears a look, as this is where it all starts in terms of gun-play. But for most, a rental will suffice. Rent it.