Raging Phoenix (2009)

[thedirtytiger]

Tried to keep it spoiler free, most of what I mention you know from the trailer anyway

TITLE : JEE JA : RAGING PHOENIX

THAI TITLE : DEU SUAY DOO ( FIERCE, BEAUTIFUL, STUBBORN )

Review by James Marshall a.k.a. The Dirty Tiger

Dew ( Jee Ja ) has a miserable life. All she has are her mother, her music and her boyfriend. When she catches the cheating bastard with another girl at her gig and attacks him, she loses both her boyfriend and her band as the other members are fed up with her. She goes off and gets very drunk. Whilst walking round in a stupour, a gang with a van try to kidnap her and she is rescued by Sanim ( Kazu / Trickz ).

The gang sells girls to brothels and harvests human organs. Sanim lost his girlfriend 4 years ago to the same gang. Ever since he has fought a crusade to stop the gang and get his beloved bride Pie back. He is helped in his quest by his 3 friends – kee moo, kee ma and kee kwai ( pig shit, dog shit and bull shit ) who each lost someone dear to them to the same gang.

Since Dew has nothing else to do, she asks them to teach her their fighting style called Meiraiyuth so that she can help them in their quest. Meiraiyuth is all about getting drunk to forget the pain of your miserable life, then you become a great fighter as you can’t feel the pain of fighting too. It’s supposed to be sort of like drunken boxing ( although it doesn’t look anything like we have come to know it from H.K. films ). So Dew learns it then they all set out to bring down the evil gang.

The first half of the film is good and the dancing / fighting from the b boys is good. The third quarter of the film loses it a bit as it concentrates too much on the plot and it all gets really rather absurd. I actually got bored waiting for something interesting to happen. However, whereas Chocolate disappointed me due to its anticlimax, this one delivers with a pretty decent end fight between Dew and some bodybuilder woman.

The action in this one is probably the best that Thailand has ever produced ! I am not kidding, it is quite slick and the most intricate to date and the most impressive in some ways, though I think many fans will still prefer Ong Bak and maybe Tom Yum Goong, I still prefer Ong Bak personally in some ways. Unfortunately due to the way it was filmed with fast cut Hollywood style editing for the most part, it doesn’t look as good as it could have in the hands of more experienced people. I admit there were like 4 moments where I felt a real rush of excitement and the drama part was handled very well too. There are also a few too many wires for my liking, but the action does deliver. The plot was ok at the start until they started trying to get a bit too clever and couldn’t really decide where to go.

Another problem with this film is there was not one single gun in sight, come on guys, it’s 2009, they’re everywhere, even in Thailand. You have to justify why people don’t get shot. In the first half of the film they set up the b boy dancing and drunken stuff well, but they didn’t really capitalize on it in the second half of the film.

The real stand out for me is Trickz / Kazu who during the all too brief Meiraiyuth training sequence has some nice moves and I think given the right training could really bust a move old school style. On a personal note it was also nice to see David Bueno get a decent role as one of the main villains, we had him on Sanctuary as Russell Wong’s stunt double and he was very game, he even cut off his nice long hair for the job, in Deu Suay Doo they died his hair red ! His fight scene is quite short but it was a good job for him. Good luck in the future David 

This is a major step in the right direction for Thai action cinema, however they still have some major problems. Apart from the fact they only make about 2 action films per year right now, and the fact that there are only 4 action choreographers, and they only have 2 real action stars now. They need to find more people in all areas and make more films. They also need to learn how to use music properly in action films and start using proper sound effects, great action needs great sounds too.

They have built up a real head of steam, the eyes of the action movie world are on them waiting with baited breath to see what they will do next. Ong Bak 3 is next on the agenda from Sahamongkol and Film Frame will release Sanctuary eventually, let’s see how they go down. If they can keep going and get some more people like Panna Rittikrai who can actually direct and some decent cameramen ( for goodness sake, give Panna a chance to direct more ! ) and more talented performers and action choreographers to make them look good and up production to at least 2 a month instead of 2 a year….maybe, just maybe Thailand can become the new world force in quality action cinema Wait and see.

[bolofan]

I knew it wasn't going to be perfect. Still, I can't wait to see this. Great review!

[VenomsFan]

They need to find more people in all areas and make more films. They also need to learn how to use music properly in action films and start using proper sound effects, great action needs great sounds too.

