Bangkok Dangerous: Do You Want To See the Hits or the Man?

If Scorcese was able to take "Infernal Affairs", and make it the best picture of 2006, what prevents a Coppola produced retooling of "Bangkok Dangerous" from being worthwhile. Sure, BD is using the original directors, the Pang Brothers, who have proven that Japanese horror isn't the only Asian cinema that won't work in the States (these Chinese minds were behind "The Eye"), but this film can certainly overcome this because we have an R-Rated Nicolas Cage.

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Cage is the hero of the only good Michael Bay film, "The Rock", and if you combine him with Bruckheimer, you are guaranteed box office gold (the R-Rated Cage, not the PG-13 version). If you want to bring up "Windtalkers", I just chalk that one up to another career ruined by Scientology. John Woo has yet to recover from "MI2".

I'm not expecting "Hard-boiled", I'll settle for "Shoot 'Em Up" in Southeast Asia. The DVD menus seem to promise that at the very least. We have a versatile A-Lister and the original directors, so cultural differences shouldn't bog this flick down. Perhaps the stars have aligned for what can only be escapism with "Bangkok Dangerous".

Joe is a hitman who is losing his stomach for the profession. When the mob in Bangkok offers him four jobs in the city, he thinks this will be his out. A chance to quit living out of a suitcase, train an idealistic protege, and land him a sweet little Asian girl who can't talk back. As long as he doesn't cross the boss or break his rules, what can go wrong?

IMDB - 24 Metascore

"Bangkok Dangerous" is the third project in a row that Nicolas Cage has produced that is flawed at the very least. I would say advice him to at least start writing the films he puts him money behind to avoid this. Discount some of the films Sylvester Stallone wrote while he was the biggest draw in Hollywood, I cannot say I dislike any of his scripts before or after that era. Cage needs to show that kind of pride to avoid films that may only be written poorly.

Even in the "killer's curtain call genre," the killer wants to be liked. Not just by a love interest or reluctant ally, but by the audience. In other words, the character has to be cool instead of idealistic.

Fumbling around trying to be normal may be realistic, but if they know how to attack while being innovative, they will not impress us by their first bite of Thai food. I guess what I'm trying to say, the hitman should enjoy the conflict he is in. If they can crack wise regardless of whether they are hot or cold towards a situation, then they are Mariano Rivera. The answer is 42.

Most of the action is quick and utilizes the Pangs' talent for mise en scene. Once the conflict kicks in, then we can appreciate the killer instinct. Too bad they use François Truffaut's "400 Blows" approach without the childish antics to get there.

If you appreciate Cage, one will sit through the "Bangkok Dangerous" because it does a good job delivering the inner turmoil the writer wants you to relate to. Perhaps this is suppose to be the hitman picture to capture what one should feel being a killer for hire, but with a name that features Bang and Danger in it, this is not what one expects to see. If you liked Caster Troy, this one will not be for you.