A Major Disappointment

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Chances are, I probably would have been disappointed if I thought this was going to be an action packed slam bang ride like HARD-BOILED. I knew ahead of time that BALLISTIC KISS was refered to as an "arty" action film. Donnie Yen is one of the best movie martial artists out there. I had no idea that he had such a cinematic eye though. After seeing SHANGHAI AFFAIRS and LEGEND OFTHE WOLF, I noticed his real passion for film making, so I could only imagine what BALLISTIC KISS was gonna be like. From the beginning of the movie, it was obvious that this wasn't a typical HK production. The intro to the movie was like an american noir film with the way the lighting and camera shots were used when Donnie Yen is talking to the radio show host. The cinematography was of particular note. Donnie used a lot of blues and reds. Everything was shown as being gloomy. Wong Kai-Fai was a great collaborator with Yen. Many things about this film are unconventional. The action for instance is shot with neo noirism , and the editing works. Some people may find the editing to be too choppy/fast, but it worked for what Yen was trying ot present. Even the undercranking (Which I normally disapprove of) was appropriate. I didn't even mind that guns in the film shot more bullets than they really do. The editing and sense of action made the movie look sureal. BALLISTIC KISS is kind of like a combination between what John Woo and Wong Kar-Wai would do. The story is also something. This isn't about a killer trying to go straight. In this movie, Donnie's character of Cat Lee has no sense of redemption. He just wants revenge against his partner who betrayed him, and if he dies while doing it, so be it. The only thing that would probably save him from that fate is his attraction for a cop played by Annie Wu. While Cat thinks about her and how wonderful things would be if they were together, he doesn't have an optimistic view of the future. One of his sayings is "No one is innocent." He thinks the world won't get better, and his sense of peace only exists in his mind. But the gloomyness of the film is not what the theme is. It doesn't mean that the rest of us have nothing to look forward too. In fact, it tells us the opposite. The lives these people lead are not the lives we have to leave. Even though it also expresses a common theme of "even trusted friends are capable of betrayal," there's no reason to be sad from seeing this movie. Bey Logan (Who I've had the honor to meet.) wrote a great script. Many people hate this film. But the strange thing is that the reasons for why people hate it are the reasons why I like it. It's self-indulgent, the editing is sureal, like I said: it's unconventional. This movie is definitely not for everyone, but if you're an "arty" type person with an open mind, you may like it. It's not fully arty though. There's a good combination of mainstream film making to go along with it. This is Donnie Yen's best performance. He gives of a great sense of a tragic hero without having to go over the top. Annie Wu plays off him very nicely. The relationship that develops between them is more like mutual respect than "deep romance." But there's still romance there nontheless. While Donnie Yen's best martial art performance is in IN THE LINE OF DUTY IV, his best film overall is BALLISTIC KISS.10 out of 10

There's something about movies that are produced by, directed by, and staring the same person. Maybe it stifles the rest of the cast and crew from giving any honest input. It would have been helpful if someone would have spoke up and mentioned the totally unrealistic gun fights were a bit much. Gunfights can be cool, but please, even the most squeamish pacifist would understand guns need to be reloaded from time to time. Shotguns don't hold 100 shells nor do 9mm hand gun clips provide that kind of firepower. Also, bullets follow a straight trajectory and don't do their best to avoid the target.This is the type of film that leaves one wondering if the producer-director-actor thinks the audience is so mental as to take the movie seriously. I ended up giving this film a 4/10 because it had it's moments. Annie Wu did a decent job with what was available. She was even able to sprint, without favoring her bad leg, minutes after being shot in the thigh. It could have been a decent film with a bit more character development and shorter, more realistic gun fights. I could only recommend viewing to have a few chuckles.

Wow, this film is utterly UNFORGIVABLE.Donnie Yen is an incredible martial-arts talent who should utterly claim this film as his alan smithee masterpiece. God knows he couldn't be bothered to remove hisself as the film's lead. Usually, when watching an HK actioner you should suspend your disbelief to an unbearable degree. John Woo's HK films made this easy and fun to watch. But here the viewer is utterly dragged kicking and screaming into utter garbage. The acting was top notch, for most HK flicks, and thought he story was essentially striving to free itself there was no resurrection. Instead what we have here is a failure to entertain as we are subjected to uninspired fights, mingled with shameful gunplay, and some bad guys/heavies that are so happy go lucky that I'd probably play "Yut, Yee, Sum!" drinking games with 'til dawn. THESE BAD GUYS WERE SO UNTHREATENING THAT TRIX BUNNY ON MY TV RIGHT NOW LOOKS LIKE CHARLIE MANSON, IN COMPARISON.Did I come into this flick wanting to hate it? HELL NO! Donnie Yen is cool, he's cooler than cool. This guy is action nitro glycerine times a thousand plus infinity. But here, in a film he directed no less, it's a heartbreaking waste. I encourage those who get caught up with the flashy title to instead search for something meaningful, like John Woo's earlier films. Hell, even Mission Impossible 2 was better than this. Yowza!Donnie, let other people direct. I have only so much respect for you, buddy. Don't make me lose any more.

Not since John Woo left Hong Kong has the once very popular genre of the Professional Killer seen such an explosion of style and action. The guns never empty and the camera never stops in this killer-loves-cop action drama. Don't miss it!