One Night in Bangkok (2020) - USA
Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia)
We all enjoyed Mark Dacascos’s best performance in his career in “John Wick 3” and in the action revenge thriller “One Night in Bangkok” gets to play an older man out for vengeance on the back of the death of her daughter family in Bangkok. Director Wych Kaosayananda whose action packed resume included “Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever”, most often voted as the worst film of the decade, goes back to basics in keeping things simple. In doing allowing Dacascos to act in an older and wiser format, the action scenes are straightforward and not overly complicated as we see hand to hand ground fights, guns battles and bullet in the head.
Mark Dacascos is really the only reason for anyone to watch this film. His presence is enough to justify some of the more innate dialogues and moments during the numerous car conversations between Dacascos and newcomer Vanida Golten. Golten does adequately as the Uber driver who is caught right in the middle of the turmoil both literally and figuratively. The fact that Golten is probably half his age, makes the love interest portion less palpable. Despite getting front billing, stuntman Kane Kosugi gets only final minutes of screen time as the ultimate crime boss. It’s a shame that the two did not have a longer fight sequence to amaze the viewers.
All in all, “One Night in Bangkok” is an average attempt to retell a story told many times before, but coming into this film, like most people will be primarily for Mark Dacascos and it is a role that allows him to play to his strength as a tormented man, trying to avenge his daughter against the corrupted Thai system of police, the rich and gangsters. Whilst this is no “John Wick 3”, it goes to show that Dacascos is more than capable leading man and should more opportunity allows it, the better it will certainly be.
I rated it 5/10
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