BULLETS OVER PETALING STREET (2014)

Genre: Action/Comedy/Drama
Running Length: 1:27
Cast: Debbie Goh, Chen Han Wei, Irene Ang, Jeffrey Cheng, KK Wong, Steve Yap, Cheryl Lee
Director: Sampson Yuen & Ho Shih Phin

I would like to argue that the Thais are heads and shoulders above any other countries when it comes to consistently producing memorable video/TV commercials. Their ads definitely get more "share" on social media vs those from other countries. Why is that so? I've heard rumours that the chief driving force behind such awesome creativity is...wait for it..."Let the creative agency be the CREATIVE agency (and not allow clients dictate what they want)" I am yet to verify such motivations but I suspect there are some truth to it. Pardon my monologue but this leads me to my frustration with the Buatan Malaysia Chinese movie, BULLETS OVER PETALING STREET. It had a promising start but 10% into the movie, it felt as though the stakeholders behind this film interrupted the creative process and insisted the film makers to "add this part to look like that part in that famous movie but don't copy it totally. Just make it different enough but keep it the same." I could sense that the creative folks were trying to steer the movie back onto the original path but half way through they just gave up and pass the keys to the financiers. As a result, the film became a pot of broth with too many cooks' input - there are elements of romance, political satire, kung fu, gun fights, explosions, slapstick, family feud, twist at the end and the list goes on. And the quality of the filming looks like something done by a YouTube short film amateur. I am indeed hard on this review because being a patriot, I was hoping this Malaysian made Chinese movie would put us closer onto the world map. It would have definitely benefitted if there were less man, (thus resulting to) more "share".

Note: No ratings for this film as this is the first time I am watching a homegrown Chinese film in the cinema - no benchmark.