Thanks for the review. I wonder what the crew is like for this one. Because Ong Bak 2 had those elements you said they "need" to be better. great scoring, editing and proper sound effects. They had entire teams dedicated to, for example, continuity.

I just hope Tony sticks with his formula from OB2, because as you say, the action is the best they've made so far in this one. They do seem to be improving on each film.

How would you rate it in terms of modern martial arts?

We'll just have to wait and see ourselves...

[Tosh]

I think saying Thailand only has 2 action stars is cutting some people short, Dan Chupong has proven himself for sure and there was some badass people in Bang Rajan that could easly step up given the chance.

Of course you live there so I'm sure you know better then me, it still confuses me how moo means pig:wink:

[KUNG FU BOB]

Thanks for the review. I'm anxious to see this.

[lillippa328]

speaking of Bang Rajahn, did yall like that movie???i couldnt get into it too much

anywho, looking forward to this!good review!

[AbeRudder]

I think saying Thailand only has 2 action stars is cutting some people short, Dan Chupong has proven himself for sure and there was some badass people in Bang Rajan that could easly step up given the chance.

Of course you live there so I'm sure you know better then me, it still confuses me how moo means pig:wink:

Chupong is talented but i don't think he'll make it big, he's too similar to Jaa. Anyway im looking forward to this one. Wasn't expecting much story wise, Thai action is all about the fight

[blue_skies]

great review, I look forward to seeing this.

speaking of Bang Rajahn, did yall like that movie???i couldnt get into it too much

!

Yes it was very good, felt epic but worked on a more personal emotional level too. I must rewatch Bang Rajan again.

[Grimmjow]

I think Dan Chupongs great, he is to me the Yuen Biao to Tony Jaa's Jackie Chan if that makes sense. I think given the right film he could break out very big, Born to Fight was great, Dynamite Warrior had it's moments but was a little crazy for international audiences, still haven't seen Queen of Langrisha.

Disappointed to hear there are wires in this movie as I thought Thai action movies were making a point of the whole "no wires" thing.

[HyperDrive]

Could the lack of guns be attributed to a law limiting the use of them in cinema that was passed there last year or the year before?

[ToothbrushFu]

No surprise given that they released Chocolate, but UK DVD label Cine-Asia just announced on their website that they've picked up the UK rights for Raging Phoenix and will be releasing it on DVD soon. They also picked up Power Kids.

[BLfan]

Look forward to seeing Raging Phoenix on Blu Ray. I will give power kids a miss!

[blue_skies]

no DVD date yet though. any chance it's before christmas?

[BLfan]

Looking at the cineasia website, I would assume Beast Stalker will be released after Ip Man and then Shinjuku Incident, Power Kids and then Raging Phoenix. So in my opinion a release before Christmas is unlikely but I hope I am wrong.

[ToothbrushFu]

According to ethaicd the Thai DVD of Raging Phoenix comes out today. No subs of course.

[kingofkungfu2002]

Thanks for the heads up..Just ordered it

[udar55]

I watched the end fight from this on Youtube. A bit disappointed to see so much wirework going on. I mean, they really try some goofy shit that looks totally fake. Still, there are some pretty badass moves pulled off here and there.

[shapes]

watched this last week, some really good bits in it, The B Boy fights were the best, the training was cool too, but there's a lot of tedum aswell, the girl lacks power

[D1 Ma]

Well, watched the Thai DVD without subs.

Man, what a piece of crap! I consider myself a hardcore GWG fan, but I couldn't wait for this to end!

There were some really cool moves, (can't argue about that), but for the most part it's an overcomplicated, way too fancy, flashy, unrealistic dance moves, heavily wire-assisted. It looked like there weren't any real fights, just ridiculous dance sequences of people just exchanging fancy blows. "I'm gonna hit you, spinning on my head! - "And I will fly into the air, do some flips and land on your head!" . Like a wuxia film on acid. Capoeira fans may like it, though.

It's like if Panna was trying to invent the most ridiculous, unrealistic, not really practical ways to hit a person. And it turned out slow, not intense, boring and stupid...Which is strange - Tony Jaa does very similar stuff sometimes, but it looks great and exciting..

Bad direction, too. I was thinking that Tony Jaa is a pretty decent director comparing to this hack.

The very last fight between Jeeja and the other girl was OK, but still, too many wires, which ruined the whole thing.

