BIG BULLET (1998)

Starring: Lau Ching Wan, Jordan Chan, Yu Wing Kwong, Cheung Tat Ming, Theresa Li Yi Hung, Francis Ng, Anthony Wong, Vincent Kuk

The 'Cops n Robbers' genre in the Hong Kong film industry is one of the most popular genres, appealing to many people from across the globe, and (apart from Martial Arts films) is the genre most watched by Hong Kong film fans from the West. Classics such as John Woo's A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard Boiled are examples of the Cops n Robbers genre. Big Bullet is no different in this regard. It is simply the good cops against the bad robbers, and the simple plotting doesn't offer a lot to ponder about. No cop thriller this.

But what it lacks in its script, it makes up for in its fast pacing and kinetic action. We follow Police officer Bill Zhu (Lau) as he gets demoted from the Organised Crimes Dept to the Emergency Unit. Bill gets saddled with Jeff (Jordan Chan), a by-the-book potential officer; Matt (Cheung Tat Ming), a chattering down-to-earth guy; Dan, an old cop near his retirement; and Apple (Theresa Li), a girl-cop from Canada. Their job is to roam along the streets of their allocated section, checking for any trouble, and ready for backup.

Maybe it is their luck that on their beat, they chance upon master criminal Professor (Yu Wing Kwong) and his buddies, including Bird (Anthony Wong), who wreck havoc in downtown Hong Kong, killing and taking a blown-up hand from an Interpol officer. Bill and his ex-superior, Inspector Yang (Francis Ng) from Organised Crimes, give chase, but Yang is ambushed by Professor and dies of his wounds.

Bill swears revenge, but due to red tape, can't do a thing. That is until he realises what the Professor is up to: planning on stealing US$90 million cash from the vaults of the Interpol building. Breaking rules and putting his career on the line, he makes no hesitation in trying to nail down the monster who killed his friend. His buddies have no choice but to follow him on their most dangerous mission yet.

I really like Big Bullet. It offers plenty of enjoyment in ninety minutes: there's the classic gunfight between good guys and bad guys in the streets, along with the usual chases and fights. Then there's the encounter of the good cop versus his arrogant superiors, and the bonding between police officers. There's humour, action, drama, and a sense of not-quite realism, but enough to make you think anything is possible. Sure, the film is flawed in areas, but this is not a fly on the wall documentary, it is a fun movie. You don't quite get the excessiveness of a John Woo action flick, nor the flamboyancy of other action filmmakers, but what you do get is the classic good cops against bad criminals kind of drama.

The characters are well directed, making them believable. You get the hot headed cop, wanting to go after the cases; the cop who is afraid to go against the rules, the old cop who has seen it all and wants to stay alive before his retirement; the cop who always crack a joke in any given situation, and the lady cop who is determined to prove herself in front of these men. And the interaction between them is marvellous as well, making this film even more enjoyable.

RATING

8 / 10