Bullet Ballet

Director - Shin'ya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Killing)
Starring - Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Kirina Mano (Tokyo Eyes, Adrenaline Drive), and Tatsuya Nakamura (Triple Threat, Killing)
Release Date - 1998
Genre - Crime/Drama
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've just reached the halfway point in my Shin'ya Tsukamoto marathon.  So far I have to admit that I've really enjoyed myself with Tsukamoto's unusual films.  After the first two Tetsuo films, followed by Adventures of Electric Rod Boy and Tokyo Fist, I am now on the fifth film.  Up next is the 1998 crime drama Bullet Ballet.  This is another popular Tsukamoto film that I often here cult cinema fans talking about so I couldn't wait to toss it in.

     The film follows a young man who is madly in love.  However, the love of his life commits suicide for an unknown reason.  Devastated by her death, he finds himself spiraling out of control and becoming obsessed with firearms. 




     I knew that this wasn't a horror flick but I wasn't prepared for how intense this one was.  Intense as it was, it still had it's fair share of pacing issues which really made it difficult for me to finish.  That doesn't make this one a bad film but I don't see myself revisiting it.  The acting in this one is solid but I found myself becoming disconnected with the characters.  I understand how they played into the story but on the same note I didn't care for them enough to see them through.  The cast worked with what they had but their performances and the characters made this one a tough sit.  The story for this one is intense at times and I feel as if it was very personal to Tsukamoto.  With that being said, I feel as if the story could have been told in less than an hour.  It could easily be edited down to a more manageable time.  Finally, the film does have some blood but the film is more story driven and not focused around carnage.  Overall, Bullet Ballet is not what I was expecting.  This dark drama moves painfully slow but it still has some entertainment value.  So far it's the weakest in the set in my opinion.