Customer Rating: 
Summary: A brilliant film!
Comment: This film is amazing!! I am a long-time fan of female martial artists, and the action scenes in this film are a joy to behold. I have not laughed so heartily in a long time, from sheer astonishment and pure delight. JeeJa Yanin is a phenomenon! More, please. More.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Sweet Chocolate
Comment: Although I have heard about his films for a number of years now, I have not watched a Prachya Pinkaew film. I, of course, know that his films Ong-Bak (2003) and Tom yum goong (2005) are supposed to make most Hong Kong action films look like child's play; however, it might be because of the hype that surrounds his films that I put off watching them. Yet, instead of watching Ong-Bak or Tom yum goong, I decided to watch Prachya Pinkaew's latest film Chocolate because of an Internet acquaintance's enthusiasm for the film and I must say that I was not disappointed with this hour and a half long bit of filmic action.
Chocolate opens with a confrontation between a Thai gang and a group of yakuza who seem to be trying to gain ground in the city. There is a standoff, but thank to a stunning, hard as nails woman named Zin, an uneasy peace is made between the two groups. Masashi, the head of the yakuza, becomes infatuated with Zin and they quickly strike up a steamy affair that comes to an abrupt end when Masashi becomes the target of the Thai gang. Zin protects her man, but is excised from the gang and soon breaks up with Masashi who quickly returns to Japan for his own protection thereby leaving the pregnant Zin behind.
Zin gives birth to a daughter who she gives the name Zen. A quiet, distant child, Zin soon learns that the little girl is autistic, but does her best to raise the girl as normally as possible. Later, she gains the help of Moom, an overweight, slightly effeminate guy whom she saved from bullying. After having a run in with her old gang, which costs her a big toe, Zin and family moves to a run down home where she hopes she can live in peace. However, she becomes afflicted with a deadly disease and now the livelihoods of herself and her daughter are in danger.
In order to make ends meet Moom and Zen put on a show in which he chucks balls at her as well as the audience members. With her senses honed by her autistic nature, she is able to catch the balls easily. However, one day a group of toughs throw a knife at her which she catches as well, slicing her hand in the process. However, she soon reduces the toughs to mounds of suffering and pain. As Zin's condition worsens, Moom finds a book of all the individuals who owe Zin money. Zen, only comprehending that her mom needs money for her stay in the hospital, unleashes upon the small time thugs. However, her activities draw attention to Zin's former gang, so can she and Moom keep up their money making plans without putting themselves in danger?
Let's face it. Those of us who watch Chocolate are not watching the film to see an intricately woven plot with a satisfying outcome. What we are here to see Yanin `Jeeja` Vismistananda kick gangster butt, and that is exactly what she does. After the weak plotline is established, Chocolate becomes nearly nonstop action sequence with the near invincible Zen beating up ice factory workers, butchers, and gangsters. Leaning heavy on its influences, Kill Bill, Zatoichi, and Hong Kong action cinema, Chocolate makes for some fluffy, mindless action fun.
Customer Rating:
Summary: 3 ½ -Stars: Thailand's "Female Tony Jaa" Showcases this film's Strength...
Comment: Ever since the international successes of Prachya Pinkaew`s "Ong-Bak" and "Tom Yum Goong" with Tony Jaa, the U.S. has been flooded by a lot of action films from Thailand. Most recently, are Jaa's mediocre earliest films such as "Battle Warrior" and "Spirited Killer" just to capitalize on the Muay Thai magic in movies. Prachya Pinkaew, now returns with a martial arts film that will be categorized in the "girls who kick butt" genre; "CHOCOLATE" is a film full of hard-hitting fights and amazing stunts. Newcomer Jeeja Yanin (sometimes credited as Yanin Vismitananda) has the skills to be dubbed the "female Tony Jaa"--after all, it is much easier to teach a martial artist to act than to teach an actor to do martial arts.
An autistic teenager named Zen (Jeeja Yanin) is a child born of an affair between a top-ranking Yakuza officer named Masashi (Abe Hiroshi) and a Thai woman (who was also a mistress of a Thai crime lord) named Zin (pretty Ammara Siripong). The Thai gang boss (played by Pongpat Wachirabunjong) doesn't appreciate the fact that the Yakuza is muscling into his turf and Masashi was forced to return to Japan and Zin is left to raise Zen by herself. Growing up, Zen discovers that she has an uncanny photographic memory, and she can imitate complex martial arts moves by watching the students in the Muay Thai school next door and by watching Tony Jaa and Bruce Lee's films.
