easternkicks.com » Thailand

Force Of Five

Andrew Heskins — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 09:00:08 +0000

The producers of Ong Bak, Tom Yum Goong, Raging Phoenix and Chocolate are back – with a kids movie! (Well, maybe, if not for the language and violence)…

Brothers Wuth (Nantawooti Boonrapsap) and Wun, with friends Pong (Paytaai Wongkamlao), Catt (Sasisa Jindamanee) and Jib (Nawarat ‘Grace’ Techarathanaprasert) have grown up in the shadow Muay Thai boxing school. Unsurprisingly they’ve pick up a few things along the way, but lead a pretty idyllic lifestyle that most kids would dream about nowadays. Unfortunately, young Wun suffers from an acute heart condition that becomes life threatening when bullies push him too far.

Wun’s only hope lies in a nearby hospital where a viable heart for transplant has become available – but only just before the hospital itself becomes overrun rebel soldiers turned terrorists, who plan to take a US ambassador hostage and are quite prepared to kill if their demands are not met.

With just four hours in which the heart can be safely transplanted, our brave (or very, very stupid – depending on how you look at it) quartet set out to get hold of it – terrorists or not!

From producers Prachya Pinkaew, Panna Rittikrai and Sukanya Vongsthapat – whose incredible track record so far, including Ong Bak, Tom Yum Goong, Raging Phoenix, Born To Fight and Chocolate, has turned Thailand into one of the worlds top martial art film producers – Force Of Five is another notable entry in an increasing line of gimmick led films.

(Sure, you wonder why they didn’t think of this one before. You know, let just make it with kids.)

Piggybacking on the plotline of Hard Boiled, the result is rather like BMX Bandits with Thai boxing. Or at least it would be, if not for the films use of excessive language and rather violent confrontations. Which has led to the film getting a rather inconsistent rating throughout the world. From Singapore’s PG, through the UK’s 15 to an R in the US. All of which puts it out of (the most likely) target market, tweens and teens, and into adult martial arts fans.

Personally, I didn’t find this too offensive – indeed I think so of the UK translations may have been ‘toned down’ a little, but there’s little doubt that the high rating certificate has much more to do with the BBFC’s fear that youngsters may try and copy some of the stunts. Yeah, cause kids who see any Jackie Chan or Jet Li movies won’t try and copy them. (Coming from someone who was brought up with David Carradine in Kung Fu – well, you know what I’m saying!)

Or perhaps they were concerned the kids did their own stunts (they did) and weren’t looked after properly cause, you know, it’s Thailand (rubbish!). Whatever the reason, considering the films that have recently at very most been made a 12, the 15 rating seems both harsh and incongruous with the content of the film.

It does seem to take a long time to get to the action – which is saying something for a movie just over 70 minutes in length – but when it comes, it’s the top notch fight scenes we’ve come to know and expect from these producers. Through it might not compare to the adult driven vehicles, these kids really are alright! It’s tightly choreographed and edited. And they’re not bad actors, either. (Apart from sickboy Wun character, who starts to annoy very quickly with his insipid wining.) There really could be a few future stars here.

Johnny Nguyen (Spider-Man 1 and 2, Tom Yum Goong) appears as the bad guy, rather underused throughout most of the film, but gets his ‘just desserts’ in a relentless and exhausting dual with all four kids at the end of the movie.

No, not a great movie. But a lot more fun than watching Ong Bak 2.

Force Of Five is released today by Cine Asia on DVD and Blu-ray.

DVD & Blu-Ray: Force Of Five

Andrew Heskins — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 13:19:47 +0000

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF ‘ONG BAK’ AND ‘RAGING PHOENIX’.

From producers Prachya Pinkaew, Panna Rittikrai and Sukanya Vongsthapat, the creative forces behind such world famous Thai action movie hits as ‘Ong Bak’, ‘Warrior King’, ‘Raging Phoenix’, ‘Born To Fight’ and ‘Chocolate’, comes Force Of Five (aka ‘Power Kids’), the directorial debut of Krissanapong Rachata.

