Trappola infernale

I remember reading the actual news from this incident back when I was in my late teens, early twenties. Victor Malarek did an incredibly good job at showing how incompetent Canadian officials who couldn't cause a significant dent in the drug trade coming from Asia into north america decided to use a straw man to create a fictitious incident in order to improve their image. The incident in itself and how it was covered back then by journalist Malarek was plain riveting. Unfortunately, the movie that was made about it is clearly not a top quality product and misuses the talent of great actors. Still worth watching just to learn about what happened.

May not have the grip of a massive Hollywood thriller but it isn't far off. Engaging and well worth a watch. A solid 8 out 10.

It was a telling story of how possession of drugs in Asian countries can be penalized by harsh and hard sentences. I wanted to love this film, but I just could find my way to move the needle past the okay line!!

The camera work is rough at major points in the film. Increasing the budget for an actual camera person rather than shooting it on someone's phone would make a big difference in the viewers experience.

Well worth a watch! A credible account that was well depicted.

I can't speak for 80's Canada but it got 80's Thailand spot on. DEA and British customs were very active in Thailand at that time. They pressured the Thai police which,in turn, vigorously targeted foreigners, escalating the severity of relatively minor drug offences, and if they didn't have the funds to buy their way out of trouble, in they went. To divert attention from the real ( protected) players, to satisfy visable Thai compliance, to deter chancers and newcomers but predominantly to bolster publicity for Reagan and Bush's, well funded and highly lucrative "just say no! " "war on drugs."

There from 84 to 92. The film brought back a lot of memories, not least those shackles that Justin Jackson mentions in his review. I'd forgotten the peeling blue/green paint that was everywhere. The prison population seemed authentic apart from a lack locked up foreigners (among other nationalities lots of Nigerian mules were convicted around that time) the film depicts the situation and era very well.