Fulltime Killer (2001)

Very disappointing...

Highly Overrated But Still Good

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

I appreciate Johnnie To as much as anyone with a taste for slow-burn, contemplative cinema, but Fulltime Killer is among his lesser efforts. It is very sub-par compared to what he's capable of when he fires on all cylinders (see Exiled or Election) and just not a very good movie. Granted the action scenes are all good (not great) in that heroic bloodshed slo-mo kind of way, but the rest of the movie is all over the place. It tries to be many things and it doesn't really succeed in any. Themes and characters are picked then abandoned without being fully fleshed out in favour of the next one while narration comes and goes with no connection to a central premise. In the end it feels disjointed, confused and a bit derivative, but it's certainly not without its moments. There are also lots of references to other movies (T2, El Mariachi, Leon, Point Break, an Allain Delon film I couldn't pinpoint) which might tickle your film buff bone. For To fans only...

I have discarded Hollywood for a while, and turned my eyes on to the East. Here in Scandinavia, a company called Asion Vision has released a bunch of DVDs from Asia. This movie is from Hong Kong. Fulltime Killer is one of them. Fulltime Killer is the best action movie I've ever seen.It's got all the action you'd come to expect from movies like Resorvoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Assassins but doesn't underestimate the audience with bland script, and terrible plot. This movie really is something else, where you don't get the "aha" sensation, before the very end.For us guys, plenty of action with +100 IQ points inserted, and for the girls there is a, well, a bit twisted lovestory. But a lovestory it is.See this movie!!! If I could write a letter to the guys that made this, and say "thank you" in Hong Kong'ish, I would... But this review will have to do. Ah, I am going to see this with my wife soon who hasn't seen it yet. I can't wait! YeehaA!!

I'd heard good things going into this one, but it exceeded my expectations to say the least.The movie just works. A great cast, for starters. Andy Lau steals the show, and is easily one of the most charismatic characters in cinema in recent years period. Kelly Lin is quietly beautiful and adds a lot to this movie, a down to earth aspect that many similar flicks are missing. Sorimachi is strong throughout, and Yam is used to great effect, more so as the movie rolls on.It all looks great to boot, a little too good at times. The movie gets a little bit too glamorous for it's own good, too... Hollywood would be a good way to put it. A few unneeded CGI sequences marred it all just a little bit. I don't think the mask parts were needed either. Plenty of other ways to highlight Tok's love for pop culture, the Metal Slug reference for example... All it was was a few second verbal reference and it had me smiling.Very cohesive as well. It's got direction and it maintains it the entire 100 plus minutes of the film, which is a nice departure from the disjointed mess I've seen so many films become.The guns almost completely sound like they're being fired underwater as well. Quite dull. Just a little quibble.An amazing movie on the whole though, it had me enthralled every step of the way, and I'd be content for the rest of my move going days if I could simply see a few films like this a year. Can't recommend it enough.An extremely strong 8.5. Maybe even a 9. Go and see it now!

This is one of the most amazing and inspiring films i have ever seen. It isn't too often i watch a film and can hardly wait to watch it again the next day. The main characters go together so will with an amazing rappor, the story is outstanding, the amount of action is enormous and when the bullets hit you can almost feel it yourself. Also there is a scene with a train that you won't believe. I won't spoil the plot but GO AND SEE THE FILM RIGHT NOW, THATS IT GET UP RIGHT NOW AND RUN LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT TOO YOUR LOCAL VID SHOP. BETTER YET DON'T MOVE AND ORDER IT RIGHT NOW FROM THE NET. BELIEVE ME, YOU WON'T REGRET IT!