2.5, United States/Canada

Bangkok Dangerous

2008 / The Pang Brothers > The Pang Brothers created a mystic atmosphere before throwing in the Molotov. First, there’s an assassination that doesn’t make any sense. Then, the “bad guys” make a move that makes no sense. Then, another uncharacteristic assassination sequence. I’m not technically an expert on assassins, but I think it’s safe to say that if you do this for a living, there’s a certain code you abide by, and when that code is shattered in some silly fashion, there’s no turning back. So, the basic premise that Nicolas Cage’s lead suddenly finds love isn’t what’s far-fetched, but rather how the script takes him down that path. The final thirty minutes is a shame because the locale itself gave the film enough potential to succeed. I don’t know if it’s the Pang Brothers’ fault (as I haven’t seen the original) or if the studio bigwigs have forced them into this silly circus. Good music, though.

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