Bullet In The Head
Not for the faint-hearted, John Woo's unflinching account of individual destinies caught up and mangled by the greater madness of the Vietnam War remains his greatest cinematic achievement to date. More a three-act tragedy of epic proportions than a conventional action film, it follows the fortunes of Ben, Paul and Frank, three .. Read more
| Starring | Waise Lee, Jacky Cheung, Tony Leung |
|---|---|
| Director | John Woo |
| Run time | 126 mins |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller, World Cinema |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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One of the more personal films in John Woo's canon and one which combines the highly stylised themes and motifs of his gangster films with a grittier than usual edge. Tony Leung, Jacky Cheung and Lee Waise play a trio of Hong Kong chums who see the chance of a fortune to be made in 1960s Vietnam, but find their friendship pushed to the limit by the war. It's not without its flaws, but the typically bravura direction from Woo carries the day and it provides a fascinating view of a conflict usually seen from a western perspective.
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Highly ambitious Vietnam epic about the dehumanising effects of greed and repression. Ben (Leung) grows up in the Hong... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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8 out of 9 people found this review helpful
Woo woo fun!
Bullet in the head is a typically John Woo film - lots of action, slow motion shots and a relentless pace. Unfortunately it also contains some other Woo trademarks, namely poor acting and lack of plot.
The film starts with three close friends in 1960s Hong Kong looking to make their way in life. Circumstances means they have to leave quickly and they end up in Vietnam during the height of the war trying to make their fortune. They eventually meet the ex-CIA man Lok and plan to rob a wealthy but dodgy businessman of his gold. Things don't go according to plan and they are pursued through the war torn country trying to free themselves from his men. As they escape the greed of one of the three friends becomes apparent and he eventually betrays them in order to keep the gold, leaving them for dead. The film ends with Bee (Tony Leung) confronting Wing and the evitable finale fight scene entails.
Although this isn't the best John Woo film, its thoroughly watchable although it could do with being 30 mins shorter. -
Most recent members' review
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3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Probably Woo's most demanding film
A challenging movie with flashes of the Woo trademarks (slow-mo, bullet ballets, honour, betrayal, explosions). But it seems to drag somewhat, at over two hours, during which the bodycount seems to rise exponentially.
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