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Bangkok Dangerous
Generally unfavorable reviews
Based on 16 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 27 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Action | Crime | Suspense/Thriller
Written by:
Danny Pang (1999 film)
Oxide Pang Chun (1999 film)
Jason Richman
Directed by:
Oxide Pang Chun
Danny Pang
Release Date:
Theatrical: September 5, 2008
DVD: January 6, 2009
Running Time: 100 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: R for violence, language and some sexuality
Starring Nicolas Cage, Shahkrit Yamnarm, Charlie Yeung, Panward Hemmanee, Nirattisai Kaljaruek, and Dom Hetrakul
The life of an anonymous assassin takes an unexpected turn when he travels to Thailand to complete a series of contract killings. Joe, a remorseless hit man, is in Bangkok to execute four enemies of a ruthless crime boss named Surat. He hires Kong, a street punk and pickpocket, to run errands for him with the intention of covering his tracks by killing him at the end of the assignment. Strangely, Joe, the ultimate lone wolf, instead finds himself mentoring the young man while simultaneously being drawn into a tentative romance with a local shop girl. As he falls further under the sway of Bangkok's intoxicating beauty, Joe begins to question his isolated existence and let down his guard... just as Surat decides it's time to clean house. (Lionsgate)
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Bangkok Dangerous The Eye The Messengers
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The Hollywood Reporter Stephen Farber
Bangkok won't be making any appearances at the Oscars, but it is executed with skill and -- a severed limb or two notwithstanding -- without too much bloody excess.
Read Full Review >Variety Jordan Mintzer
Without the technical nastiness and fatal realism that made the initial film so compelling, the remake feels like a hollow excuse to present the myriad ways in which a bullet can pierce a cranium, rather than an edgy portrait of Third World violence.
Read Full Review >The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Stephen Cole
Doesn't work because it isn't much of a ride. The action scenes are strictly by rote. The incidental characters are all incidental.
Read Full Review >The New Yorker Anthony Lane
Parts of Bangkok Dangerous, far from seeming unfamiliar or freshly stylized, offer nothing that you couldn't catch in an episode of "CSI."
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Joshua Katzman
While the film includes several exciting, creatively shot action scenes, the drama is otherwise so shopworn that the violent climax is a relief.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Michael Ordona
Pretty much all the things that made the original so original are filtered out of this un-original.
Read Full Review >Film Threat Stina Chyn
I didn't hate this film. I didn't find it to be a waste of time or brain waves. Given the reasons I saw the film, I suppose I'm 50% disappointed.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Nathan Lee
Of all the shoddy, insipid qualities of Bangkok Dangerous, the most egregious is the most fundamental: The film is simply dreadful to look at.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov
I'm beginning to suspect there's some sort of ancient, or at least post-Pearl Harbor, curse in play that stops genre-oriented Asian filmmakers from creating anything of all but the most negligible merit once they hit the California shore.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer David Hiltbrand
As a cinematic experience, it's like being locked in a coffin for an hour and a half.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin
Dimly lit, emotionally empty, and devoid of thrills, Bangkok Dangerous should disappoint Cage fans looking for Wicker Man-style camp thrills just as thoroughly as action buffs looking for a passable thriller. It's never close to good, and it can't even get bad right.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Joe Neumaier
Adds to the sad realization that this once-vibrant and witty actor (Cage) is completely controlled now by his inner teenager.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly Tim Grierson
Another of those dopey crime thrillers where the hardcore, bad-ass antihero inexplicably decides one day to lower his guard and open his heart, causing all kinds of hell to break loose.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Wesley Morris
Bangkok Dangerous is bad without lifting a finger toward interesting. The trouble with it is that the people who've made it don't appear to understand life enough to allow any of it into their movie. This is an airless affair.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman
The filmmakers even manage to turn seamy Bangkok into the least exotic setting imaginable.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 5.0 (out of 10) based on 27 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
[Anonymous] gave it a5:
May not be worth watching, very simple all around.
Jay T. gave it a1:
With films like this no wonder everyone is turning to the tv! Nic cage is the last person i would cast for an action film, he is without life when he acts and the person who directed this piece of shit should give up his day job and spend his money else where. Easily the worse film of 2008.
Jay H. gave it a6:
5.5/10. The Bangkok location filming is a big plus, some good action scenes, especially the canal scene. Good cinematography, well edited. The story lacks focus though and the point and plot is very vague. Too much style and not enough substance.
Ronald S gave it a3:
Do all of the other customers who come into the Pharmacy know sign language? And the hardened Assassin is going to just fall completely head over heels in love over a deaf woman in a pharmacy? Especially since he couldn't even understand her if she could talk? The whole love thing just feels so absolutely contrived. And Joe looks like he's been dead for a week.
Brian R. gave it an8:
Not as bad as the critics will insist, still Cage has performed much better on previous outings. I disagree with the opinion that it is a dull movie to look at. Although many of the Bangkok backdrops are cliched at times it is visually arresting. Action when it comes is impressively done but Cages hair is more of a distraction than I thought it would be. Why can't a a hitman with such compulsion and precision not take two minutes out with a comb?
Gunny M. gave it a4:
Nicolas Cage=sh*tty movie. What ever happened to the days when you could rely on Nick to produce a good flick such as Face off. Weatherman, and City of Angels. Now hes the only character you reconginze in this weird flick that is very predictable. I hate his attitude as this tough guy i dont give a fuck what happens to me and i'm the man persona. In addition to that he falls for a deaf girl, i mean come on now what the hell is going on here. Not only that she works at a feaking pharmacey where communication is key. At least CSi or burn notice is a little more believable logistically. Nice hair Nick did you get your style from happy days you greasy weirdo.
Bryan P. gave it an8:
If you can get past Nicolas Cages hair the story is not bad. I like the fact that the story seems predictable but in the end isn't. The director was very conservative on the shaky cam,( I hate shaky cam) only in the last third of the movie did the shaky cam come out.
