Directed by
Chalerm Wongpim
100 minutes
Rated MA
Reviewed by
David Michael Brown
Dynamite Warrior
Synopsis: Zieng (Dan Chupong,) or The Rocket Thief to his enemies, is out for blood. He wants a mysterious tattooed man dead and will stop at nothing to see his head roll in revenge for his parent’s murder. He walks the earth hunting his prey and is led to an evil warlock whom he must battle to discover the truth about his parental loss.For many a year action fans have been looking to Asia for something new and different. Schwarzenegger and Stallone may have had the bigger guns but the films of Hong Kong and Japan have given us a non-stop diet of martial arts, insane wire-work and heroic bloodshed. There has, in fact, been such a barrage of product from the two nations that many of the films have descended into cliché. This is where Ong Bak (2003) comes in. The film single-handedly introduced a new legion of action fans to the joys of Thai action films. The makers of that film went on to bring us Born To Fight and now we have the fabulous Dynamite Warrior to thank them for.
The sedate opening montage of sepia photos and paintings gives the film a historical perspective but it’s not long before madness kicks in with the first rocket-fueled assault. Before you know it, tattooed giants, midgets and a myriad of world-worn faces are battling out in some brutal and blood-thirsty fight scenes. Although the film does bear some comparison with the martial arts films of Hong Kong there seems to be little use for wire work in Thailand, except for the obvious exception of The Rocket Thief himself. These enthusiastic actors look like they perform all of their own death-defying stunts. The films conclusion has to be seen to be believed as bodies fly everywhere in a cacophony of explosive action.
What’s equally as refreshing is the look and feel of the film. While the storyline is pretty slim and fairly standard for your average kung fu film; the actors, the humour and the style are obviously from a different land and it’s wonderful to see. The fighting style is refreshingly new. The first battle in particular includes the most damage caused by a knee ever laid down on celluloid. Dan Chupong is a name to watch out for his charismatic swagger and incredible skills. These, combined with the fight choreography by Panna Rittikrai make Dynamite Warriors an explosive piece of entertainment for even the most jaded of martial arts fans.
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