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Jiang Wen,
Jiang Wen,
Ning Jang,
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Lu Chuan,
Lu Chuan
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: 
: Columbia TriStar
: Foreign, China, Cops
: 90 min.
: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
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In this tense thriller, Ma Shan (Wen Jiang) is a Chinese police detective who awakes one morning after a night of heavy drinking at his sister's wedding reception to discover that his gun has been stolen. Since only police officers are allowed to carry firearms, Ma Shan is alarmed about the deadly possibilities of the theft, and he sets out to find his weapon; however, the memories of Ma Shan's friends are as hazy as his own regarding the wedding, and no one can tell who drove him home. The situation comes to a head when Ma Shan's former girlfriend arrives in town for a visit and is soon found shot dead with the bullets matching those used in his gun. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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| China in Change
by talltale
April 21, 2005 - 2:41 PM PDT
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2 out of 2 members found this review helpful
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China has rarely looked so strangely ancient and modern, eastern and western as in THE MISSING GUN. This is a movie that spans--via art, themes and film technique--the occidental and oriental. If, as the film tells us, it's illegal for Chinese citizens to have guns, when one goes missing from the holster of a local police officer, it's understandable why this becomes a major event. Already, we're in foreign territory: a small town, where people live in everything from what looks like a restored palace (a crooked businessman who is quite the successful capitalist) to shacks and shanties (a stuttering mason now hawking noodles).
Change is afoot here in many ways, but for every piece of dialog or situation that makes you mummer, "How Western!" there's another that will have you pondering the puzzles of Chinese culture. Initially comedic, the movie morphs into a mystery/adventure/chase with more somber overtones, as it copes with its characters' lives: economic, work, family and sex. In each of these areas, the attitude seems a mix of east and west. By the film's surprising conclusion, you may find yourself unexpectedly moved. Lead actor Jiang Wen ("Warriors of Heaven and Earth," "Red Sorghum") is remarkable: funny, stoic and sad, he creates a decent, flawed and richly human cop. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 6.00)
11 Votes
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