The Bullet Vanishes

The first we see Lau Ching Wan's superintendent Song Donglu, he straps a noose around his neck and kicks off the chair – all for the sake of seeing firsthand the physical signs of someone who commits suicide from hanging. It is a bold introduction no less, especially since it immediately recalls one of Lau's best films – Johnnie To's 'Mad Detective' – in which he played an equally eccentric investigative persona. Aside from the similarities in personality and detail-oriented deductive skills however, the setting is entirely different – but one that this thriller is all the better for.

Taking place in the Tiancheng prefecture during China's warlord era (similar to that of producer Derek Yee's earlier 'The Great Magician'), co-writer and director Lo Chi Leung spins an impressive whodunit around the heady elements of industrial unrest and bureaucratic corruption. Any direct exploration of the social subtext might trigger attention from the Chinese censors, so Chi-Leung and his other screenwriter Yeung Sin- Ling focus their attention on the mystery at hand, allowing what references that may be drawn to the industrial unrest plaguing the country today to emerge subtly.

The title refers to a string of puzzling murders at a bullet factory where the bullets seem to have disappeared after the acts. While many of the workers immediately attribute the deaths to the vengeful spirit of a female employee who had been accused of stealing and thereafter forced into a game of Russian roulette with the boss (Liu Kai-Chi), Song is not so sure – and together with another young detective Guo Zhui (Nicholas Tse) dubbed the fastest sharpshooter in the precinct, attempt to unravel the mystery before it claims its next victim.

Those who think that the answer might be rather straightforward will be sorely mistaken, for Lo demonstrates ambition by assembling a host of supporting characters who may or may not be connected to the murders. With the deftness of Agatha Christie or even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lo takes turns casting doubts on each of these characters and their possible motivations, leaving his audience guessing till the final reveal. That means too that it does take a while before the mastermind finally comes to light, but what overplotting Lo and Yeung might be guilty of along the way is ultimately overcome by Lo's tight control over the unfolding narrative.

Not content to be just another Christie suspense novel, the movie also delves into the psychology of criminal behaviour through the mind of Song, who believes that there is no such thing as a bad person. Illustrating this point is a completely unrelated subplot that shows the demure Fu Yuan (Jiang Yiyan) plotting "the perfect crime" of her husband's (Chin Kar Lok) murder – depicted in a humorous Chaplin-esque way – the former of whom in prison becomes somewhat like a muse to Song to better understand the criminal mind. Song's belief that there are just "good people turned bad" is increasingly challenged as he comes up along greed and corruption, and kudos to Lo for adding an additional layer of intellect into the twisty proceedings.

Besides the mystery at the heart of the tale, the movie also rests on the chemistry between Song and Guo, their pairing of which has been compared to that of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Nonetheless, this isn't the Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law equivalent that you might be expecting, but a more traditional one in the spirit of the books – so really while Song is largely the brains of investigation, Guo assumes the role of the brawn. This might be the first time that Lau and Tse are cast opposite each other, but the two heavyweight actors complement each other with finely nuanced performances that do not draw too much attention to their respective character's idiosyncrasies.

Both also look like they fit right into the opulent period setting, brought vividly to life by gorgeous costumes and elaborate sets that project both the stylish and the seedy side of 1930s Shanghai. They are also joined by stellar supporting performances – both Liu and Wu Gang as the factory boss and shady police chief respectively delightfully smarmy in their villainous roles; as well as Yang Mi looking suitably sexy as a fortuneteller and Guo's love interest. Of course it is ultimately Lau and Tse who own the movie, and both are consistently engaging from start to finish.

So too is the entire film, even though it might not unfold at a breakneck pace like Guy Ritchie's 'Sherlock Holmes'. Rather, Lo prefers a low-key expositional approach that is more in line with the deductive methodologies of the investigation and simultaneously affords space for his audience to get to know the characters – though rest assured that he still packs enough shootouts to keep the adrenaline going. Like a good ol fashioned detective story, this one packs wit, suspense and then some impressive visual pizazz – we guarantee you'll be as intrigued as we were.

