The Vanished Murderer (2015) (DVD) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region 3

Set in 1930s China and following on from the events of its predecessor, Vanished Murderer kicks off with Fu Yuan (Jiang Yiyan) escaping from jail and heading to Shanghai, with Detective Song Donglu in pursuit. Although he tracks her down, she flees again while he is distracted by a man falling to his death from a building in an apparent suicide. Realizing that she lured him to the spot to witness what might in fact have been a murder, Donglu starts to investigate, aided by sidekick and former squeeze Chang Sheng (Jacqueline Li, Personal Tailor), variously helped and hindered by policeman Mao Jin (Rhydian Vaughan) and the drug-addicted Professor Hua (Gordon Lam). All signs quickly point to corrupt businessman and factory owner Gao Minxiong (Guo Xiaodong), an obvious villain with ambitious schemes, though as ever the path to the truth is a winding and dangerous one for Donglu.

While The Vanished Murderer may sound fairly straightforward, it most definitely isn’t, the above synopsis only providing the bare bones of what rapidly turns into a highly complex labyrinth of schemes, deceptions and odd revelations. On the plus side it’s certainly good to see a Chinese blockbuster with a little thought going into its script, and the film wins points for presenting the viewer with a genuine brain-scratcher of a mystery, Law Chi Leung packing in endless twist and turns along the way. While derivative in places of other films – for example, the film kicks off with a blatant lift from The Shawshank Redemption – it's at least never dull, and always has a great deal going on, including a few stabs at social commentary.

The downside is that Law doesn’t prove the most coherent of storytellers, and the film frequently baffles, becoming increasingly convoluted and often lapsing into senselessness. This will quite understandably test the patience of many viewers, and while those happy enough to go with the flow should enjoy its multi-layered machinations, others may find themselves tuning out before the end out of sheer frustration.

Thankfully, the script never quite loses sight of its central character, and Lau Ching Wan is on good form as Donglu, if a little more morose than in the original film. Jiang Yiyan is similarly appealing, and the chemistry between the two is arguably the strongest aspect of the film, making for some surprisingly moving scenes, which Law wisely doesn’t over-milk. Although Nicholas Tse is missed, the supporting cast is fine, mostly playing red herrings or one kind of ambiguous figure or another, and Guo Xiaodong makes for a suitably hiss-worthy villain.

Tangled plotting aside, the film has plenty to offer in terms of thrills, Law working in lots of action and set pieces and keeping the pace brisk. Fight scenes and chases are generally the order of the day, some of which are reasonably spectacular, and the film benefits from some solid choreography and special effects. The production values in general are top-notch, with a convincing recreation of 1930s Shanghai, and some impressive sets ensure a slick look throughout, which again helps to distract from the film’s narrative chaos.

The Vanished Murderer really is a film which requires the viewer to make large leaps in logic and to turn a blind eye to its many moments of preposterousness, and it’s a much stranger proposition than the original The Bullet Vanishes. However, there is a method, of sorts, to Law Chi Leung’s madness, and boosted by strong showings from Lau Ching Wan and Jiang Yiyan, it’s an enjoyable couple of hours of well-made, confusing fun.

by James Mudge - EasternKicks.com