John Woo - in Popular Culture

In Popular Culture

• In the video game Rise of the Triad Typing the in-game cheat code 'JohnWoo' gives you a second pistol.
• In the video game Max Payne there are many homages and references to John Woo.
• In the video game Shadow Warrior after picking up a second uzi, the main character says, "Be proud, Mr. Woo."
• In the PC game F.E.A.R., the developers admitted that they been inspired by John Woo action movies, in that they wanted the game's action sequences to play out as dramatic and elegant gunfights.
• The Christian rock band Newsboys has a song "John Woo" which makes reference to the religious symbolism he often employs in his films.
• In the 2010 film Kick Ass, Nicolas Cage plays a ruthless vigilante who's trained his young daughter to fight and kill. In one scene, he tests her knowledge with trivia questions about various weapons. After answering each question correctly, she says, "Give me a hard one!" to which her father asks, "The name of John Woo's first full-length feature?" She answers that question correctly as well.
• During the Season 1 finale of the animated television series The Venture Bros., there is an entire scene devoted to smashing as many John Woo references as humanly possible into 30 seconds.
• The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic story arc "Bodycount" is a tribute to John Woo's films.
• In The Simpsons episode Half-Decent Proposal, Homer tells Artie Ziff that that he can spend a weekend with Marge, "but no funny stuff. And by "funny stuff" I mean hand-holding, goo-goo eyes, misdirected woo - which is pretty much any John Woo film... "
• The 2004 Super Sentai film Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger The Movie: Full Blast Action has many homages to John Woo's works:
  • The subplot of an artificial virus and antidote being used for extortion is borrowed from Mission: Impossible II. Hoji's bike chase scene is loosely based on that film as well.
  • The nightclub where Ban meets Marie Gold is called "Better Tomorrow".
  • Many of Deka Red's gunfights are inspired by Woo's action-packed films such as Hard Boiled.
• In the Avatar: the Last Airbender episode "The Beach," there is a tribute to Woo's signature dove shot when the character Zuko throws his outer shirt to the ground before beginning to play volleyball.
• The Cowboy Bebop episode "Ballad of Fallen Angels" pays homage to Woo including a stand-off, the use of two guns and a battle in a church complete with doves.
• The "Always" episode of "Castle" pays homage to Woo in Castle revealing that he will drown the sorrows of his daughter's graduation from High School by distracting himself with a John Woo double feature of "The Killer" and "Hard Boiled". Beckett responds "Wow that is a double feature!". Castle then asks if she likes John Woo and Beckett answers "The bloodier the better". Castle invites her to join him and she says "I'd love too".