Song Donglu is a prison police officer who is very friendly with all the Prisoners and also has a brilliant mind to solve cases. He got promoted as a detective and posted in a town where crimes are high. Donglu team up with a local cop Guo Zhui to solve the case of vanishing bullets. The victims were shot, but the bullets are missing from their body. Like Sherlock Holmes, the logic explanation scenes were very good and also some action scenes that come from nowhere. Apart from this, the film has good sound effects and gorgeous frames. The pace of this mystery movie was constant and visuals tells the remaining things. Both Ching-wan and Tse delivers a stylish performance and loved it. Overall, it's a good investigation movie even though some scenes were inspired from Sherlock Holmes movies.

How can a bullet vanish? Magic? Or is it something different and what would it be? Well where's Sherlock Holmes when you need him. All kidding aside, this is a really good detective story, with quite a few twists and turns. The actors are good, the action and stunt scenes are more than decent themselves.

It is not without fault, but it keeps the tension high and the technical aspect of it is also something to behold. If you don't mind Asian movies, this will float your boat

Perfect crime investigation suspense,thriller...Two investigators try to find a killer but they found lot of truths behind those murders.. Must watch movie..!!

Hong Kong's answer to SHERLOCK HOLMES (2009). Lo Chi-Leung's THE BULLET VANISHES is a stylish period whodunit blessed with charming two leads (Nicholas Tse and Lau Ching-Wan), clever plotting and impeccable technical areas. Best of all, it's a huge relief that Lo Chi-Leung has finally made his true comeback after his once-prolific directing career took a huge tumble in 2010's CURSE OF THE DESERTED.

Set in 1920/30s Shanghai, the movie opens with a suspicious death of a young female worker named Yan (Xuxu) of an ammunition factory, who is accused of stealing a bullet by his boss, Ding (Liu Kai-Chi). To prove her innocence, Ding challenges her for a game of Russian roulette. She is unlucky enough to end up dead after she shoots herself into the head.

Meanwhile, Song Donglu (Lau Ching-Wan), a quirky and eccentric prison superintendent who is known for his obsessive investigation method, is summoned by police chief Jin (Wu Gang) to investigate the murder of Chen Qi (Liu Yang), a foreman who has been hit by a bullet that went through his skull and made a dent in the wall. Teaming up with hotshot "fastest gun-in-the-region" detective Guo Zhui (Nicholas Tse), they head over to the ammunition factory where Chen Qi's death took place. Strangely enough, they find no trace of bullets. The workers there claims it must be the work of Yan, who returns as a ghost exacting revenge but Song and Guo figures there must be a less supernatural explanation in their investigation.

Lo Chi-Leung and Yeung Sin-Ling's screenplay surrounding the complicated mystery is especially intriguing and fun to watch for. Elsewhere, there's an intriguing subplot involving Fu Yuan (Jiang Yiyan), an inmate convicted of murdering her husband (Chin Kar-Lok) where Song is trying to learn the truth -- together with an entertaining flashback scene shot in stylized black-and-white silent movie-style. Somewhere in between, director Lo Chi-Leung also inserts a couple of lively action set-pieces especially the final Mexican standoff and the slow-motion explosion sequence.

The cast is top-notch, with Lau Ching-Wan being the best of the bunch. His eccentric performance is always fun to watch for, and his character easily recalls the one he did before in MAD DETECTIVE (2007). Nicholas Tse is charismatic as usual, while Liu Kai-Chi gives a gleefully over-the-top performance as the crooked Ding and Jiang Yiyan is captivating as the icy Fu Yuan.

As for Lo Chi-Leung, his direction oozes with plenty of style and enthusiasm to keep the viewers intrigued throughout the movie. But still, his movie is not without some of the glaring flaws. The pace is slow and draggy in some parts, while the obligatory romance between Guo Zhui and Little Lark (Yang Mi), who plays a fortune teller, feels like an afterthought. Then there's the unexpected twist at the finale. It's a surprise that baffles me, but it also feels unnecessary and also convoluted.

Despite the setbacks, THE BULLET VANISHES remains one of the best Hong Kong movies of the year.

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