Xiao Shi De Zi Dan (2012)
Genre: Action / Drama
Duration: 108 minuten
Alternative titles: Ghost Bullets / The Bullet Vanishes
Country:
China / Hong-Kong
Directed by: Chi-Leung Law
Stars: Nicholas Tse, Ching Wan Lau and Yang Mi
IMDb score:
6,5 (2.428)
Releasedate: 14 August 2012
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
Xiao Shi De Zi Dan plot
The body of a young girl is found in a munitions factory. However, the circumstances surrounding her death are unknown. When two detectives pick up the case, they become the killer's two new targets.
Actors and actresses
Inspector Song Donglu
Captain Guo Zhui
Little Skylark
Police Chief Jin
Xiaowu
NPA senior officer
Fu Yuan
Wu Zhongguo
Li Jia, forensic doctor
Wang Hai
Reviews & comments
Onderhond
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- 87698 messages
- 13084 votes
Slick.
A somewhat weird mix of Sherlock Holmes and a Western, in which the Holmes elements fortunately strongly predominate. Not that Law further copies Ritchie's style characteristics with his eyes closed, but the light-hearted, almost tongue-in-cheek atmosphere can also be found here.
Lau is extremely suitable for his role, does not play it too seriously, but knows how to uphold a kind of credibility. Tse is Lau's somewhat glitzier servant, but certainly does it properly.
Visually very tight and beautifully worked out, although the focus is often too much on the story, leaving too little space to enjoy all the beauty. Apart from the stand-out explosion scene, Law really pulls out all the stops.
It's 100% popcorn entertainment, which is a bit of a shame in the end. A lot of attention is paid to unraveling the plot, but it is known from these kinds of films that you can just wait until the last five minutes if you want to know the denouement. The journey there is usually a little less fascinating, which also occasionally takes the stretch out of the film.
Nice and glitzy Ritchie-Holmes clone, Law is a fine director, but that one masterpiece (you) doesn't really want to come out. Other than that, a brave and beautifully put together effort.
3.5*
Translated from Dutch · View original
frolunda
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- 1115 messages
- 4614 votes
Was presented here and there as a China/Hong Kong variant of Sherlock Holmes, but I think that you are doing The Bullet Vanishes (Xiao Shi De Zi Dan) from 2012 a bit short. This combination of action, thriller and detective story has, to a certain extent, its own style, has a few original angles and has in the duo Nicholas Tse (Captain Guo Zhui) and Lau Ching-wan (Inspector Song Donglu) two excellent playing protagonists who are little or nothing inferior to each other.
The story is set in China during the thirties of the last century where a number of mysterious murders take place in and around a munitions factory. This is partly due to the fact that no bullets can be found in or near the bodies. After a strong run-up, two police officers/detectives who normally work independently of each other then join forces to solve the initially inexplicable case.
The screenplay has a few plot twists and events that I don't find all equally successful, but the convincing and attractive acting (Liu Kai-chi as the bastard director of the factory also deserves a mention) and the beautiful, gray and atmospheric photography , which hit both the time period and location very well, help to ensure that the Bullet Vanishes remains captivating throughout its entire length. In addition, the film contains quite a few good action scenes and a denouement that I only saw coming at the very last moment. So I had a great time with the Bullet Vanishes and I immediately feel like the sequel, the Vanished Murder, which was released three years later.
Good to very good.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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