Initially, I thought the premise was going to be like an HK re-hash of Akira Kurosawa's Stray Dog but The Missing Gun only shares the starting plot point of "cop loses his gun" and little else. First-time director Chuan Lu has constructed a wildy uneven film. Uneven due to incongruous tones. Unlike a marriage of different styles (like, say, a sci fi/political/ slapstick comedy), having uneven tones is usually the mark of the film makers having no idea where they would be going and just what kind of film they wanted to make.

The film opens with a series of fast moving, rapid edited tracking shots through the village streets, all set to a pounding techno score. But, as the film starts, the Run Lola Run feel is abandoned for a more laid back comedic drama as Ma Shan worryingly prods other wedding guests about his actions the night before. There are also moments of magic realism, like when he observes some lanterns floating in the night sky or sees the illuminated figures of loved ones and family members while riding his bike in the dead of night. As the final third of the film creeps in, following the murder of his former flame, the tone changes again to leaden "whodunit?".

So, it is pretty telling that the mystery side of the film, which should be the most involving and tense, ends up being the most boring part. By the time the finale rolls around, the film had enough unfocused shifts and thin character development, I just didnt really care about the outcome. And the twist in the finale, the reveal of the killer, is pretty much typical stuff. They just never really nailed down a decent story, and this is even evident by the films fractured timeline, where it goes from night to day but in the next night sequence only one day has passed, so the previous day scene must have taken place in some alternate universe.

Okay, for me the film doesn't work, but I still have good things to say about the lead actor Wen Jaing. He is a fine actor and director and has one of those faces suitable for character work. Much in the same way Jack Palance couldn't help but look threatening and Bing Crosby couldn't help but look drowsy and nonchalant, Wen Jiang has a face like a good-hearted child that feels needlessly guilty. There is just something in his eyes and down turned mouth that makes you feel for the guy. And, he served as producer of this film, and it's a shame the result wasn't something more worthy of his talents and everyman physicality.

The DVD: Columbia Tristar

Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen, 1.85:1. Bearing in mind that it was obviously a low budget film, the only real quirks I could find with the image were due to some sloppy filming. Technically it looks fine, no compression or artifacts, but, in certain scenes, especially some night/low light shots, the cinematography is a bit on the poor side with some bad focus and grayed contrast. The modest mainland locale is a far cry from the glossy Hong Kong streets, and the film is settled in either the crumbling grey streets or green countryside. The colors could use a little push, but once again, this seems to be a budget photography problem rather than a transfer defect.

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Cantonese with optional English, Spanish, or French subtitles. The sound quality is quite good for such a modest feature. The score is nicely mixed and the dialogue is always clear and audible. The film is also Close Captioned.

Extras: Columbia trailers for The Missing Gun, The Sea is Watching and The Pact of Silence.

Conclusion: I'm a bit on the fence. While I certainly thought it lacked focus and falls into mediocre territory, I can see how some viewers may not mind it and find the film decent enough for a night. The lack of substantial extras certainly helps me put it more in a rental category for curious Asian film buffs.