Angulimala

The first time I saw it a couple of years ago (on rented DVD) I was amazed at the very low quality of production, and didn't understand how the heck they would release this terrible film to the market. This is the movie about a man, who is lost with blind faith. The script was quite all right. Some nice realistic interpretation made the characters quite humane. However, the direction and acting is terrible. Post production (which is not necessary if they want to make a good drama from the already good story but they put it in anyway) seems to be made in the 80's, not at the turn of the millennium. Horrible repetition of score. I didn't give this film a one star due to the sheer courage of the interpretation which made this quite realistic. I saw it one more time a few days ago to write an article for the local magazine. The second viewing only confirmed my first opinion. Watch it if you have to.

I am a Thai, a Christian with a Buddhist background. And I must say that this is one of the best Thai films I've ever seen and also one of the best films that relate directly to Buddhism. (In my opinion it's better than "Little Buddha") This is not a big-budget movie so don't expect anything grand, but what makes this film excellent is the screenplay and the way the director keeps the movie right to its point from the beginning to the end. The maker of this films really did understand the message of the story and he presented it very well, and surprisingly, in the way that isn't too hard to understand, with all the excitement of a good film that keeps the audience attention the whole way through. (but for non-Thai people, I suggest that you watch this film with a good subtitle, one that is translated very well so that the meaning of the film won't be lost.) Angulimala is based on the Buddhist scripture story. It's about a man who has been looking for a way to spiritual enlightenment since he was a young child. He has a keen and powerful mind, great determination and strength.However,along the way he got confused and lost his way, thinking that killing people is the way to free them from misery and the way to purify his soul. He is determined to kill 1,000 people and collect their fingers in his necklace. Then the film will show us how the Buddha could help such a man who seem to be on the extremely wrong path of belief to stop and turn back to the true light.

Some Buddhist message and Hindu belief may seem a little unfamiliar to Western people, but this is one film that present the teaching of the Buddha so correctly and in a universal way that people of all religions can relate to it. I was very impressed.

In my opinion, the directing, the cast, the editing, and the special effects of this film are just about right. I enjoyed the story from the beginning to the end. Yes, the music maybe a little too repetitive but I still find it effective. I like the way they mixed the Buddhist chant with the orchestra.

Watch this film. It's really a good one. I highly recommend it.

Thai film about a Brahamin born to be a thief and murderer despite the hope it would be otherwise. When the signs at his birth are bad the young child is sent away to study philosophy in the hopes of changing fate. The monks sensing his bad side refuse to teach him, however he does learn. When he's tricked into believing that the killing of 1000 bad men will bring about his getting the core of Dharma he is set on a murderous path. Odd film about the ability to change and find enlightenment even after walking a dark path. The ending where he does find enlightenment is strangely moving even if it it at odds with all that went before. Recommended for those who want a real change of pace but not for general consumption (at least by American audiences)

I was transfixed by this film from beginning to end. The images and music are compelling.

This is a story about a man on a mission to find spiritual enlightenment. Banished from his monastery, the man flees to a cave in the mountains with a beautiful, but "untouchable" spurned fiancée of the head monk. In his mountain cave, the man prays for guidance to the mountain god, who gives him a task to complete before he will attain "the core of Dharma." As he completes this task, he is given the name Angulimala by the local population, which is terrified of him. Finally, Angulimala is put on a different path by another spiritual guide.

I can't remember ever being so completely absorbed by a movie. The movie has apparently made some Buddhists angry for some reason, but I highly recommend it. This is a work of art.