Apparently a reworking of John Woo's BULLET IN THE HEAD - not that you'll recognise much of it - BLOOD BROTHERS is a film made with a lot of effort behind it. The sumptuous 1930s settings are brought to life in a similar way to BOARDWALK EMPIRE, and the costumes, sets, and everything else is quite exemplary. Plus, they've brought in actors of the calibre - and popularity - of Daniel Wu, Shu Qi, and Ye Liu to act in the production. It has to be good, right?
Well, no, not really. The problem with BLOOD BROTHERS is that the storyline is extremely simplistic, concerning only half a dozen or so main characters who end up betraying and falling out with one another as the story progresses. It's way too slow-moving and simplistic for the running time, meaning that much of this is rather dull, despite the best efforts of those involved. The acting is fine and there are a couple of exciting scenes, but overall the director is sub-par and the story feels routine and all too familiar.
Well, no, not really. The problem with BLOOD BROTHERS is that the storyline is extremely simplistic, concerning only half a dozen or so main characters who end up betraying and falling out with one another as the story progresses. It's way too slow-moving and simplistic for the running time, meaning that much of this is rather dull, despite the best efforts of those involved. The acting is fine and there are a couple of exciting scenes, but overall the director is sub-par and the story feels routine and all too familiar.