The Bullet Vanishes

Set in 1930s China, The Bullet Vanishes follows two investigators sent to an arms factory near Shanghai after a worker is killed during a game of Russian roulette. When more bodies turn up in the following weeks, each with bullet wounds but no bullets anywhere at the scene, fear of a curse spreads among the employees. Inspector Song Donglu, a methodical and eccentric officer, is paired with the impulsive, quick-on-the-draw Captain Guo Zhui. Their inquiry runs into obstruction from the factory owner and the police chief, pointing to a larger scheme behind the apparent hauntings.

Lo Chi-Leung directed and co-wrote the film, his second feature after Inner Senses in 2002. Lau Ching-wan plays Song Donglu and Nicholas Tse plays Guo Zhui, with Yang Mi, Wu Gang, Jing Boran and Gao Hu in supporting roles. Derek Yee Tung-Sing and Mandy Law-Huang produced the Hong Kong and mainland Chinese co-production, which had a budget of about 12 million USD.

Released in August 2012, the film holds a rating of 6.5 on IMDb from around 2,400 votes and 6.4 on TMDB from a smaller base of 80 votes. A critics' score of 6.9 from 13 reviews sits slightly above both audience figures.