As fate would have it, Zin becomes stricken with cancer and she needs money to pay for her medical needs. Aided by childhood friend, Moom (Taphon Phopwandee) they intend to capitalize on her quick reflexes and incredible agility in a sidewalk show and by collecting debts that a lot of folks owe her mother. Little do they know that the past is closing in on them and it will lead to a final resolution to the events that led to her birth.
Martial Arts films usually have a simple plot and "Chocolate" (labeled after Zen's favorite vice) is no different. The problems with the film is that the plot may be a little overreaching and seems a little silly. A lot of its elements are underdeveloped and the script is a little scattered. The film's main premise of an autistic teenager with amazing fighting skills requires a very large suspension of disbelief; I don't care how good your reflexes are or if you have a photographic memory, one can learn the moves but one cannot fully gain the fighting "savvy" or the experience of rolling or taking a punch. The film gets a little absurd, the villains are a bit comical; the Thai Boss' second in command is a transsexual with his own gang of transsexuals. I think the plot would have done better without these elements, that it should have developed its more human side with a lot of emotion since it does have the potential to do so.
The plot's hollow storyline aside, "Chocolate" is a visual mayhem of violence. Zen's opponents go from easy to medium, from hard to "VERY HARD"--it's almost like a video game. Jeeja has the necessary skills and I was very impressed with her athletic abilities. For a film like this, the action scenes need to be able to steal the show, and it does. The film is a stunt show, the fights are long and hard-hitting, they also get more violent as the film progresses; it displays Jeeja's martial arts skills to efficiency. Highlights include a very nifty meat market battle and the film's showstopper, the very stunt-ridden fights on the side of a building. Jeeja performed most of her stunts without wires, with absolutely NO stunt doubles and with this, I am very impressed. With the film's end credits, you'll see her sustain very real injuries when performing some of the stunts. Jeeja's performance acting-wise is decent for a newcomer, but it is clear that she needs to attend a few acting workshops.
The director also gives subtle tributes to Bruce Lee classics such as "The Big Boss" (the ice factory scene) and "Fist of Fury". There is also a cool animated "dream" sequence very similar to "Party 7" (which may also be a hint of Kill Bill?). There is also a very weird, quirky assassin who uses the Brazilian martial art Capoeira, who also wears a negative-colored track suit (Black suit with white stripes) as a tribute to Bruce Lee's "Game of Death". The near-climactic encounter also occurs in a setting very similar to "Kill Bill", and I found it very curious as to why Thai mobsters would use samurai swords.
Despite all the very cool fisticuffs, the film's dark tones, the film does seem a little too hollow. The film became overly ambitious, it's as if it couldn't decide whether to be dramatic or comical. However, I do hope to see more of Jeeja Yanin, she may not be as charismatic as Michelle Yeoh or Cynthia Khan, but hey, the actress is still young and she's still developing. The film may not be as bone-crushing as "Ong-Bak" or "Flashpoint"; "Chocolate" isn't as impressive as the best of Bruce Lee, Jet Li or Jackie Chan action films, but it is a satisfying enough martial arts film. The film is simply a stunt show, made to showcase Jeeja's amazing skills and fortitude--now, if she just goes to an acting workshop, she'll be awesome!
Recommended for action junkies and a good rental for everybody else. [3 ½ -Stars]
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not at all what I expected
Comment: I impulsively picked up a bootleg copy of Chocolate in D.C. without having seen a trailer or any production photos, or really even knowing anything about it other than it was from the director of Ong-bak and Tom yum goong -- both of which I loved -- and having a female star.
I don't know that I want to even try describing how unexpectedly thrilling and beautiful this movie was. The lead actress looks even younger than she does in the poster above. It all starts with her conception, and she slowly gets older as you see her childhood. I kept expecting another stage but it stops with her as a teen. So I watched a movie about an autistic teen girl who teaches herself how to fight and beats the crap out of dozens of Thai gangsters. The stunt work isn't as good as the two Tony Jaa movies I mentioned above, but it's still quite strong. It also has all the story and character development -- at least for the lead character -- that those two movies were missing. This humble reviewer was really moved by the lead character.
I've already said too much. I need lots of people to see this. NOW. I've been affected by this movie. I'm going to think about it for a long time. Please tell me someone else around here has seen Chocolate.
|
