Hard Target is a 1993 American action film directed by Hong Kong film director John Woo in his U.S. debut. It is the first film in the Hard Target franchise.Hard Target was Woo's first U.S. film and was also the first major Hollywood film made by a Chinese director. After 65 days of filming in New Orleans, Woo had trouble with the Motion Picture Association of America to secure the R rating that Universal wanted. Woo made dozens of cuts to the film until the MPAA allowed it an R rating. On its initial release, Hard Target received mixed reviews from film critics but was a financial success. The film is considered a cult film among fans especially for the action scenes.