Simply Perfect

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Johnnie To carved out a niche for himself as an action director with stylistic flair, humour, and a penchant for plots that become incomprehensible during the movie's second half.Sometimes these ingredients are just right, as with his wonderful late '90s film "The Longest Nite". Other times the incomprehensible plot undercuts the film's impact, as with "The Mission" and "Running Out of Time". And finally, sometimes the movie's style is the clincher.Such is the case with "Fulltime Killer". Don't get me wrong, it's still a deliriously entertaining movie, but it is truly style over substance, which may or may not be a bad thing from your perspective.The plot is sillier than most of To's works: it involves two hired killers, one Japanese, the other Cantonese, who are out for each other's blood. There is a girl who comes between them, and the Cantonese assassin takes her under his wing. She doesn't seem at all put off by his profession and is firing high-powered sniper rifles in record time. Not bad for a video store employee.There is also a cop out to catch one or both of our anti-heroes. He is played by none other than Simon Yam. Does Yam always play cops in these movies? This movie doesn't get as confusing as most of To's fare. The script feels more like an excuse for style, which is has by the bucket-load. There are even shoot outs which are closer to Woo's "Hard-Boiled" than they are to To's generally more static gun fights."Fulltime Killer" is the kind of movie that you'll probably enjoy very much while it's on, but won't think about it much afterwards. And that may be the point.

Ever since John Woo had left Hong Kong (he came back and hopefully he will do a few more movies in Hongkong like "Red Cliff"), it seemed there was big hole left in the industry. Of course not only Woo had left Hongkong and had to make a van Damme pic, like every other Hong Kong director, see Ringo Lam, Tsui Hark. So where would all this go? I wasn't aware of anyone who would be able to succeed him. And along came Johnnie To. And while not really comparable to Woo, he made the Hong Kong action cinema his own.Fulltime Killer is only one of many exhibitions (which he has mixed up with a few other things, though he stays true to the action cinema). What makes the movie so great in my eyes, is the eye for details. Things that normally wouldn't be in an action movie, because producers would deem them as redundant and unnecessary. Like moments where you see a human side of Bodyguards or Killers for that matter.But don't be fooled by that. The action is also top notch. A great movie, with many more to follow. And I don't think there is a need for him to move to Hollywood any time soon (or ever for that matter)

In this film the director stays well ahead of us, pulling us into the baroque plot with a grin. Andy Lau and Takeshi Scaramachi are anti-heroes within a sexually charged subplot with Kelly Lin, cool and sexy with or without glasses. They work in the same field: assassination and soon they are seeking each other out for final termination. As with some stylish thrillers, ellipsis must be accepted. Oscar Wilde once said "The first purpose of life is to adopt a pose. The second purpose has not been discovered yet." This film revels in poses and extraordinary set pieces that are passionately beautiful. Beware how much you revel in the violence, stylized and chic as it is--even an assassin can feel sickened by his work. In some ways, the film parallels John Woo's "Face Off." A must see.

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!