BAAN MUAY THAI
NB - THIS FILM IS NOT YEt SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE.
Directed by: Charles Garrett
Starring; Charles Garrett, Suttiya Jamlongpan, Kamic Sintrong, Pracha Tetsungnoen, Khao Janhom
Max, a successful city trader living in London, travels back to Thailand where as a teen he trained as a kickboxer. Meeting up with some old friends, Max is asked by his old ailing coach to help bring their training camp back to life and take part in an exhibition match. Although willing to help, Max finds himself conflicted between his current lifestyle and the life and friends he'd once abandoned. On his journey back into the ring, Max must find inner strength in the face of adversity…and tragedy.
Baan Muay Thai is a fascinating film, not only because of its subject matter but also the way its been filmed and presented. It is very easy to forget that this is a work of fiction (whether based on Garrett's actual experiences or not), as it is almost presented as a fly-on-the-wall documentary. There is no interaction between Max and the camera, nor with any other character, but its there, in the middle of the room, recording what feels like very real, lived in characters.
When we meet Max, he's just picked up two women and brought them back to his fancy apartment for some lines of coke and a good time (one of them is a bit more cautious than the other). It's clear that this life in the fast lane is wearing him down though, and he hops on a plane to Bangkok. Just for a long weekend to see his friends. They seem rather bemused to see him, especially as its such a short visit. However when he meets his old coach, he's told about a dream he had where Max won local match and brought their boxing camp back to prominence.
The film is steeped in its documentary stylings. We get a lot of travelogue footage of Max travelling - the place he's visiting is a long way from Bangkok and needs both train and boat to get there, plus its Monsoon season so a lot of the time the streets are awash. A lot of time is spent documenting the rebuilding of the camp and its boxing ring (there's a melancholic scene later on where they have to all but deconstruct their new ring, seeing all their hard work go to waste).
All the way through the film, Max is his own worst enemy. Although agreeing to fight, he takes ages to get fit (partly because he's getting drunk and fraternising with the local barmaid), and his reactions are a lot slower that when he was first training - I imagine he thought he'd just pick up from where he left off but it becomes apparent to his trainer that he's forgotten most of what he was taught. Max's temper gets the better of him at one point too, where he ends up in an argument at the bar and faces racial abuse, which in turn leads to ugly consequences both for Max and the camp.
The film builds to the exhibition match, by which point there is significant interest from the locals. The fight itself is very realistic and I do wonder if the film-makers did just set up a match and record whatever happens. As such, there are few edits, no fancy moves and the camerawork as wobbly as the early scenes. For action movie fans this isn't going to get anyone excited but in terms of the story of Max, it’s a satisfying conclusion to this part of his life journey.
THE VERDICT
Baan Muay Thai is basically the Cinema Verite version of Kickboxer, but instead of a bad guy, Max has to overcome himself in order to be victorious. Whether he succeeds or not, you will need to see the film to find out.
8 out of 10 - RECOMMENDED
MikeOutWest