BULLET IN THE HEAD (1990)
Of all John Woo’s Hong Kong projects this is probably the most overlooked, perhaps because it doesn’t star Chow Yun-fat, or perhaps because of its sometimes gruelling nature. The behind the scenes story is well known but after a disagreement with producer Tsui Hark about a third A Better Tomorrow the pair went their separate ways. The official third movie is best described as tepid; mistaking slow-motion for style. Bullet in the Head on the other hand is a bleak and blistering assault on the senses that uses its Vietnam scenery tell a nihilistic tale of brotherhood gone awry. Perhaps it’s just a metaphor for the end of a film-making partnership.
