cityonfire.com | Bomb Lover

	Bomb Lover "So what does Cheng do when his depression makes him tick...he blows the boyfriend up! (Come on. You know there were times where you would have loved to do that)." - Gwailo Bomb Lover (1995) Director: Yeung Yat Tak Writer: Yeung Yat Tak, Yuen Kai Chi Cast: Kent Cheng Jut Tze, Mark Cheng Hou Nam, Christine Ng Running Time: 99 min. Plot: The story of a love crazed bomb expert whose mother was killed as a result of his infatuation with explosives. Reviews GWAILO'S REVIEW: In Bomb Lover, director Takkie Yeung Yai-tak (Small Potato, A Killer's Expiry Date) makes the implausible plausible, and in respects to Hong Kong cinema and it's "true story" films, though this is not, stranger things have happen. The 'bomb loving' could have went to extremes in lesser hands but Yeung treats the subject, in most instances, with considerable restraint. This changes the films dynamic from action to drama, but it's not a bad thing. Mark Cheng grows up with a certain affection for explosives stemming from his childhood fixation with fireworks. This absurd fascination of destruction is sadly heightened by the accidental death of his mother who was unfortunate enough to stumble across one of his home made bombs. Stoking the fire is the loss of his childhood sweetheart to another man. So what does Cheng do when his depression makes him tick...he blows the boyfriend up! (Come on. You know there were times where you would have loved to do that). Bomb Lover sometimes pushes the limits of tact with exploding humans (off screen) and Cheng's delinquent behavior. The film offers some psychological insights, albeit in the extreme form of human T.N.T, into being an ex-lover. Though, one thing the filmmakers seemed to overlook is, in the most overcrowded place on earth, why couldn't Cheng find another girlfriend? This question is never fully answered but attempted at by the films slow pace trying to establish character and levels of sanity. Unfortunately Cheng's sanity, or lack of, is not well written; the only draw back of this entertaining if slight film. The great finale, revolving around an evening talk radio/love lore/call in program earns Bomb Lover extra points. GWAILO'S RATING: 7/10

Bomb Lover

"So what does Cheng do when his depression makes him tick...he blows the boyfriend up! (Come on. You know there were times where you would have loved to do that)."

- Gwailo

Bomb Lover (1995)

Director: Yeung Yat Tak

Writer: Yeung Yat Tak, Yuen Kai Chi

Cast: Kent Cheng Jut Tze, Mark Cheng Hou Nam, Christine Ng

Running Time: 99 min.

Plot: The story of a love crazed bomb expert whose mother was killed as a result of his infatuation with explosives.

Reviews

GWAILO'S REVIEW: In Bomb Lover, director Takkie Yeung Yai-tak (Small Potato, A Killer's Expiry Date) makes the implausible plausible, and in respects to Hong Kong cinema and it's "true story" films, though this is not, stranger things have happen. The 'bomb loving' could have went to extremes in lesser hands but Yeung treats the subject, in most instances, with considerable restraint. This changes the films dynamic from action to drama, but it's not a bad thing.

Mark Cheng grows up with a certain affection for explosives stemming from his childhood fixation with fireworks. This absurd fascination of destruction is sadly heightened by the accidental death of his mother who was unfortunate enough to stumble across one of his home made bombs. Stoking the fire is the loss of his childhood sweetheart to another man. So what does Cheng do when his depression makes him tick...he blows the boyfriend up! (Come on. You know there were times where you would have loved to do that).

Bomb Lover sometimes pushes the limits of tact with exploding humans (off screen) and Cheng's delinquent behavior. The film offers some psychological insights, albeit in the extreme form of human T.N.T, into being an ex-lover. Though, one thing the filmmakers seemed to overlook is, in the most overcrowded place on earth, why couldn't Cheng find another girlfriend? This question is never fully answered but attempted at by the films slow pace trying to establish character and levels of sanity. Unfortunately Cheng's sanity, or lack of, is not well written; the only draw back of this entertaining if slight film. The great finale, revolving around an evening talk radio/love lore/call in program earns Bomb Lover extra points.

GWAILO'S RATING: 7/10