Although Bullets of Love may initially appear a peculiar title for a dramatic, action romance, this is explored over the course of the feature. The film opens violently with a young man running down the streets of Hong Kong, stricken by unnerving terror, before been tortured by a supremely talented assassin with impressive marksman capabilities, known only as Ghost (Hayawaka Saki), a woman who is often employed by two gangster brothers, Night (Terence Yin Chi-Wai) and Day (Richard Sun Kwok-Ho).The beginning of the film also introduces the viewer to the directional style that will be often utilized during the film's action segments. The occasional use of hand-held camera techniques can make it difficult to appropriately focus on what is happening due to the frenetic nature of the work, though this does capture the rush of adrenaline characters would feel during these circumstances. Additionally, scene stills sometimes change to a single color, heightening the tone and dramatic effect, while on other occasions, the repetition of a particular action sequence, though capable of demonstrating a moment from several angles, can also appear unnecessary.The film centers around protagonist Sam (Leon Lai Ming), a police inspector who has been pursuing the violent Triad brothers Night and Day for the past three years. When Night is successfully apprehended, Ann (Asaka Seto, whose character is voiced by Sandy Lam San-San), Sam's paramour, and the case's prosecutor, attempts during the legal proceedings to ensure Night will no longer be a threat to society. Sentenced to five years imprisonment, Night openly threatens the lives of the couple, who, in order to get away from the case and experience a change of scenery, vacation in Paris.Unknowingly pursued by Ghost, who has begun to develop romanticized feelings for Sam, tragedy inexplicably tears Sam's world apart when Ann is horrifically killed. Instead of revealing the immediate aftermath, or providing the audience with the opportunity to be emotionally connected to this grief-stricken moment, the movie instead jumps ahead two years without explanation, a decision that is on one hand rather bothersome, for missing out on such an opportunity to connect with the audience, though at the same time, fits with the film's speed, which is more often than not quite rapid.Living alongside his uncles, Ox (Michael Chan Wai-Man) and Tiger (Frankie Ng Chi-Hung), Sam's professional life has gone from being a member of the police force, to being a fisherman and drummer in a rock-band, although, during this reveal, the viewer could not be blamed for thinking they had suddenly begun to watch a completely different film, the dramatic action having being replaced by a slightly more light-hearted tone, as Sam's family begin to ready themselves for Tiger's wedding.When Sam happens to meet You (also portrayed by Asaka Seto), a Japanese photographer who looks exactly like his former lover, Sam finds himself developing feelings for her, and despite their initially confrontational meeting, You herself begins to find happiness in his arms. This particular part of the story is perhaps one of the better developed segments, the film assisting the audience in legitimately longing for a desirable resolution. However, their happiness is put to the test when Sam discovers that Night has successfully been paroled, forcing him to make a decision: will he dedicate himself to avenging his fallen lover, or will he try to move on? At the same time though, You's mysterious past begins to reveal itself, rendering the decision Sam will be forced to make all the more difficult.Although by the film's conclusion there are some lingering unresolved questions, the central plot is satisfactorily brought to a close, with an ending guaranteed to unpredictably shock. Despite characterization been in rather short supply, the characters themselves are admirably portrayed, and we are able to acquire an understanding of their motivations and passions, that help us comprehend the leads, even when their actions are morally wrong, or absurdly hazardous. Although there are other films of a similar genre that are potentially better executed, Bullets of Love proves to be a feature capable of granting its audience enough food for thought when it comes to the lengths we may go to secure who we love most.

"Bullets of Love" is a mindless action/drama out of Hong Kong which tells a convoluted story about a cop who falls in love with a woman who looks like the fiancee he lost in a violent assassination. A clean and stylish shoot, the film fails on story which is a far fetched conglomeration with some action at both ends and a lot of unnecessarily tedious melodrama and silly humor in the middle. The DVD I watched was 70% spoken Chinese with subtitles and 30% English. Hokey stuff with more loose ends than a barbershop floor. Extreme nonsense for Chinese couch potatoes only. (C)

Typical HK movies are bad!! However, this movie is not so typical. There is an extra element in this movie that makes it glow from the rest. Seto Asaka, the Japanese actress, helped save this movie from being another typical, bad HK flick. Asaka has the ability to light up the screen and she's why I decided to see this movie. Indeed, Asaka shined even in the not so perfect world of HK films.

Although it uses the same hokey elements typical of HK films, Bullets of Love cooks them up to somewhat tastier effect. Maybe it's just the advantage of a bigger budget than usual, but the music, the cinematography, even the acting seemed above average for what we normally find in Hong Kong action movies. Or it could be the Japanese actress, Asaka Seto -- although she hasn't been in a lot of films, she has a genuine screen presence and plays her role with a charm and delicacy one does not usually find in pictures of this ilk. Compare, for example, the ridiculous overacting of The Stewardess' Seina Kasugai and it becomes clear that Ms. Seto saved this picture from being a mess.Don't get me wrong. This film wasn't exactly high art, more like "high trash." The storyline was hackneyed, totally predictable, but perhaps a better description would be "classic." The ending would not have been out of place in a Shakespearean or Greek tragedy, and so, as a whole, the film receives a strong recommendation from me.PS: I haven't given it a full listen, but apparently the DVD comes with a director's commentary of some kind on the fifth audio track. Go figure.