A jaw-dropping action-adventure packed with non-stop Muay Thai martial arts mayhem, the film stars Sasisa Jimdamanee (Born To Fight) and actor, martial arts coordinator and stuntman Johnny Nguyen (Serenity; Spider-Man 1 and 2; Cradle 2 The Grave) alongside a cast of young, up-and-coming child stars whose incredible martial arts skills will blow your mind.

Despite their small size and inexperience, having grown up under the roof of a Muay Thai school two young brothers and their friends have become highly skilled, if undisciplined, martial artists. Sadly, the youngest of the gang suffers from an acute heart condition, which following a minor scuffle with some local bullies lands him in hospital and desperately in need of a life-saving transplant. Fortunately, a viable heart soon becomes available at another local hospital, but before it can be transferred the building is overtaken by rebel soldiers-turned-terrorists prepared to kill if their politically-driven demands are not met by the authorities.

With only four hours in which the surgery can be performed successfully, the young friends take it upon themselves to infiltrate the hospital and retrieve the donated organ. Armed with only their martial arts skills and the will to save their friend’s life, this small group of mini Muay Thai marvels embarks on a desperate race against time in which they will be forced to defy danger, confront an army of terrorists and make an heroic bid to overcome insurmountable odds.

Brilliantly showcasing the talents of the next generation of Thai action movie superstars, Force Of Five is a raw and relentless thrill-ride that culminates in a jaw-dropping final showdown that will have viewers shaking their heads in disbelief.

Force Of Five (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£17.99) and Blu-ray (£24.99) by Cine Asia on 5th July 2010. Special Features include: Interview Gallery; Making of; Behind The Scenes; Original Trailer; Dolby Digital Thai 2.0 and 5.1 (DVD); DTS HD MA Thai 5.1 (Blu-ray); English Subtitles.

First Thai filmmaker wins Cannes Palme d’Or

Andrew Heskins — Mon, 24 May 2010 09:00:12 +0000

Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul has become the first Thai filmmaker to win the coveted Palme d’Or at this years Cannes. The 63rd Cannes Film Festival closed yesterday evening with the announcement of the jury prizes, led by US director Tim Burton.

Weerasethakul’s film Lung Boonmee Raluek Chat (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives) concerns a dying man who is visited by his late wife and his missing son, who has become an ape. Uncle Boonmee is played by Thanapat Saisaymar, a roof welder from north-east Thailand whose previous acting experience was limited to TV commercials. The director had previously won the third-place jury prize at Cannes with his 2004 film Tropical Malady.

Lee Chang-Dong won best screenplay for Poetry. And another Korean filmmaker, director Hang Sangsoo, won the Un Certain Regard Prize for Hahaha.

Find out more on the official Cannes website »

Raging Phoenix

Andrew Heskins — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:00:11 +0000

The spirit of Ong Bak is alive and well in the latest from Producer, director and fight choreographer Panna Rittikrai and Chocolate star Jiji Yanin…

Drunk, depressed, dumped by her band and cheated on by her boyfriend, Deu (Jija Yanin, Chocolate) narrowly misses a much worse fate – becoming the latest victim of a gang who are kidnapping women from all over the city – when a stranger called Sanim (Kazu Patrick Tang) rescues her from their clutches.

Sanim is part of an offbeat group, who with the charmingly named Pig Shit (Nui Sandang), Dog Shit (Somphong Leartvimolkasame) and Bull Shit (Boonprasert Salangam) practice Meyraiyuth – a unique martial art that puts the ‘break’ in break dancing, combining Muay Thai with drunken boxing and hip hop dancing.

With nothing left to lose Deu trains under Sanim intent on helping them bring down the Jaguar Gang, who extract their hostages pheromones in order to sell them as an aphrodisiac on the black market. (As if slavery, prostitution, rape and murder wouldn’t be bad enough?)

Deu helps the gang infiltrate their underground lair, but brings them head on with the thugs boss, a fearsome she-boss (played by award-winning bodybuilder Roongtawan Jindasing) who is more than a match for Deu and all her friends.

