Johnnie To Kei-Fung (Chinese: 杜琪峯, born 22 April 1955) is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas. Intensely prolific, To has made films in a variety of genres, though in the West he is best known for his action and crime movies, which have earned him critical respect and a cult following. His films, often made in collaboration with the same group of actors, screenwriters and cinematographers, frequently explore themes of friendship, fate and the changing face of Hong Kong society. Sometimes described as "multifaceted and chameleonic" due to his ability to switch tones and genres between movies, To is nonetheless seen as having a consistent style, which involves mixing subdued realism and social observation with highly stylized visual and acting elements. To heads the Hong Kong-based production company Milkyway Image with his frequent co-director Wai Ka-Fai.
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Biography from TMDB.
- April 22, 1955 (71)
- Hong Kong, British Crown Colony [now China]
- Producer, director and actor, also writer
- 49 on MovieCove · 122 credits in all
Known for
What are Johnnie To's films like?
Across their 48 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 1 · Earnest 46
A split, not a type: Light 13 · Serious 12 · Dark 23
Grounded 13 · Stylized 23 · Heightened 12
A split, not a type: Gentle 10 · Charged 15 · Intense 23
Steady 19 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 6
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 29 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 8
Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 31 · Relentless 8
Casual 15 · Engaged 23 · Full focus 10
A split, not a type: Easy watch 15 · Affecting 16 · Heavy 17
Resolved 36 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 4
Moods and endings
- Happy10
- Bittersweet26
- Tragic5
- Ambiguous7
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Johnnie To's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 49 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).
- Election 2 (2006) · director, producer · free
- Election (2005) · director, producer · free
- Drug War (2012) · director, producer · free
- Life Without Principle (2011) · director, producer · free
- The Big Heat (1988) · director · free
- Accident (2009) · producer · free
- The Bare-Footed Kid (1993) · director · free
- Motorway (2012) · producer · free
- Three (2016) · actor, director, producer · free
- Punished (2011) · producer · free
- Shout! TV, show their 6 titles on Shout! TV
- Hi-YAH!, show their 3 titles on Hi-YAH!
- Midnight Pulp, show their 2 titles on Midnight Pulp
- BFI Player, show their title on BFI Player
- Cineverse, show their title on Cineverse
- Magnolia Selects, show their title on Magnolia Selects
- Sundance Now, show their title on Sundance Now
- Warriors & Gangsters, show their title on Warriors & Gangsters
Subscription and free streaming for Johnnie To's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
122 credits, 49 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
What If (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Mad Fate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Chasing Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
A or B (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Three(2016)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Trivisa(2016)
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Office (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Blind Detective(2013)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
A Complicated Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
Drug War(2012)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
Motorway(2012)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
Romancing in Thin Air (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Life Without Principle(2011)
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Punished(2011)
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
Accident(2009)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Tactical Unit - Partners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Vengeance(2009)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Newsmakers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Tactical Unit: Comrades in Arms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Tactical Unit - The Code (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Tactical Unit - Human Nature (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Sparrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Tactical Unit - No Way Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Linger(2008)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Mad Detective(2007)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Triangle(2007)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Hooked on You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Eye in the Sky(2007)
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Exiled(2006)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Election 2(2006)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
2 Become 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Election(2005)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
The Open Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Katanas, yakuzas y cintas de video (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Yesterday Once More (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Throw Down(2004)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Breaking News(2004)
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Love Under the Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Running on Karma(2003)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Memory of the Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Turn Left, Turn Right (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
1:99 Shorts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
PTU(2003)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Looking for Mr. Perfect (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Love for All Seasons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
