At the time of writing this review I am 20 years old. I Haven't had a lot of time under my belt to appreciate the vast world of cinema but I can say with complete honesty that Tsukamoto Shin'ya as a filmmaker has completely changed the way in which I perceive filmmaking and Bullet Ballet is without a doubt his masterpiece.
While most other good and even great filmmakers might feel restricted by a low production budget, Tsukamoto manages to make his lack of resources his greatest strength in all of his films. Bullet Ballet, however, is on another level.
Taking place in the late 90s, Bullet Ballet follows the story of a man that unexpectedly returns home to his apartment on day to discover his girlfriend has committed suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Following this event, the man dives deeper and deeper into the tokyo underworld in desperate attempt to find a gun for the simple purpose of understanding what ot feels like to wield such immutable power.
What begins as a setup for a relatively standard drama quickly explodes into a complex, gritty noir-drenched exploration of grief, depression, power and the human condition.
It may not be for everyone but if you were to ask me, this film stands easily as my pick for the most underrated film I've seen and my 5th favourite film of all time. 10/10.
While most other good and even great filmmakers might feel restricted by a low production budget, Tsukamoto manages to make his lack of resources his greatest strength in all of his films. Bullet Ballet, however, is on another level.
Taking place in the late 90s, Bullet Ballet follows the story of a man that unexpectedly returns home to his apartment on day to discover his girlfriend has committed suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Following this event, the man dives deeper and deeper into the tokyo underworld in desperate attempt to find a gun for the simple purpose of understanding what ot feels like to wield such immutable power.
What begins as a setup for a relatively standard drama quickly explodes into a complex, gritty noir-drenched exploration of grief, depression, power and the human condition.
It may not be for everyone but if you were to ask me, this film stands easily as my pick for the most underrated film I've seen and my 5th favourite film of all time. 10/10.