Tom Yum Goong - a beautiful movie?

I don't know if it's just me, but didn't anyone notice the beauty underlying the fanciful fighting scenes and action in Tom-Yum-Goong?

WARNING! *possible spoilers ahead*

Just watched this movie yesterday with my church buddies. I say buddies cos there were like 4 guys and 1 gal. (Makes me wonder if there's something wrong in my taste buds! Haha!) The other 2 gals went to watch "Just Like Heaven"...

Anyway! Back to Tom Yum --- I say it is a movie that speaks about things greater than just the fighting or the bending of bones (which had horribly over-emphasised sound effects).

It talks about love, protection, and gives a voice to those of different languages, who have no means of expression (or justification) in a foreign land. It talks about different cultures, and how merciless humanity can be when we do not understand the culture of another person, thereby violating his or her total right and dignity as a person. I'm talking about the lead -- A man called Kham (from prev movie - Ong Bak), whose elephants were taken away from him by illegal mafia syndicates to Sydney, Australia. These 2 elephants were as close as kin and so Kham sets about trying to save them desperately. And in foreign Sydney the movie paints a sad picture of how Thais are looked down upon and associated with illegal deeds... also seen in Thai Police officer Mark whose word does not seem to bear weight compared to his Australian counterparts.

And who could miss the engaging performance of the half-man-half-woman freak -- Madame Rose. I actually like his character! Desperate for acknowledgement and power, he resorts to underhanded means to gain succession of his uncle's business to be number 1. Yet he never seems satisfied, and seems to be protecting his position out of insecurity and fear.

Well in the end, good prevails over evil. That makes a good ending for me (I absolutely love good over evil endings). And did anyone ever notice the stunning beauty in the ending, which relates us back to Kham's relationship with his elephant, "Por Yai", how he ends up in Por Yai's tusks once again in the end, like being carried in his arms.

It was a really poignant scene portraying -- love -- Did anyone notice?

Or are my emotions being overplayed? Is this just a fighting scene after all?

Not to mention, the action sequences in themselves were terrific all the same!


[Click to Read more]