My Left Eye Sees Ghosts(2002)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Fat Choi Spirit(2002)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Second Time Around (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Running Out of Time 2(2001)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Fulltime Killer(2001)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Love on a Diet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Gimme Gimme (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Wu Yen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Comeuppance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Help!!! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Needing You... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Spacked Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
The Mission(1999)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Sealed with a Kiss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Running Out of Time(1999)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
Where a Good Man Goes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
A Hero Never Dies(1998)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Expect the Unexpected (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
The Longest Nite(1997)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Intruder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
The Odd One Dies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Too Many Ways to Be No. 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Final Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Lifeline(1997)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Beyond Hypothermia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
A Moment of Romance III(1996)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Only Fools Fall in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Loving You(1995)
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Dead End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Fatal Assignment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
The Lone Sabre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
The Mad Monk(1993)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
A Moment of Romance II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
The Bare-Footed Kid(1993)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Edge of Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
The Heroic Trio(1993)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Iron Butterfly III: Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Justice, My Foot!(1992)
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Lucky Encounter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Sisters of the World Unite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
The Banquet(1991)
Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
Casino Raiders II(1991)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
The Royal Scoundrel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Behind Bars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
The Story of My Son(1990)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
The Iron Butterfly II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
A Moment of Romance(1990)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
The Fun, the Luck & the Tycoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Story of Nam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
The Iron Butterfly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
The Vampire Strikes Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
All About Ah-Long(1989)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
The Big Heat(1988)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
The Eighth Happiness(1988)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
It's No Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
The Betrayal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Dynamite Fighters(1987)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Seven Years Itch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
New Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
Happy Ghost III(1986)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Royal Warriors(1986)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
It's a Drink! It's a Bomb! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
The Yang's Saga (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
The Duke of Mount Deer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
The Legend of the Condor Heroes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
萬水千山總是情 (數碼修復版) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
No One is Innocent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
The Enigmatic Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
The Good, the Bad and the Beauties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Golden Horse Awards (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)
In the Qing Dynasty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Two-Gun Cohen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Untitled Johnnie To Gangster Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 122 titles, 119 of them dated from 1962 to 2025.
Biggest box office
Blind Detective (2013)
Highest rated
Election 2 (2006)
Most popular right now
A Moment of Romance (1990)
Film career
- 1998Screen debut· Expect the Unexpected
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
How do Johnnie To's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 71st percentile, the median of all 49; across their 48 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 74th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up19
- 50th to 74th18
- 25th to 49th11
- Below 25th1
Shape of the crowd
31 of their 49 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved1
- Crowd Pleaser31
- Broadly Agreed10
- Mixed7
Reviewers score the atmosphere 71/100 and the pacing 53/100 in their films, across 41 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Who does Johnnie To work with?
People who share at least 2 of Johnnie To's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Nai-Hoi Yau shares the most, 25.
Directors
- Ka-Fai WaiShared titles: Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2 (2014), Blind Detective (2013), Drug War (2012), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011), Vengeance (2009), Mad Detective (2007), Running on Karma (2003), Fat Choi Spirit (2002), My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002), Fulltime Killer (2001), A Hero Never Dies (1998), The Longest Nite (1997) and 1 moreSee newest 12 of 13 shared titles with Ka-Fai Wai
