Bullets Over Summer (1999)When an arch-evil crime ring murders cops, security guards and passerby wedding guests in a slo-mo bloodbath, two cops (Louis Koo and Francis Ng) get sent out on a stakeout. Tipped-off by an informant, the twosome head for an apartment block opposite the suspect's flat. And the apartment they end up with is that of an old granny (Helena Law Lan). Senile and lonesome, she takes them for family members, dubbing them Leung and Brian, and the results are plenty of fun. Once in the flat, Koo snares himself a schoolgirl and orphaned Ng develops finds family comfort in a pregnant laundromat owner until Huntington's Syndrome (a malady purpose-made for his manic acting) takes its toll... While the poster and lobby cards emphasise cop action, it comes as a surprise that it's Helena Law's dotty old lady role that makes Bullets Over Summer work well. She takes everyone - even bloodthirsty criminals - as family in enlivened flashes of comedy. Francis Ng gains a role that builds off a parentless past and mental illness to create more than his partner could ever bargain for. With so much good stuff in Bullets Over Summer, I can only imagine how much better it could be if the pace wasn't so slow. A soundtrack of alternaguitar rock and electronic cutups underpins the action and tense dining sequences but is too quiet to have any impact. And then there's an ending that I could have done without. Falterings aside, Bullets Over Summer is another creative and playful affair from the makers of Bio-Zombie with plenty of twists, turns and even Hong Kong mockery to entertain. DVD information: The Mei Ah disc offers a most acceptable presentation of this curious little film. Best of all is that the 5.1 sound mix significantly improves on the muted original soundtrack which marred my viewing at the cinema. 5.1 mixes are on hand for both the Cantonese and Putongua soundtracks while the original stereo mixes are provided as well. The trailer is included but do not watch it before seeing the film proper, as it contains enormous spoilers. Other features include the impressive trailer for The Mission, four sets of subtitles (Chinese traditional and simplified, English and Thai), a cast and crew list, and chapter selections. The cover layout gives the impression that Mei Ah have set an international audience firmly in their sights. Lack of proofreading aside, their efforts to broaden distribution are certainly commendable. |
Credits: Directed by Wilson Yip |
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