Is Bullet in the Head John Woo’s best film? Its focus is male friendship, a Woo go-to

Bullet in the Head is both an anti-war film and ‘about a test of friendship’. Despite being a box-office failure, critics and fans love it

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Tony Leung Chiu-wai (left) and Jacky Cheung (right) in a still from Bullet in the Head, a John Woo film that has long been loved by critics and fans alike.

Published: 11:15am, 18 Aug 2024

Even though John Woo Yu-sum films such as The Killer beautify carnage, the director has often said he disapproves of violence. This is borne out in his Vietnam war epic Bullet in the Head and his English-language war drama Windtalkers.

The brutal scenes in Bullet in the Head show violence for what it is – ugly and disgusting. Woo depicts the merciless nature of combat, and the film is a powerful anti-war statement.

The movie tells the story of three Hong Kong youths who flee to Saigon and get caught up in the Vietnam war. Having killed a bullying triad member, Paul (Waise Lee Chi-hung), Ben (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) and Frank (Jacky Cheung Hok-yau) hope to make their fortune amid the chaos of war.

There they meet the paternally inclined Luke (Simon Yam Tat-wah), a former CIA operative and, with his help, steal a box of gold from a gang boss.

[Trailer] 喋血街頭 ( Bullet In The Head )

As the trio try to make their way back to Hong Kong, with an assortment of gangsters and corrupt soldiers in pursuit, Paul becomes obsessed with the stolen gold, and turns on his two brothers-in-arms to keep it for himself.