Washington Post by Ann Hornaday
A wartime epic in the most flamboyant, operatic tradition of the genre.
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Thailand · 2000
Rated R · 1h 53m
Director Tanit Jitnukul
Starring Jaran Ngamdee, Winai Kraibutr, Theerayut Pratyabamrung, Bin Bunluerit
Genre Action, History, War
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In 1765, under the command of the new Burmese king, an army of warriors set out to attack Ayutthaya, the previous capital of Thailand. However, while en route, the army faces a challenge they'd never anticipated in the village of Bang Rajan, where men and women take up arms against the invaders.
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Washington Post by Ann Hornaday
A wartime epic in the most flamboyant, operatic tradition of the genre.
Visceral and sweat-drenched, but also attaining a genuinely epic stature in its final reels.
It's not easy to spend the better part of two hours with your heart parked in your mouth, but this roaring battle epic is worth the risk of your palpitations.
The battle scenes are bloody, visceral, and expertly edited, though arterial spray consumes so much screen time that the numerous subplots, involving 11 legendary Siamese defenders well-known to Thais, may feel perfunctory to Westerners despite some strong performances.
Choppy, cheesy historical war epic really has only a couple of things going for it, and its biggest asset remains the heroic popular legend that inspired its making.
The action, while busy, never produces much excitement, particularly since Thanit never gives the audience any reason to care about the characters, beyond their underdog status.
Los Angeles Times by Kevin Thomas
The vigorous Bang Rajan moves with a sure sense of direction and authority to its major culminating battle, a singularly savage and wrenching encounter that for all its bloodshed is never exploitative and concludes the film on a resounding note of tragic grandeur.
Village Voice by Michael Atkinson
As hokey as "Braveheart" and yet much more apocalyptic, Thanit Jitnukul's muscular jungle bloodbath outdoes Hollywood's recent efforts at combat ultra-realism.
Washington Post by Michael O'Sullivan
It becomes, after a while, little more than a mind-numbing bloodbath.
Wooden, one-dimensional epic.
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