- Hark TsuiShared titles: Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020), Triangle (2007), The Big Heat (1988), Happy Ghost III (1986)See all 4 shared titles with Hark Tsui
- Wing-Cheong LawShared titles: Punished (2011), Election 2 (2006), PTU (2003), Running on Karma (2003), Fat Choi Spirit (2002), My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002), Running Out of Time 2 (2001)See all 7 shared titles with Wing-Cheong Law
- Ringo LamShared titles: Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020), Triangle (2007), A Moment of Romance (1990)See all 3 shared titles with Ringo Lam
Writers
- Nai-Hoi YauShared titles: Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020), Three (2016), Trivisa (2016), Blind Detective (2013), Drug War (2012), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011), Life Without Principle (2011), Eye in the Sky (2007), Triangle (2007), Election 2 (2006), Election (2005), Throw Down (2004) and 13 moreSee newest 12 of 25 shared titles with Nai-Hoi Yau
- Kin-Yee AuShared titles: Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020), Life Without Principle (2011), Eye in the Sky (2007), Mad Detective (2007), Triangle (2007), Throw Down (2004), PTU (2003), Running on Karma (2003), Fat Choi Spirit (2002), My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002), Running Out of Time 2 (2001)See all 11 shared titles with Kin-Yee Au
- Tin-Shing YipShared titles: Life Without Principle (2011), Triangle (2007), Election 2 (2006), Exiled (2006), Election (2005), Breaking News (2004), Throw Down (2004), Running on Karma (2003)See all 8 shared titles with Tin-Shing Yip
- Kam-Yuen SzetoShared titles: Motorway (2012), Accident (2009), Exiled (2006), A Hero Never Dies (1998), The Longest Nite (1997)See all 5 shared titles with Kam-Yuen Szeto
Actors
- Suet LamShared titles: Three (2016), Trivisa (2016), Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2 (2014), Blind Detective (2013), Boundless (2013), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011), Accident (2009), Vengeance (2009), Linger (2008), Eye in the Sky (2007), Mad Detective (2007), Triangle (2007) and 13 moreSee newest 12 of 25 shared titles with Suet Lam
- Simon YamShared titles: Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020), Boundless (2013), Vengeance (2009), Eye in the Sky (2007), Triangle (2007), Election 2 (2006), Exiled (2006), Election (2005), Breaking News (2004), PTU (2003), My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002), Fulltime Killer (2001) and 1 moreSee newest 12 of 13 shared titles with Simon Yam
- Eddie CheungShared titles: Three (2016), Life Without Principle (2011), Vengeance (2009), Eye in the Sky (2007), Mad Detective (2007), Election 2 (2006), Exiled (2006), Election (2005), Breaking News (2004), Throw Down (2004), Running on Karma (2003), The Bare-Footed Kid (1993)See all 12 shared titles with Eddie Cheung
- Ching-Wan LauShared titles: Boundless (2013), Life Without Principle (2011), Mad Detective (2007), Fat Choi Spirit (2002), My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002), Running Out of Time 2 (2001), Running Out of Time (1999), A Hero Never Dies (1998), Lifeline (1997), The Longest Nite (1997), Loving You (1995), Heroic Trio 2: Executioners (1993)See all 12 shared titles with Ching-Wan Lau
Cinematographers and editors
- Siu-Keung ChengShared titles: Three (2016), Blind Detective (2013), Drug War (2012), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011), Life Without Principle (2011), Vengeance (2009), Linger (2008), Mad Detective (2007), Triangle (2007), Election 2 (2006), Exiled (2006), Election (2005) and 13 moreSee newest 12 of 25 shared titles with Siu-Keung Cheng
- David M. RichardsonShared titles: Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020), Three (2016), Trivisa (2016), Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2 (2014), Blind Detective (2013), Drug War (2012), Motorway (2012), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011), Life Without Principle (2011), Punished (2011), Accident (2009), Vengeance (2009) and 7 moreSee newest 12 of 19 shared titles with David M. Richardson
- Allen LeungShared titles: Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020), Three (2016), Trivisa (2016), Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2 (2014), Blind Detective (2013), Drug War (2012), Motorway (2012)See all 7 shared titles with Allen Leung
- Wing-Hang WongShared titles: The Bare-Footed Kid (1993), The Mad Monk (1993), Casino Raiders II (1991), A Moment of Romance (1990), The Story of My Son (1990), All About Ah-Long (1989), The Big Heat (1988)See all 7 shared titles with Wing-Hang Wong
Producers
- Catherine ChanShared titles: Eye in the Sky (2007), Election 2 (2006), Exiled (2006), Election (2005), Breaking News (2004), Throw Down (2004), PTU (2003), Running on Karma (2003), Fat Choi Spirit (2002), My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002), Fulltime Killer (2001), Running Out of Time 2 (2001) and 4 moreSee newest 12 of 16 shared titles with Catherine Chan
- Elos GalloShared titles: Accident (2009), Mad Detective (2007), Election 2 (2006), Exiled (2006), Election (2005), Breaking News (2004), Throw Down (2004), PTU (2003), Fulltime Killer (2001), The Mission (1999)See all 10 shared titles with Elos Gallo
- Tiffany ChenShared titles: Mad Detective (2007), Election 2 (2006), Election (2005), Throw Down (2004), Running on Karma (2003), Fat Choi Spirit (2002), My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002), Running Out of Time 2 (2001), Running Out of Time (1999), A Moment of Romance III (1996)See all 10 shared titles with Tiffany Chen
- Shirley LauShared titles: Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020), Motorway (2012), Life Without Principle (2011), Punished (2011), Accident (2009), Exiled (2006), Breaking News (2004), Fulltime Killer (2001)See all 8 shared titles with Shirley Lau
Mixed roles
- Jevons AuShared titles: Trivisa (2016), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Jevons Au
- Jeff CheungShared titles: Life Without Principle (2011), Election 2 (2006)See all 2 shared titles with Jeff Cheung
- Patrick LeungShared titles: A Moment of Romance III (1996), The Bare-Footed Kid (1993)See all 2 shared titles with Patrick Leung
