PlatinumRead Just so...so bad

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Wyatt There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

ishjtar Let's start with the positive aspects of this film : Firstly the baseline is rather unique and very strong. A village is opposing an invading army. Where profesionnal soldiers run, ordinary villagers are determined to make a stand, to the last man if need be.Secondly the potential of the characters is very strong. Instead of trained soldiers we see ordinary people and their family. Instead of one hero, there are several protagonists.Thirdly the final act is simply grand. The fact that heroes appear mortal ads to the realism and the emotional impact of the film.Finally the film has some very good ideas and strong images like the guard ignoring command and leaving his post, the burning of the dead or the explosion of a self forged canon.Continuing with the downsides however : The viewer doesn't get a clear view of the map of the village and its defences. It is also unclear how the birmese army command is composed and what their soldiers geographical position is in respect to the village. This makes the attack on the village difficult to follow.The characters of the main villagers should have been more developed. It would have been very interesting to see them in their everyday life before the war.The actors are all rather plain, without great facial expression or gestures. Their foreign names are hard to remember and all but the protagonists look the same. The English dubbing obviously also spoils part of the emotional impact.At first the fighting scenes are rather clinic. People are hacking away at each other but there is hardly any close up or blood and guts flying around. Mostly in the final act we see actual butchering and gore.The storyline is meandering and sometimes chaotic. Direction is not very tight and straight forward.In conclusion the film certainly has a lot of merits. However, a western remake in a medieval setting with a straighter storyline, more development of character and a better geographical picture would take this story to the absolute triumph it deserves.

caramb I assume this to be one of the pittiest movies I have ever seen. It would be sheer flattery to call it a "b" movie. If the fighters from Bang Rajan could come to future, smashing the heads of this films authors would be on top of their to-do list, I guess. Watching till the bitter end makes you think what a bunch of ludicrous posers those guys must have been (they were dead serious, mind you). However there is definite advantage for people involved in making this: You cant be criticized. Who would dare to have something against the heroes of Bang Rajan? I have nothing against them. The scriptwriter certainly does. It has no storyline whatsoever, it is NOT believable and the fighting scene at the end is surpassing my poor English vocabulary(vulgarisms aside). For extreme Rambo fans this film might seem a helluva good movie. You don't mind the lack of substantial conversation, yeah, who cares about that sh*t, there's bloood, buckets of bloood. And the sound of swords cutting human meat, insane "heroism" for no reason at all, hmm, the dying part is a bit out of place, but all in all, this one is banging!

ExpendableMan Thailand is fast making a name for itself in the International film market thanks to the success of a certain Mr Jaa in a film called Ong Bak. If you are reading this review, I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that you will know exactly what I'm on about and will be nodding your head in agreement, smiling to yourself as you recall the head-splintering chaos that that martial arts thrill ride provided us with but despite all it's successes, Ong Bak really was quite a low budget feature and it's limitations were plain to see. Bang Rajan however is an entirely different kettle of fish. It is not another martial arts movie but a war film set in the 18th century and having been made several years previously, was Thailand's first major attempt to secure its reputation as a movie-making rival to the likes of Hollywood and Hong Kong. And unlike the Tony Jaa star vehicle, it has the budget behind it to stand toe-to-toe with any of its rivals.Set just before the fall of Thailand's old capital city Ayuttaya to the invading Burmese army, the film tells the story of the people of Bang Rajan, a large village that despite insurmountable odds stood up to the approaching horde. With legions of soldiers marching on their doors, the untrained, poorly equipped and vastly outnumbered villagers still managed to give the Burmese a brutal lesson in Thai hospitality and their story has become a popular example of patriotism in their home country, so needless to say the transition to screen makes for a rip-roaring war film. To this end, director Tanit Jitnukul resists the urge to focus on solitary figures and instead concentrates on a small number of characters from various backgrounds to represent the Bang Rajan community. There's Taen; the elderly leader who is injured early on in the running time but still manages to be a significant player in the proceedings, Chan; the jungle warrior who succeeds Taen and becomes the figurehead of their resistance, Inn; a younger warrior who fights to defend his newly pregnant wife, Taeng-Onn; the village drunk whose slovenliness masks the highly-skilled axe man lurking within him and numerous other characters who all get plenty of scope, illustrating that it is not just the warriors who are effected by battle but the wives, priests, elderly and children as well. This is one of the film's strongest points and allows it to illustrate a whole patchwork of emotions and situations affected by the chaos. And it is difficult to pick a highlight because no actor ever really outshines any of the rest, you come to care about all of them and when the deaths inevitably occur, some are very sad to behold.But of course, emotional depth is one thing but what everybody really comes to Bang Rajan for is fighting and boy does it deliver. The opening ruck sets the tone instantly as the two opposing armies clash in the middle of a muddy field that soon becomes a mass of flailing limbs and blood-drenched bodies that is all watched by a steadicam that rolls and pivots with the warriors as muddy water splashes the lens. It may be a lesson in camera-work lifted straight from Saving Private Ryan but nonetheless, it is highly effective in taking you right into the heart of the maelstrom. Later skirmishes in the jungle lose none of the brutality as axes and swords are used in ever-more inventive ways to destroy human bodies and the whole thing climaxes in glorious fashion in the jaw dropping final battle. The last Burmese assault flings itself upon the walls of Bang Rajan, cannon fire erupting all around, blowing apart people and buildings as the people we've known for the last two hours contort and die in a hideous barrage of limb-chopping insanity.As far as action goes then, Bang Rajan is definitely an impressive romp and as an Eastern alternative to the bloated, over-stylised likes of Alexander or Troy, it is the far superior choice. Provided you are confident in your sexuality enough to put up with the sight of around two hundred half-naked men getting covered in mud and sweat for two hours, you'll find a good-old fashioned war story with a great big ruck at the end.

Garry Lamb I had the privilege of watching this on its release in Pattaya Thailand, What can i say? William Wallace, pack your bags and go home! This film makes Brave Heart look like Noddy in Toy Town. The choreography of the fight scenes was Fantastic-probably the best I've seen! And funnily enough i didn't understand a Bloody word! The buffalo in the fights is allegedly a genetic throw back to prehistoric times and died shortly after filming, its horns are supposedly over 12feet long! It is now in the Thai National Museum. Thats the History lesson over! Anyhow shortly after i was so bedazzled by this Film i received a VCD copy from a friend in Thailand, Since then I've been amazed by the fact it wasn't released in the UK with subtitles, lets face it we've got Bloody Bollywood and its Crap, we've got some super Gangsta Brit Flicks, the Japs some Fantastic Action-Gangsta movies & the Germans some pretty cool Hardcore! So having seen a number of Thai films inc 1 serious funny comedy about the army--Why Why Why don't we have a movement for Thai movies! After all Hollywood seems to be churning out the same old drivel time after time and with the exception of a few directors, & would do well to watch some of these movies- Super films low budgets and good story lines! As opposed to the same old formulae time and again with Budgets that could wipe out 3rd world debts!(Mr Spielburg)So if anybody knows where i can get an English subtitled version you'd make this 'Tingtong' a very happy man!Keep smiling guysG