[psycho d]

Fulltime Killer (2001). Where the story proper is lacking, style and execution step up to fill the void, as in many exceptional Hong Kong bullet fests. And where less intrepid directors would exhibit prudence, Johnnie To dispenses the cool and the corny with such confidence that it is all taken in bloody stride, creating fresh cinematic geography to be exploited and enjoyed. The acting was awesome, with Andy Lau and Takashi Sorimachi portraying diametric opposites of character whose fates must collide by order of the cosmos. Kelly Lin fits in as shy, gorgeous, and bored, inevitably attracting the cross hairs of the competition in their amorous designs. Simon Yam, playing a satellite in uniform, a crime drama must, suddenly turns up center stage towards the end of the flick, a hallmark trait of foreign flicks that are not constrained by cinematic dogma. The main focus is on the style of action, and To delivers scene after scene of bullet ballets where stylistic innovation triumphs over the plausible, all to the delight of the audience. For those seeking cinema verite steer clear, but for those seeking the inimitable style of Hong Kong action then having a peek at Fulltime Killer will surely compensate one's investment. Merci beaucoup.
Genruk