Review of Bangkok Dangerous (2008) by Zachary W — 13 Jun 2009

Not painful but hardly worth a second watch. There are some interesting ideas here that never get fully developed, the action sequences are nothing special and the ending really doesn't make sense.

Hitman on his last job, training a new guy, and falling for a wonderfully innocent girl. It's all really tired, but doable. His motivation for leaving can be compelling; the philosophy of a pro killer can be intriguing; and the romance can create great dramatic tension. Cage's motivation for leaving the game boils down to "If you're thinking about it, it's time." The training sequence is unphilosophical, really just a bunch of target practice. While the deaf Thai chemist is very promising, the handful of charming moments they share don't have any weight on the rest of the film.

The cinematography makes the whole thing look like it was shot with a hand-cam and broadcast over rabbit-ears. That was probably the goal, but it fails to be gritty or avant garde and just looks cheap. Cage's acting aims at understatement and ends up mumbling; he's got a style, he should stick to it. Even the shockingly versatile Leonardo DiCaprio has a consistent style.

'Bangkok Dangerous' wants to be a really smart and moody film about a hitman coming face-to-face with himself. What it achieves is palatable at best; and the whole thing would've been a forgettable, throw away film that still makes a fun Friday night if not for the ending which really makes no sense.