Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Bangkok Dangerous (2008)

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 09-07-2008, 05:50 PM:

Today at Regal 15 in Eugene, #9, 35mm. Except for reel one having a lot of scratches and a very nasty splice that spooked the digital audio, looked and sounded great (by that I mean it was competently presented, not that it looks especially good, which it doesn't. Competent except for the scratches and that splice job.) Haven't seen this much crap code in a movie in a while, lots of it.

Nicholas Cage plays a, um, what is he, a contract bad guy who shuttles around briefcases full of cash and stuff and kills people left and right and generally handles most any dirty work, for a price. The Russians think highly of him. He lands some work in Bangkok.

As the story unfolds, we learn he's searching for something more, a greater meaning to his life. He ends up falling for a beautiful young female Asian deaf-mute pharmacy technician. One can't help pondering the mechanics of being a pharmacy tech who can't hear or speak, and yet she's out there on the sales floor helping customers pick the right meds and using pantomime to explain dosages and things like that. But I digress.

Anyway Mr. Dangerous also takes a Bangkok street hustler under his wing and starts teaching him the business, whatever the business is, I'm not really sure. Something about mirrors, and wax on, wax off. As Sam Graham would say, wackiness ensues.

This movie is not very good. It will be gone very quickly. It also will not make a very good looking Blu-ray.

1.5 stars out of 5.

I should mention that I lived in Bangkok for about 18 months, a long time ago. That's why I wanted to see it. I think they got the Bangkok feel substantially right, except I don't recall there being elephants on every street corner.

Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 09-07-2008, 10:45 PM:

After watching this I wish I could of been deaf and blind. I don't really mind Nic Cage in anything (Still think Gone in 60 Seconds is his best work yet) Maybe I think that because he dosn't really have to act in that one, just be himeself. This movie had a horrible lighting director, for the first half of the movie you could hardly tell what was going on because it was so damn dark. It had a few moments that were "Hey thats kinda cool looking" then some moments where your like WTF. The whole third hit was just stupid. The guy takes the time not to show himself or let his face be seen when doing other hits then on the river he decides to go all JUDGE DREDD and shoot everything out in the open. DUMB!

1/5 [thumbsup]

Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 09-10-2008, 02:12 PM:

LOVE GURU was better than this picture.

[Eek!]