Jija’s follow-up to Chocolate is an equally enjoyable martial arts effort that puts the emphasis on fun and great fight sequences, as well as creating likable characters – if not so much believable situations… (wee what did you expect?)

Right from the start there is some exceptional fight choregraphy by Weerapon Phumatfon and overseen by Panna Rittikrai (Ong Bak, Born To Fight, Tom Yum Goong), from a gang on jumping stilts customised with blades to the more amusing scenes with the teams drunken B Boy antics. True, this may follow the Thai kung fu film flaw of continually looking for the next big gimmick, but here the combination of styles is surprisingly fluid and believable, and held together with such acrobatic gusto to electrify the screen with it’s energy.

Unsurprisingly Raging Phoenix owes a great debt to Drunken Master (also referenced in Ong Bag: The Beginning), the collaboration between Jackie Chan and Yuen Woo-ping, and much of their work into the 1980s. Like their work the choreography can arguably be described as overly designed, full of convenient props and setups, yet is a real pleasure to watch on screen. Director Rashane Limtrakul doesn’t over rely on fast cuts that distract you from the incredible stunt work. In fact, this is a glossy, good-looking film throughout.

Oddly Chan’s hit and miss effort Armour Of God comes to mind (which I actually always rather liked!). Firstly in the lair of the Jaguar Gang, bizarrely ancient looking ruins deep below the city. However, it’s more to do with the occasional dubious and disappointing body doubling of Roongtawan – it reminds you of that sequence where Chan faces the four female bodyguards. Okay, so it’s not quite as obvious or embarrassing, but sometimes that sure ain’t no lady, even if she is a bodybuilder!

All of which makes the concluding fight a little disappointing when we were looking forward to some, ahem, girl-on girl-action? Indeed, like a lot of martial arts films it seems to run out of steam towards the end anyway; the fight scenes seem less inspired and fun, though there’s still some great choreography to be had – particularly over series of rope ladders conveniently placed over a bottomless shaft.

But even if the end doesn’t quite pull off the conclusion we were looking for, this is an impressive successor to Chocolate. For one thing, thanks to director Rashane Limtrakul’s investment in creating characters you care for, it proves that the oft-referred to ‘female Tony Jaa’ has the potential to actually be a much better actor than her male peer. It also proves that this time the producers aren’t going to get distracted with giant Buddha statues or elephants (let alone their leads egos!) and keep her on the straight and narrow (and definitely not going native in a jungle!). My only complaint: with all the other protagonists involved on the ‘good side’, this doesn’t show off Jija to the best of her abilities.

Here’s to our new martial arts star Jija Yanin – looks like it’s going to be a long and very promising career!

Raging Phoenix is released on DVD and and Blu-ray by Cine Asia on 12 March.

DVD & Blu-ray: Raging Phoenix

Andrew Heskins — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 16:31:55 +0000

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF ‘ONG BAK’, ‘BORN TO FIGHT’ AND ‘THE WARRIOR KING’ AND THE STAR OF ‘CHOCOLATE’.

Following the phenomenal success of her explosive screen debut in ‘Chocolate’, Thailand’s young female martial arts sensation Jija Yanin returns to the screen in Raging Phoenix, an awe-inspiring action-adventure that takes the ‘full-contact’ combat thrills seen in ‘Chocolate’ to an inventive and unprecedented level.

With fight sequences supervised by acclaimed Thai producer, director and fight choreographer Panna Rittikrai, Raging Phoenix unveils a brand of never-before-seen martial arts action that combines Muay Thai techniques with Drunken Boxing and dazzling hip-hop dance moves to deliver a ‘real fights, real injuries’ action extravaganza like no other.

Yanin stars as Deu, a rock and roll drummer abandoned by her family and recently sacked from her band, who finds herself being pursued by a gang of kidnappers. She is rescued from their clutches by Sanim, a master of an obscure drunken fighting technique known as Mayraiyuth. After informing Deu that she is the target of the Jaguar Gang, a group of criminals who kidnap young women and extract their pheromones to sell as a potent aphrodisiac on the black market, Sanim and his three sidekicks – Pigshit, Dogshit and Bullshit – agree to train her in their unique methods of combat.

