(2000)
Official Site
**** of ****
Rated: R
Origin: Thailand
Length: 108 minutes
Writers & Directors: Danny Pang, Oxide Pang (brothers)
Cast:
Pawalit Mongkolpisit: Kong
Premsinee Ratabasopha: Fon
Patharawarin Timkul: Aom
Pisek Intrakanchit: Jo
Korkiate Limpapat:
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Synopsis:
The story is of a deaf-mute hitman and his partner who are based in Bangkok. He is friends with his partner's girlfriend who is a stripper at a local club. They go about their assassination business as usual as the boss climbs the underworld ladder and forms new alliances. Flashbacks explain how he got to this point in his life. He forms a relationship with a young woman from the pharmacy who is caring and innocent. The hunts continue as treachery begins. A big name hit makes him realize that good people are hurt by his actions. The first rule of assassination closes in on him as he strikes revenge.
Review:
The dialog is somewhat limited, and even though it is in Thai with English subtitles, you feel there tones and see the feelings in the expressions. The expression of emotion through action instead of words successfully makes the high action sequences more intense. The youthful flashback sequences explain clearly and simply how this man who is loyal to his friends can assassinate his victims with no remorse or feeling. The use of sound and visual effects greatly intensifies the experience, and is comparable to Requiem For A Dream. Going from the loud club scenes to the silence of the deaf assassin finishing off his target successfully absorbs the audience deeper into the story. The characters are portrayed well and people for who the audience has compassion. The development of people and motivations is strong without dragging out the story. The directors did a wonderful job in making this violent story a film to be seen. The rate of events is more akin to drama than action, and this is enhanced by extended length of the hunting scenes.
FROM THE DIRECTOR:
"...the inspiration came from the gunning down of Saengchai Sunthornwat, the then director of the Mass Communications Authority of Thailand. In the television coverage I saw an assassin crying before Saengchai's picture and begging forgiveness of the dead man's family. Despite a number of assassinations in the past, massive media coverage might shocked him to see how he had done to Saengchai. Thus came the idea of an assassin who finally comes to understand what he is doing. Bangkok: Dangerous was about a hit man who felt, for the first time, remorse for his killing of an important man and saddening a lot of people."
This is among the best films I've seen in a while.