13 jeux de mort

This is probably the best Thai thriller I've seen so far, and I've seen a bunch. Pusit has lost just about everything, his job, his girlfriend, his home, not much left. Then out of the blue he gets a call on his cell phone, telling him he has won the right to compete on a game show, and he can make huge sums of money. The game, is to complete 13 tasks presented by the show via his cell phone, but he has to complete all 13 with money going into his account after each task is completed. Pusit decides to play and off we go on a journey with Pusit that is at times stomach churning for the audience. The first task is pretty easy and Pusit is feeling good about things, but then they start to become very intense and towards the end terrifying. I could feel the tension as this movie goes along, it's along the lines of a good Hitchcockian suspense thriller. More than one of these tasks is very shocking and brutal to say the least, but Pusit is committed and turning back means losing everything again, something he cannot do. So he's hooked, and so are we as one shocking scene after scene builds up to an excellent climax. Put this baby on your want list immediately, you'll love it. I've never seen a movie quite like this one, and it's worth multiple viewings.

A film of almost unbearable suspense, who starts lightly and goes darker by the minute.

It works on various levels: as a critique of the society we live in ( the voyeurism and excessive competition), as psychological (the characters have their behavior well explained by the movie).

It is the best movie I have ever seen from Thailand.

Thai cinema is evolving and proof is Sick Nurses, an stylish exercise in horror better than most American movies and 13 Beloved, who is also very well served by its actors and director.

If you like suspense, don't miss that film

Movies about money versus morality are my favorite. Giving the characters options that decide their own or other's fate and potential demise is what I enjoy most in film. With that being said, this is the first ever Thai movie I have watched in full, I did not know it was a Thai movie going in and saw the American remake first. If you don't mind subtitles, this film is a comedic psychological thriller in which the storyline will have you not only glued to your seat but also questioning if things like this happen in real life especially in Hollywood (I'm sure you have heard of the Illuminati). The main character is given 13 challenges to complete and if successful, will receive enough money to have made it all worth it. However, what starts off as an easy task eventually leads to what could potentially be the hardest task he has ever faced in his life. Is it worth sacrificing all morality to attain this life-altering money or will he have a change of heart? The acting cannot be judged as it is not only terrible but so bad it makes the film seem purposefully funny (especially with the low budget special effects) but the focal point of the film is the plot. You will be guessing what comes next but never be right and the ending will have your surprised as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and hope you will as well.

Chit is a desperate guy : he has debts, his car has been seized, he lost his job and his love life is no better... He then receives a call to participate to a game show, with enough money involved to solve all his problems. 13 tasks, more money every time. How far will he go for 100 million bahts?

The main actors are good, the humor (at the beginning) is nice, with a bit of gore it makes a really nice mix. And asks some question about the evolution of the Thai society, which are also valid everywhere. Probably the best Thai movie I've watched so far, and just a very good movie.

They say there's nothing new under the sun. This is especially pertinent to cinema, where originality is often hard to come by. Christopher Booker has posited that there are only seven plots, and whether or not he's correct, the same basic premises do crop up again and again. Within the horror and thriller genre, there have been so many films where someone does increasingly stupid, violent or humiliating acts for money, it's practically a subcategory. From 'Would You Rather' and 'The Odds' to 'Cheap Thrills' it's a story we've all seen numerous times.

Chookiat Sakveerakul's '13: Game of Death' (otherwise known as '13 Beloved') was somewhat ahead of the pack, arriving in 2006- long before the likes of the aforementioned films. It follows Phuchit, a young man whose day couldn't be going much worse. After losing both his car and job, he receives a mysterious phone call, offering the chance to win a substantial amount of money. Phuchit then finds himself drawn into a twisted game of escalating degradation and violence, that promises fortune, but may strip him of everything else.

It's a wild ride, navigating a tightrope between psychological horror and black comedy. Based on a comic book by Eakasit Thairaat, Sakveerakul's narrative is tense, gradually building towards a shocking conclusion. Although at times a little unpolished, it is engaging, visceral and frequently gory. Further, unlike other similar films, that lean into sadism for its own sake, it aims higher. Sakveerakul doesn't just want to make you squirm- he wants you to think while you do.

The tasks Phuchit undertakes aren't just about pushing boundaries and glorifying the grotesque, but are a commentary on social inequality and the commodification of suffering. The film plays like a bleak satire of late-stage capitalism, where humiliation is currency and dignity the first casualty. A fever dream of economic desperation and voyeuristic glee, it works as a grim diagnosis of a society willing to sell its soul for a payout; a reflection, perhaps, of Thailand's socio-economic anxieties of the time.

The film also functions as a sharp critique of reality television. Though it predates the explosion of social media-driven spectacle, its depiction of a man manipulated into degrading himself for an unseen, voyeuristic audience feels eerily prescient. Phuchit's suffering is rewarded, packaged, and consumed- his ordeal mirroring the cynical mechanics of exploitative entertainment, where pain is monetized and choice is more illusion than reality.

From a technical perspective, the film doesn't rely on flashy visuals or over-stylised sequences. Instead, Chitti Urnorakankij's cinematography opts for a naturalistic approach, grounding the film in a gritty realism making Phuchit's descent into depravity feel all the more immediate. The camera often sticks close to him, amplifying his growing sense of paranoia and entrapment. There's a lived-in texture to the visuals- dim lighting, cramped interiors and handheld shots all serve to immerse the viewer in his increasingly claustrophobic world.

Additionally, the sound design enhances the tension with subtle ambient noises- an ominous hum or distant city murmur- heightening the unease of proceedings. Conversely, silence in key moments deepens the emotional punch. Further, Kitti Kuremanee's score blends eerie tones with bursts of intensity, heightening the film's impact. In addition, it is sharply edited and has a good pace that never lets up.

Krissada Sukosol stars as Phuchit, anchoring the film with a mix of vulnerability, desperation and growing disillusionment. He's not a traditional horror protagonist, but an ordinary man gradually hollowed out by extraordinary circumstances. Sukosol's expressive physicality- at times twitchy, at others eerily calm- mirrors the psychological toll of the tasks, while his subtle emotional shifts keep us tethered to his experience, even as the challenges grow more extreme.

Achita Sikamana is similarly good as Tong, Phuchit's only real ally. Her performance brings a quiet warmth and grounding presence to the film, a necessary counterpoint to the unfolding chaos. Though her screen time is more limited, Sikamana leaves an impression; conveying empathy and resolve in a story otherwise dominated by manipulation and moral erosion. The rest of the supporting cast, though with far less to do, cannot be faulted.

Chookiat Sakveerakul's '13: Game of Death' more than earns its place in the canon of horror-inflected social satire. What it lacks in polish, it makes up for in thematic ambition and nerve. With its naturalistic style, sharp sense of pacing and strong performances, it's a film that lingers. Whether viewed as satire, a cautionary tale or grotesque morality play, Sakveerakul's vision cuts deep. In short, '13: Game of Death' is a game worth playing- if you've got the stomach for it.