The Missing Gun (2002)

Sadly Over-hyped

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Ma Shan wakes up to find he has lost his police issue gun. This is going to be bad. With 3 bullets in it, it could mean the death of 3 or even 6 people if a professional got ahold of it. Or so his angry captain points out. Shan can't remember what happened last night as he got fall-down drunk at his sister's wedding. He races frantically about town, investigating those who were also at the wedding and accusing several of stealing his gun. He has been married for 8 years to a fairly grumpy women when his ex-girlfriend moves back to town. The next day, she is killed with Shan's gun. This movie was non-suspenseful thriller. Fairly well done, quirky and interesting character, decent acting and a moderately intriguing story, I found myself watching with more of bemused expression than one of suspense. I was curious to find out who had the gun, not worried, not nervous, not involved. Although the movie was decent, nothing stood out, nothing will stick with me from this film.I love good Chinese food, and for the most part, I've found that little local places are the best places to find good Chinese. In Provo, UT, there is a restaurant called Shoots that is amazing. Since I love Chinese food, I've been to P.F. Chang's twice. Everyone I know raves about it, but when I went I wasn't impressed. I can hardly remember what I had (orange peel chicken and great wall of Chocolate and spring rolls, I think). Nothing was bad, but nothing stood out as being great. "Oh, you have to try the lettuce wraps!" No, I wasn't impressed when I went, and I wouldn't miss it if I never went again. There is much better Chinese throughout the world. 5/10.http://blog.myspace.com/locoformovies

It is not another Hong Kong excellent-made movie, but this is coming from the rural China with no martial arts or frenetic chase but the one with two old bicycles. The story is by itself strong and humanly ethical. A great man makes a mistake and he has to fix it up, above all the dilemmas or even his integrity moral o physical. The village where it was shot is a fascinating one, the photography is mesmerizing and some camera tricks give the magical touch to the visual without recurring to effects that surely they (the movie producers from China) can't afford. Somehow it reminds me the Brazilian City of God but with a more paced rhythm and a life philosophy that can only come from the rising East. Definitely a movie without the boring tastes of hollywoodean clichés, with this, who cares about reading the subtitles?

It was hard to believe the budget on which this movie was shot, as it puts most of the big budget Hong Kong (not to mention Hollywood) movies to shame in the cinematography stakes. This is the story of the fabled honest cop, who loses his gun during a drunken night at his brother's wedding, and his subsequent efforts to recover it. It is at once surreal, hilarious, paranoiac, and exhilarating... a real rollercoaster of a movie. The acting is superb, the scenery gorgeous, and the direction as tight as a drum. If you have not yet seen this one, do yourself a favour, and seek it out at your nearest Chinatown DVD shop. You won't regret it.

shot on a relatively low budget ($250,000), The missing gun is an oddball whodunit set in a small si chuan town that gives twin peaks a good run for its money. police officer ma shan embarks on a frenzied quest to regain his vanished weapon, hot on the heels of a nightlong drinking binge. the lost weapon of the title amounts to a technique to afford a glimpse into the town's life, including some disturbing relationships, supposedly hilarious and quirky characters, and a couple of unscrupulous shenanigans. en route, ma shan learns more and more about his own existence and standing in society, slowly peeling away layers of encrusted routine, and even goes as far as almost rekindling his love for resident li xiaomeng. the plot thickens when li turns up murdered, shot with ma's stolen pistol.the story tries to build up towards a critical finale, yet you'll find it difficult to become engrossed or even stay intrigued. many films bring humor and tragedy together - some beautifully, some a touch on the awkward side. The missing gun appears to have been unable to make up its mind which way to lean, resulting in wasted energy and an overall emptiness. although the opening is well executed, it is unfortunate that it does not manage to maintain a similar level of suspense throughout. a moving u2-like soundtrack helps improve its stock - and a global distribution deal with columbia pictures that has helped put billboard ads on the sides of every street - are unfortunately not enough to elevate The missing gun into classic-dom.