Bullet in the Head

"Once The Best of Friends, Now The Worst of... Enemies!"

1990 2h 16m CN

🙌

7.6

BANGER

★7.6TMDB · 338

ActionCrimeThrillerWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Three childhood friends from the slums of Hong Kong flee to war-time Saigon after accidentally murdering a gang leader, but their troubles only escalate.

“Once The Best of Friends, Now The Worst of... Enemies!”

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Cast

Tony Leung Chiu-wai
Ben / Siu Bun
Jacky Cheung Hok-Yau
Frank / Fai Jai
Waise Lee Chi-Hung
Paul / Sau Ming
Simon Yam
Luke / Lok
Fennie Yuen Kit-Ying
Jane / Siu Jan
Yolinda Yan Chor-Sin
Sally Yan Sau Ching
Lam Chung
Mr Y.S. Leong
Nina Paw Hei-Ching
Ben's Mother

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Woo
Writers: Patrick Leung Pak-Kin, Janet Chun Siu-Chun, John Woo
Languages: Cantonese, English, French, Vietnamese
Countries: Hong Kong

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $3.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 31% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

36 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Cantonese, English, French, Vietnamese.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Woo, shot by Wilson Chan Pui-Ka. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Romeo Díaz. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor John Woo shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Jacky Cheung Hok-Yau and Waise Lee Chi-Hung carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Woo directs. Wilson Chan Pui-Ka behind the camera. Romeo Díaz scores. John Woo cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Hong Kong. Dialogue in Cantonese, English, French, Vietnamese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $3.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Earned back only 31% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
336 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
4Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Cantonese, English, French, Vietnamese.
5Directed by John Woo, shot by Wilson Chan Pui-Ka. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Romeo Díaz. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor John Woo shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Jacky Cheung Hok-Yau and Waise Lee Chi-Hung carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Once The Best of Friends, Now The Worst of... Enemies!".
10IMDB entry: tt0099426 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 10 themes, including "vietnam war", "friendship", "vietnam", "killing".