Her training complete, Deu insists on joining Sanim and the others in infiltrating the Jaguar Gang’s underground lair and bringing down their lucrative and exploitative people trafficking empire. Their mission brings them face to face with a horde of murderous thugs led by a fearsome she-boss who proves to be more than a match for Deu and her new friends, all of whom have their own scores to settle with this most deadly of foes.

Once again, Jija Yanin shines in a movie packed with incredible hi-impact martial arts, breathtaking free-running and bone crunching stunts that will leave martial arts enthusiasts and action movie fans desperately wondering just what Thai cinema’s latest action hero will come up with next.

Raging Phoenix (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£17.99) and Blu-ray (£24.99) by Cine Asia on 12th April 2010. Special Features include: B-Roll Action Scene footage; interview gallery; trailer gallery; Dolby Digital Thai 5.1 (DVD); DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 Thai (Blu-ray); optional English subtitles.

And in case you thought I’d missed it, Ong Bak 3…

Andrew Heskins — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:00:17 +0000

After the rather dark and overly serious Ong Bak 2 (sorry, Ong Bak: The Beginning for UK readers), the proper sequel is on the horizon – slated for release in Asia in April 2010.

As previously mentioned, Ong Bak: The Beginning is now available on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK.

On DVD and Blu-ray today: Ong Bak: The Beginning

Andrew Heskins — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:00:25 +0000

Martial art supremo Tony Jaa’s Ong Bak: The Beginning (aka Ong Bak 2) comes to DVD and Blu-ray today. This troubled production is much darker in tone to Jaa’s previous efforts, and despite some standout fight scenes its inconclusive ending now makes it seem like of a prologue to the upcoming release of Ong Bak 3 (to be called Ong Bak what???? in the UK?)…

…there are some great fight scenes though, particularly in the 20 minute-odd end sequence!

Fireball

Andrew Heskins — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:00:32 +0000

Dodgeball meets Rollerball in this violent bloodsport flick, but before you go thinking we’re back to the excesses of 80s martial arts films, think again…

You know what I mean, the era when Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven ‘ponytail’ Seagal reined supreme, when titles like Best Of The Best and Bloodsport filled the shelves of our local video store (and we just wished we could find those great Hong Kong films instead). There’s more than a little of those hokey, ‘underdog-to-champion’ themes, as well as the decade penchant for exploitative violence. (Yeah, okay, admittedly inherited from the 70s and fed by the burgeoning video market.)

Perhaps the comparison isn’t overly fair, but one read of the setup does bring to those days to mind. Tai (Preeti Barameeanant, best known as lead singer of Thai rock band Clash) is released early from prison to find his twin brother Tan in a coma after being nearly beaten to death by a rival. He soon finds out Tan was involved in a vicious and often deadly underground sport called fireball, a no-holds barred mash-up of basketball and martial arts where anything goes in order to be the last man standing – even murder.

Seeking revenge for his brother’s condition, Tai pretends to be him joining a team of equally desperate individuals. There’s Muay Thai champion Zing (9 Million Sam, a professional boxing champion), out to prove himself; pretty boy teenager Iq (Kannut Samerjai, a real-life rising star of Thai basketball), exceptionally talented but by no means a fighter; Thai-African Muk (Kumpanat Oungsoongnern, ex-goalkeeper on Thailand’s soccer team and star of films including King Naresuran I) trying hard to support his pregnant wife; K (Anuwat Saejao, an ex-professional basketball player), an old friend of Tan’s rumoured to have thrown Tai’s last game; and their boss Den (Phutharit Prombundarn, Bang Rajan), who has much to prove having only been elevated to a higher mafia position as his boss died.

It’s soon clear that this band of misfits is both extremely talented and doomed not to go far in this contest, thanks to being incapable of playing anywhere near as dirty as their competitors. It’s not so much a question of if they’ll make it to the finale – that’s almost a forgone conclusion – but more just how many of them will survive?

