Krai Thong

KRAI THONG: This was my first Thai horror movie experience and it was... just plain lousy! I won't condemn the Thai film industry with this one though because I really enjoyed their quirky gangster flick, BANGKOK DANGEROUS and I've read lots of things saying how good their ghost movie NANG NAK is. So trying to keep things positive for the Asian Cinema (in all it's many forms), I'll discuss the better points (there are actually a few) about this film. First, the story must be based on an old legend because it has that fable "feel" to it. Also, towards the end of the movie, there's a part where it seems that the actual legend ends and the director takes over with full creative control (similar to the point towards the end of the French action / fantasy flick, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF) where "somewhat based on an actual occurance" turns into "how much do you think we can get away with". Anyway, the story is about a giant crocodile that has been terrorizing the countryside. It's really the devil-god, CHALAWAN, who can change from man to crocodile at will. He, along with his two Gator Girls (love slaves who can also transform into crocodiles) are causing so much trouble for the townsfolk that the mayor declares that if any man can kill the evil reptiles, he will be rewarded riches beyond his dreams and his two beautiful daughters as wives. Damn, what a prize?! These girls are fine too! Well, CHALAWAN gets wind of all this and kidnaps one of the mayor's daughters. After raping her and placing a curse on the poor girl, the action begins as our hero, KRAI TONG, sets out to kill the monster-people and get alittle snooky along the way. But don't be fooled by my quick synopsis. It's NOT as good as it may sound. And honestly, I couldn't tell if director SUTHAT INTARANUNPAKORN wanted to make a romantic film, a horror movie, or a porn flick. Again, don't get excited about the "porn" word either. There's LOTS of sex in here but no real skin shots to speak of (!) and even with 4 gorgeous Thai vixens walking around half-naked, we only get a brief nude scene from one of the lovely ladies. But luckily, it was (my personal favorite Gator Gal) LUAM who shows off her breasts through a water soaked white dress. So all in all, a rather boring, badly acted (and I can't even speak Thai), straight-to-video attempt to cash in on a few good looking Asian girls in skimpy outfits (who'd be better off doing porn anyway). But I will say that the half-human crocodile-baby at the very end was really quite funny to see and almost better than the whole damn movie itself.

KRAI THONG is a Thai film, and a pretty terrible film at that. The acting is poor, the story is rather wish washy, and if not for the exhiliratingly insane direction by the director, the movie would be next to worthless. As it stands, it's mild entertainment, and you can't deny that there are some incredibly beautiful women in this movie. Unfortunately not a single one of them can act. Worst, the women are WRAPPED eye candy, which means there isn't a trace of nudity to be found. Granted, the last statement may seem a tad superficial, but when you're faced with a movie of this awfulness, you need something -- even gratuitous T&A -- to make the whole experience worthwhile.

4 out of 10

(go to www.nixflix.com for a more detailed review of this movie as well as reviews of other films from around the world)

Just because you're a virile Southeast Asian super warrior who demolishes a giant crocodile and saves a village or two while satisfying multiple lovers—not all at the same time—doesn't mean that you can save a monstrously bad film. If you don't know who Winai Kraibutr is, can't appreciate mild soft porn headlined by a giant croc (Cinemax meets Sci-Fi Channel), or don't find the sight of a man in a loincloth the least bit appealing, I strongly suggest skipping Suthat Intaranupakorn's "Krai Thong".

The surge of Thai cinema in the international scene has been spearheaded by directors Nonzee Nimibutr and Apichatpong Weerasethakul and in part by the success of the martial arts phenomenon "Ong-bak", headlined by martial artist Tony Jaa, aka Panom Yeerum. Within this wave, Kraibutr seems to be the most visible symbol of Thai masculinity. Ruggedly handsome yet possessing masculine grace, the dark-skinned actor has portrayed noble warrior protagonists in all the films I've seen him in, the other two being Nimibutr's "Nang Nak" and the over-hyped Oliver Stone-produced "Bang Rajan". Though not free of flaws, these 2 films are far more superior in all aspects than "Krai Thong", except when it comes to gratuitous flesh-baring and sex scenes.

Kraibutr plays the title role, a warrior and crocodile hunter who has gained legendary repute in rural Thailand. Assuming you can get over the cheesy horror, bad acting, and low-grade production values (which are so bad it may be impossible for most to do so), Krai Thong and his women comprise one of the most attractive casts I've ever seen on film. Though the film awkwardly jumps back and forth between action, horror, and soft porn, there's a consistent mood of earthy sensuality which pervades. It really isn't that the sex is blazing hot or there's a lot of flesh bared, the high erotic quotient here is more about watching an alternative, non-Western (I hesitate to use the convenient yet Eurocentric term 'exotic') point of view. Furthermore, from a typically urban cinephile context, the novelty of the warrior stud and his nymphs significantly contributes to the eroticism.

In Philippine mythology, Malakas (meaning strong) is the first man to walk on earth, the idealized form of Southeast Asian manhood, Maganda (beautiful), his female counterpart. Suthat Intaranupakorn's "Krai Thong" may not be the best film ever made but for a select few it's worth watching modern day versions of Malakas and Maganda come to life. A similar film to check out is "Sema: The Warrior from Ayodhaya". A 6 out of 10 stars, easily 2 or 3 without the eye candy.

Thai adventure-horror "Krai Thong" is an average piece of cinema that still doesn't fail to entertain on a trashy and exotic level. The production values are limited, so are the special effects (mainly giant crocodiles). The story centers around such a giant predator who kills many people. The village chief offers half his fortune and his daughter to the man who can kill the monster. Enter Kraitong (another spelling is the titular Krai Thong), a muscular hero, who discovers the secrets of the giant reptiles...

The story is based on Thai folklore and has some interesting aspects, but is always predictable. The most unusual thing about it is the hero, very attractively interpreted by "Nang Nak"-stud Winai Kaibutr. He not only marries two of the chief's attractive daughters, he also sleeps with both the women of his opponent. There's a symbol of male potency you don't normally see in a politically correct western movie.

Apart from that little erotic spice, "Krai Thong" offers everything you'd expect from a "giant crocodile movie". Enough said, I guess. I give it an overall rating of

5/10