A visit to the external reviews of the IMDB could have saved you some trouble:
Fox Lurber version: "Hard Boiled is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. I do wish this film were given a new anamorphic transfer, but even as it stands this is a nice visual presentation. I compared this to the Criterion release for this review and both are decent transfer, but this one reflects lighter contrast than the Criterion disc. This isn't an extreme difference, but some of the darker sequences come off as a little too light on this version. But I would consider them on the same level quality, just a little different in that respects. Colors seem natural, though some bright shades emerge and flesh tones look warm and consistent. I found only minimal compression hiccups, certainly no more than the Criterion disc displayed to be sure. It isn't what I wanted (16X9 enhanced), but it stands up well against previous editions."
DVD AuthorityUltimate Edition version: "This new Dragon Dynasty DVD crops the film slightly from 1.85:1 to around 1.66:1, though it’s thankfully anamorphic compared to prior releases. It’s also far cleaner, sharper, and the compression is under control. Grain varies dependent on the scene. Odd instances of yellow lines running through the print are noticeable early. It shows almost no damage otherwise, and the lines disappear past the first shootout."
DVD ReviewAccording to this, I'd pick the Ultimate Edition. Yeah, it's a bit cropped from the original 1x1'85 ratio, but the transfer seems the best of the bunch, and being anamorphic you won't be missing much.