Pok

It’s probably not the case that all Thai movies are deliriously loopy; my sample size of three is far too small. However, The Bodyguard is deliriously loopy. It’s like a goofy 80s Hong Kong cop movie, except much more so.

I wanted to see this one because it stars Petchtai Wongkamlao, aka Mum Jokmok, who was in the incredibly cool Ong Bak. Phanom Yeerum, the lead from Ong Bak, has a cameo appearance as well. Alas, his cameo is the only serious martial arts moment in the movie — the Riverdance sequence later on doesn’t really count — and The Bodyguard is emphatically more of a comedy than an action movie. Think Chris Rock, but without Jackie Chan around to provide butt-kicking.

I still kind of enjoyed it, particularly because of the romance subplot with Pumwaree Yodkamol (also in Ong Bak, and possibly the cutest tomboy beanpole on the planet) and Pipat Apiratthanakorn. Alas, the action was not crisp and the in-jokes mostly went over my head. I don’t regret seeing it but I wouldn’t recommend it.

And whoa, that’s all 14 movies. Next: the executive summary of the festival, and maybe some other bits and pieces and notes.