Not even close to Chocolate.

[David Rees]

Have to agree with the above, very strange film, some good moves but far too unrealistic and you didnt care about the charactors so that made it a slog to get through, i think Thailand needs some good scriptwriters to go along with the (sometimes) amazing choreography.

www.dvdasia.co.uk

[BaronK]

I still don't get it when people use the word realistic. What's realistic about most of what you like? Name a flick, post a youtube link. I bet the house it's not realistic. Was FoL realistic?

Power. I see this word used a lot by those that were probably introduced to HK/Taiwan through the kickboxing/stunt era. Those that go back before that time, can distinguish the setting that they are viewing and appropriately set their mindset. Everything isn't about power, or the illusion of it.

Panna and his crew came up with some of the most inventive and creative chor. ever put on film. It's not about practicality or realism. You can see that right off the bat. It's about creativity. This is more like a kung fu movie than anything else. Most of the action has no wires what so ever but I keep reading peolple talking about wires. There might have been 1 or 2 wire shots in the 1st 5 fights.

Most of the kickboxing/stunt babies like the simple. Kicks, punches and falls. They like smashing and "power". They tend not to like the creative, limitless type action that we other babies enjoy. Some of us can enjoy it all, however it is presented(guns, weapons, stylish, stunts, punches and kicks, kickboxing, wu xia) and it's setting. Others just want burgers and fries all the time.

It's the same with Jaa and OB2. The smash 'em fans only want action just like OB. OB2 was very creative and martial. Styles, counters, weapons, long takes. The smash 'em fans don't like that. Kick 'em, knee 'em, mash 'em is what they want. They call it realistic. Outside that box and it's a no-no.

[mist_sahara]

I still don't get it when people use the word realistic. What's realistic about most of what you like? Name a flick, post a youtube link. I bet the house it's not realistic. Was FoL realistic?

Power. I see this word used a lot by those that were probably introduced to HK/Taiwan through the kickboxing/stunt era. Those that go back before that time, can distinguish the setting that they are viewing and appropriately set their mindset. Everything isn't about power, or the illusion of it.

Panna and his crew came up with some of the most inventive and creative chor. ever put on film. It's not about practicality or realism. You can see that right off the bat. It's about creativity. This is more like a kung fu movie than anything else. Most of the action has no wires what so ever but I keep reading peolple talking about wires. There might have been 1 or 2 wire shots in the 1st 5 fights.

Most of the kickboxing/stunt babies like the simple. Kicks, punches and falls. They like smashing and "power". They rend not to like the creative, limitless type action that we other babies enjoy. Some of us can enjoy it all, however it is presented(guns, weapons, stylish, stunts, punches and kicks, kickboxing, wu xia) and it's setting. Others just want burgers and fries all the time.

It's the same with Jaa and OB2. The smash 'em fans only want action just like OB. OB2 was very creative and martial. Styles, counters, weapons, long takes. The smash 'em fans don't like that. Kick 'em, knee 'em, mash 'em is what they want. They call it realistic. Outside that box and it's a no-no.

I agree with you as well. I understand that everyone has their own opinions and preference and that in they end there will be people who like it or don't like it, but there's still no denying the creativity and "stylishness" of the fight scenes.

I feel the same way in that I appreciate the choreography in films like Raging Phoenix similar to the way I appreciate intricate and stylish choreography to a dance routine.

Looking even beyond this and focusing on Jeeja Yanin, it's hard not to appreciate Jeeja's overall combination of work ethic, skill, and willingness to do her own stunts. How many women out there in professional film have ever been this good on screen with that same package?

[David Rees]

Yes the choreography was creative but in the end it was more like a dance show than a fight scene, clever yes i agree but it took you out of the film, the story and direction should be just as important as the fights.

Dont get me wrong, its worth a watch and i think Jeeja has potential, but she showed a lot more of it in Chocolate than this film. I think Thailand action films need to move on, after watching Power Kids then this i think its stuck in a rut.

[daisho2004]

WOW from what everyone is saying they really Bombed with this movie! I'm still going to check it out, but so far a lot of Negative feedback for it!

[KUNG FU BOB]

Like you Daisho, I'm still looking forward to the film. But thanks to everyone here commenting, I know what to expect. I'll give my two cents- for what's it worth- after I check it out myself.