Director: Chaya Supannarat
Writer: Laurence Walsh
Stars: D.Y. Sao, Brian Le, and Bear Williams
Release Date: [Not Yet Announced]
In the 2000s and 2010s, seeing Bangkok as part of action movie titles was common. There are movies like Bangkok Dangerous, Bangkok Adrenaline, and Bangkok Knockout and they copied flying elbows and high kicks. However, as Thai action films began to decline both in the Thai film industry and foreign-produced movies shot in Thailand, the craze over these ‘Bangkok’ titles also dissipated. Nevertheless, one of the leading Thai action directors – Prachya Pinkaew, who shot such films as Ong Bak – is now attempting to revive the genre in the 2020s.
Even though he has stopped directing, in his capacity as an executive producer, one might find movies employing the tagline ‘Prachya Pinkaew Presents’. His new hope is D.Y. Sao, a Cambodian-American martial artist skilled in different types of fighting. This is the first time Sao collaborated with Pinkaew in the movie Shadow Master, released in 2022 and directed by Singaporean filmmaker Pearry Teo. Unfortunately, what could have been a successful partnership did not transpire since Teo passed away in 2023.
Now, Sao is back with Bangkok Dog (2024) his third action-packed leading role on offer to the audience. This Thai martial arts action film is directed by Chaya Supannarat, who has considerable prior experience in this genre though this is her first feature film and was produced for a relatively modest budget compared to the action blockbusters starring Tony Jaa of the Ong Bak series.
Plot Overview: A Simple but Exciting Story
The movie is about Sao and his partner, Jenny Philomena Van Der Sluijs, who are undercover operatives for the covert organization, LS-75. The plot of the movie begins in California, where the protagonists staking out and foiling a drug deal in the container yard – what a great opening scene for any action movie! In one of the most dramatic sequences, Sao’s character faces Brian Le, a martial arts actor famous for starring in Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Paper Tigers.
The showdown sees Le being apprehended, and the agents learning that the drugs are being imported from Thailand. To put an end to the operation, Sao goes undercover in Bangkok under the pretense of Le. His mission? Go undercover and dismantle the gang from within. Sao arrives in Bangkok where she befriends a gang member portrayed by Byron Bishop, even though both of them share a similar experience of growing up tough. This leads to the classic undercover dilemma: is Sao too immersed in portraying the character?
When Sao’s boss starts getting bored, he decides to put Van Der Sluijs back on the mission and sends him to Bangkok. Of course, there are quite many fighting scenes connected to martial arts, and these scenes contain punches, kicks, and movements that are peculiar to Thai fighters.
Martial Arts Action: A Nostalgic Throwback
If you enjoy the 70’s and 80’s style martial arts movies, then Bangkok Dog is for you. Likewise, Sao and Brian Le, who are credited for the fight choreography, deliver gritty physicality to the action sequences. These fights have a lot of intricate maneuvers, and, of course, elements of style, such as a cloud of dust that appears when one character gets hit. Some may think that such a manner is cheesy but this is intended to parody the kung-fu movies showcasing over-the-top moves and facial expressions.
To elaborate the outstanding scenes are the last fight of Sao with Le. The fight is highly energetic and has many nods to classic kung fu films, making it enjoyable for fans of the subgenre. In today’s generation, it is quite hard to find movies whose action scenes are solely performed by the actors with no tricks or camera angles used to mislead the viewers that those involved in the stunts are body doubles. It is this focus on vintage homework that differentiates Bangkok Dog.
Sao also fights against Ron Smoorenburg, a martial artist most famous for his fight against Jackie Chan in Who Am I? The lack of resources is evident at times, including the fight scenes, but this is in no way a detriment because these scenes are so interesting.
Weak Points: Acting and Plot
Apart from the action scenes, the film contains certain shortcomings. Although it is the first time Van Der Sluijs acts, she has some difficulties playing her part, which is visible and results in cheesy scenes. It appears as though her character and role in the story are quite insignificant; one evening, she meets Sao by the street food stall though the two are in Bangkok and such a meeting is perfectly plausible. From what is observed, her primary job appears to entail being in a hotel room awaiting Sao to brief her.
Due to the 85-minute duration, there is not enough time for character growth and additional plot development. Sustaining a frenetic pace of action, the plot has been slightly contrived with some moments that are too coincidental. But this also means the movie does not drag on and feels satisfying without running for an excessive amount of time.
Final Thoughts
Bangkok Dog is not a work of cinematic art but it certainly is an entertaining action-packed dose of the good old Thai action flicks. The movie mostly relies on D.Y. Sao, who does a great job with his charm and martial arts moves, which makes him a promising action star. In particular, fight scenes and kung-fu clichéd poses and stunts are going to be perfectly aligned with the expectations of martial arts movie enthusiasts.
While the acting and plot could use improvement, the movie succeeds where it matters most: the action. Indeed, as Sao’s character in the movie puts it, “Kung-fu works,” and for Bangkok Dog, that couldn’t be any truer.
Bangkok Dog 2024 Parents Guide & Age Rating
Violence & Gore
- Frequent and intense martial arts combat, including punches, kicks, elbows, and knees.
- Some fights feature exaggerated impacts with dust and debris flying.
- No graphic gore, but there are bruises, cuts, and visible injuries.
Language: Occasional mild swearing, but no strong language is noted.
Drugs & Alcohol: The plot involves drug trafficking., AND Brief scenes showing drug shipments but no explicit use of drugs.
Sexual Content: None. No nudity or sexual scenes.
Overall: Suitable for teens 14+ due to action violence and themes of crime. Minimal language and no sexual content make it less concerning for mature young viewers.