Bangkok Dangerous ( 2008 ) is the remake of a 1999 thai film of the same name whose rights have been brought by Nicholas’s production company. Wise move?? Read on to find out . The original movie was a knockout which probably led Cage to assume it might be a success in hollywood.
The movie is written and directed by the Pang brothers - Oxide Pang and Danny . This is one of those movies where I dont have to try to be brief on the plot. Believe me this movie has a pretty tiny plot and I dont like it enough to fill in the review with hot air !!
Joe ( cage ) is a hitman.. a lonely hit man hired by Bangkok ganglord - Surat who signs him for a month long assignment to takeout 4 people. It is what joe believes his ’ last job ’ after which he is gonna ’ walk away’ . Joe has a policy of not meeting the gangs so he finds a local pickpoket named Kong ( Shahkrit Yamnarm ) and hires him to to exchange contracts to a night club dancer who inturn hands it over to Surat. Kong later on gets romantically involved with the dancer.
Joe always planned on killing Kong after his assignments but certain events leads him to change his mind and he develops a mild freindship and starts training him and even uses him in one of his missions. He also slowly starts having feelings to this deaf and mute local shopgirl and begin to question his life prorities. Just as he begins to let his guard down Surat comes in guns blazing leaving joe’s 4th task unfinished.
A situation then arises where Joe has to choose between leaving the country safely or rescuing the kidnapped Kong from surat. What results then is a killing mayhem and finally when the police arrive on the scene Joe is left with one bullet and surat. So he puts their heads together and pulls the trigger..........
As reality slowly creeps into you from reading a review of this mindnumbing movie you begin to wonder why was this movie actually made!! the original had more punch with its assasin being a deaf mute guy, tortured as a child which makes him a fearful , unflinching assasin. Also the movie doesnt rush unlike here where there is nothing to show why love blossomed between Joe and the shopkeeper or kong and the dancer. Even the reason Joe decides to mentor kong is never satisfactorily explained.
I wouldnt recommend this movie to you even if you are a die hard fan of nicholas cage, not if you want to remain a fan !! He sleep walks through this movie with a bad hairdo. nothing is actually worth mentioning in this movie except maybe Joe’s planning and execution of his missions.
Grossing 7.8 million in the opening weekend, its a box office bomb with general public dislike for the movie. But hey if you wanna watch it go ahead but do so at your own risk !! You have been warned !!