Streaming movie review - Bangkok Dog

Bangkok Dog ***1/2 (out of 5) As long as there’ve been undercover police operations, there’ve been movies about one of them staying so long with the bad guys that he’s become bonded with them and is close to losing his original self. One popular example is Keanu Reaves turning into Patrick Swayze’s bestie in 1991’s Point Break. One regrettable example is its 2015 reboot.

The story opens with a pair of US cops busting a couple of thugs who have smuggled people and drugs from Thailand, resulting in 5 corpses in a container upon arrival, after the baggies of cocaine they’d swallowed had burst. One of the officers, D.Y. Sao manages to take the place of the brute they’d captured (Brian Le) and head for Thailand, where the gang is headquartered, hoping to lop off the head of the beast. Since the Asian side had never met their Western colleague, the plan showed promise.

True to genre form, Sao ingratiates himself by serving as their debt-collecting thug (hence the "dog" of the title), becoming best buds with one of the guys halfway up the food chain. The rest of the plot plays out exactly the way you expect. So, if you’re looking for a meaty plot and deep character development, fuggeddaboutit. But if you groove to the full gory glory of Thai martial arts flicks, pop the corn and settle in for a treat. This is a fine one.

The fights are frequent, intense and well-choreographed, with minimal down time between them. Very few non-anatomical weapons are deployed, putting the focus where it belongs – on the fighting actors and stunt players. I especially appreciate the adequacy of the lighting that fully displays what they’re doing, compared to many action flicks that use too many cuts and too little light in those sequences. They knew why we’d be watching and dished it out generously. Director Chaya Supannarat does a fine job of staging and pacing - especially for a woman with only five previous turns in the chair, all of which were shorts. (The preceding point was about her limited experience, not gender. Don’t start bristling about sexism. I’d have made the same observation about a male newbie, and have on many occasions.)

The two main foes mentioned above are legit martial artists, and it shows. Sao is small and agile, like a Bruce Lee or Tony Jaa. Hulking Brian Le shows surprising acrobatics in the climactic slugfest, even using a bit of Brazilian capoeira. Many will want to re-watch some of the fight sequences after they’ve reached the inevitable ending. The laudatory rating herein is not for the script; it's for the action and stirring my interest in whatever Sao will do next.

(Bangkok Dog, mostly in English and Thai with subtitles, is available on numerous digital formats as of 11/12/24)