Review of Tears of the Black Tiger (2000) by Garrett R — 21 Mar 2011

TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER is a spaghetti Western/romantic melodrama with a unique Thai approach. Featuring vibrant visual colors, spot-on actors, stylish old-school filmmaking techniques and storytelling, and strong gore in the amazing action sequences lets BLACK TIGER to be an entirely original and vibrantly colorful romantic, violent Western.

The colors in BLACK TIGER are pop-off-the-screen gorgeous and emphasize moments of dramatic intensity and soft intimacy. For example, a backdrop of two sun-like halos encircle the heads of the two characters in an early quick-draw showdown. The dialogue (read in subtitles) is well-rendered and fits right into the characters'personalities and the film's storyline.

The storyline, by the way, is a conjunction of many a Western and romantic melodrama. Only that the story is told in a fragmented fashion, beginning with the events toward the climax and then follows with the beginning of the entire story.

The beginning of the entire story focuses on the close friendship between Dom and Rumpoey. Early on, we see signs of Dom's fierce fighting from self-defense and sharp shooting eye. An encounter with bullies on two rowboats leads to trouble for Dom and Rumpoey, as they stay past their curfew and Rumpoey is badly injured. This incident leads to Rumpoey leaving the village. Over time, as in all classic love stories, the longing love for these two characters blossoms.

When Dom and Rumpoey are older, Dom has become an outlaw in an infamous gang headed by the leader, Fai, in order to avenge a close one's death. Rumpoey is supposed to marry the new Police Captain, whose goal is to take down the gang Black Tiger's a part of. That's the jist of the story. The rest is up to you to find out.

The actors who play young and older Dom and Rumpoey, the Police Captain, Dom/Black Tiger's pal, Fai, and the parents of the two protagonists are suitable for their roles and their requirements. The actor playing Dom/Black Tiger has the equivalent magnetism and strong acting approach of Clint Eastwood's early Sergio Leone efforts, and the actress playing Rumpoey shows the equivalent sense of sadness and longing as Vivien Leigh (Scarlett from GONE WITH THE WIND, no kidding) for her lover.

The amazing action sequences in BLACK TIGER happen every 20-25 minutes, as the script allows. When they do, these scenes explode with crafty precision and strong gore. These sequences involve a few showdowns and lots of shootouts (and a few blow-ups).

If you're in the mood for a new kind of film, then look no further than the romantic, violent Thai Western TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER. In addition, BLACK TIGER is available on Amazon and Netflix. If there's one letdown that BLACK TIGER shows, then that would be its short length (84 minutes). Then again, good things come in small packages and this is definitely the case here.