Director Thanakorn Pongsuwan effectively uses digital handheld camera to add to the immediacy of action sequences, creating a pretty slick-looking film as a result. The fight scenes (when we finally get round to them) are tightly choreographed by stunt co-ordinator Pangrech Sangcha, and excel at capturing the chaotic nature of a sport where literally anything goes – sometimes a little too well. When illicit weapons like metal bars or more interesting locations like the docks become part of the equation, the action sequences definitely step up a level, turning this Fireball into a conflagration of swift moves and visceral bone-crunching combat. Sure, it’s a gimmick – muay thai meets basketball – but hell, what a gimmick!

Unsurprisingly Pongsuwan rather labours each of the team’s back-stories, playing up the melodrama to daytime soap levels. But slate it if you will, at least he gives you characters you can care about. Considering that many of his stars are not even professional actors, he doesn’t get bad performances out of them either. 9 Million Sam, Anuwat Saejao and Kannut Samerjai stand out in particular alongside an understated but excellent performance by seasoned professional Phutharit Prombundarn.

Sure, some of the Gladiator style references are vaguely hokey too, and forget the end title sequence sets up the possibility a sequel of sorts – seemingly playing out the circular nature of revenge without the slightest irony. It might not be Ong Bak, but this is a pretty effective fight flick that could surprise, if not necessarily win over, audiences. It’s really much better than you might think…

Fireball is released at selected cinemas around the UK from 8 January 2010, courtesy of Premiere Films, ahead of it’s release on DVD and Blu-ray by E1 Entertainment on 18th January.

Coming soon… Ong Bak: The Beginning

Andrew Heskins — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:20 +0000

Yep, just a couple of weeks to go till Tony Jaa’s big comeback (at least from his near breakdown making this movie!) hits UK cinemas courtesy of Revolver Entertainment (16 October). Have the now almost legendary shooting and production problems been worth it? Well, here’s the UK trailer, see what you think…

We’ll be bringing you a full review of the film soon!

Ong Bak 2 and Park Chan-wook’s Thirst UK release date revealed

Andrew Heskins — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:00:59 +0000

According to Launching Films Ong Bak 2, to be retitled Ong Bak: The Beginning (though that makes as much sense as calling it Ong Bak in the first place!) is going to be released in the UK on 16 October by Revolver Entertainment. Bizarrely, that’s the same day Park Chan-wook’s vampire flick Thirst is released by Metrodome, which won the Jury prize at Cannes and stars the brilliant Song Kang-ho (who also appeared in Chan-wook’s JSA, Sympathy For Mr Vengeance and Lady Vengeance). Hmmm, someone thought that through, didn’t they?

Studio Ghibli’s latest, however, Ponyo On The Cliff, directed by the Oscar-winning Hayao Miyazaki, however, still doesn’t have a UK release date, even though Walt Disney are releasing it in the US on 14 August…

easternkicks.com » Thailand

Force Of Five

Force Of Five is released today by Cine Asia on DVD and Blu-ray.

Related Posts:

DVD & Blu-Ray: Force Of Five

Related Posts:

First Thai filmmaker wins Cannes Palme d’Or

Related Posts:

Raging Phoenix

Raging Phoenix is released on DVD and and Blu-ray by Cine Asia on 12 March.

Related Posts:

DVD & Blu-ray: Raging Phoenix

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF ‘ONG BAK’, ‘BORN TO FIGHT’ AND ‘THE WARRIOR KING’ AND THE STAR OF ‘CHOCOLATE’.

Related Posts:

And in case you thought I’d missed it, Ong Bak 3…

Related Posts:

On DVD and Blu-ray today: Ong Bak: The Beginning

Related Posts:

Fireball

Fireball is released at selected cinemas around the UK from 8 January 2010, courtesy of Premiere Films, ahead of it’s release on DVD and Blu-ray by E1 Entertainment on 18th January.

Related Posts:

Coming soon… Ong Bak: The Beginning

Related Posts:

Ong Bak 2 and Park Chan-wook’s Thirst UK release date revealed

Related Posts: