Bullet in the Head (1990)

When three close friends escape from Hong Kong to war-time Saigon to start a criminal's life, they all go through a harrowing experience which totally shatters their lives and their friendship forever.

Director:

John Woo

Writers:

Janet Chun, Patrick Leung

Stars:

Tony Chiu-Wai Leung, Jacky Cheung, Waise Lee

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tony Chiu-Wai Leung	...	Ben / Siu Bun (as Tony Chiu Wai Leung)
Jacky Cheung	...	Frank / Fai Jai
Waise Lee	...	Paul / Sau Ming
Simon Yam	...	Luke / Lok
Yolinda Yam	...	Sally Yan Sau Ching
Chung Lam	...	Mr. Y.S. Leong (as Chung Lin)
Fennie Yuen	...	Jane / Siu Jan
Kan-Wing Tsang	...	Jane's father
Hang Shuen So	...	Jane's mother
John Woo	...	Policeman
Hee Ching Paw	...	Ben's mother
Tseng Chang	...	Paul's father
San-Yan Siao	...	Mr. Shing
Paco Yick	...	Ringo (as Tin Hung Yee)
Yun Pei	...	Frank's mother

Storyline

In 1967, on the way to the wedding of a friend a young man is accosted by a local gang member. Later, the three friends administer justice, in the process of which the gang member is killed, so they leave Hong Kong to avoid the police and the gang. They run black market supplies to Saigon and get embroiled in the war, being arrested as Viet Cong, then later captured by the Viet Cong, and find that their friendship is tested to the limits as they try to escape.

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Plot Keywords:

poliziottesco | hong kong poliziottesco | friend | saigon | friendship | 

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Simon Yam was actually burnt in the face during the POW camp sequence.

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Quotes

Ben: You always called me Big Brother, I said being friends was enough. Among friends, rank is irrelevant.

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Alternate Versions

The German version, although rated 18, is heavily cut (ca. 30 minutes).

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Connections

Referenced in Max Payne (2001)

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Soundtracks

I'm a Believer
Written by Neil Diamond
Performed by The Monkees
S.E. Asia Music

User Reviews

Bullet with your name on it...

John Woo directs an absolute merciless Vietnam war drama that is comparable to The Deer Hunter in it's power and is quite possibly one of the greatest movies of Woo's career. The movie follows three trouble-making kids (Tony Leung, Waise Lee and Jackie Cheung) who are exiled to Vietnam to escape the Hong Kong authorities after a rival gang member is killed by them, once in Saigon the run into "The Viet Cong" who are far worse than the HK authorities and their rival gang and what the V.C do to our trio makes them regret in all their hearts that they didn't go to prison in the much safer Hong Kong. A Bullet In The Head would be a tale about friendship overcoming the hard times of war, if the friendships in the movie actually prevailed. Instead the movie gives us a heart wrenching look at war and what it does to the three friends in the movie. The kids in the movie are in the beginning not very sympathetic and give off the impression that they deserve what they get but once they go to Vietnam you realize just how much in over their head they are and Woo filters the emotion from this situation and effectively conveys a story that is hard to watch but very rewarding nonetheless. After witnessing the debacle of Windtalkers I decided to see if Woo could direct war, well it goes without saying this blows that one out of the water. This is up there with Hard Boiled and The Killer as Woo's best film.

* * * * out of 4-(Excellent. A Must See!)

Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese English Vietnamese French

Release Date:

17 August 1990 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

Bullet in the Head

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Golden Princess Film Production Limited, John Woo Film Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min 97 min (heavily cut) (video)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1