Jija Raging Phonix Thailand Movie 2009
Cast And Crew
Country: Thailand
Production Company: Sahamongkol Film International Co. Ltd./ Baa-Ram-Ewe
Genre: Action/ Romance
Director: Rashane Limtrakul
Starring: Yanin Vismitananda, Kazu Patrick Tang,
Boonprasert Salangam, Nui Sandang, Rungtawan Jindasingh
Length: 90 mins
Date of release: 12th August, 2009
Reviews
Deu (Yanin Vismitananda) is a heart-broken drummer who is unlucky in love as her boyfriend leaves her with another girl. To cool herself she finds comfort with liquor but later got kidnapped. One mysterious man, Sanim (Kazu Patrick Tang) saved her life and soon she is learning the martials arts from him.
Accompanied by Kee Brothers she started mastering martial arts combined with the art of drinking. Soon Deu realizes the Brothers’ girlfriends have been kidnapped and they have nowhere to turn for help but Deu. Meanwhile, Sanim also gives martial arts training to Deu in an abandoned beach resort. Deu feels that she has feeling for him, but Sanim has other woman in his mind.
The Brothers then reveal the reason why their girlfriends’ are kidnapped to Deu. After an intensive training Deu is ready to face the kidnappers’ leader, Jaguar (Rungtawan Jindasingh). She finds a warehouse where the girlfriends are kept and Jaguar is no ordinary fighter. She is so powerful that Deu decides to team up with Sanim to face her. Can Jaguar be defeated and the Brothers’ girlfriends released in the end?
Since the advent of Tony Jaa’s Ong Bak, the Thai film industry has seen its action films flourish with new energy. Yanin “Jija” Wismistananda’s new film, Jija Deu Suay Du (Raging Phoenix) continues this tradition by delivering a unique martial arts film, and adding to the growing body of Thai action cinema.
Heir to Hong Kong Cinema
Raging Phoenix possesses stunning martial arts choreography while following the conventions of the kung fu genre. The film opens with several women being abducted and Jija’s character, Deu, being left by her mother, abandoned by her band, and longing to join her dead father. Deu, depressed and drunk, is rescued by Kazu Patrick Tang’s character, Sanim, during a botched attempt to kidnap Deu. Sanim fights off the gang would-be kidnappers in an acrobatic sequence filled with attackers on pogo-shoes.
Waking up in an abandoned factory Deu, encounters Sanim and his gang of merry do-gooders who practice a form of drunken Thai break-dancing martial arts that they dub Meyraiyuth. Sanim and his friends, having had loved ones abducted, have joined together to break the gang of kidnappers. They teach Deu their martial style, putting her through her paces in the traditional martial arts movie training montage. She learns well, and combining dance with Thai martial arts is visually exciting as Deu engages in several fight sequences on her own.
Thai cinema is often known for its genre mixing as seen in its horror films filled with slapstick comedy. Raging Phoenix takes a turn for the surreal as the reasons for the abductions come to light. The final sequences leave out much of the supporting cast of Thai B-boy martial artists, which is disappointing considering their talent. Sanim and Deu combine their efforts to fight a female body-builder on a series of suspension bridges over a chasm. The choreography is well-paced and the climatic action sequence is strong as well.
The film feels long at times and while the action sequences are great, the gap in time between them can leave the viewer anxious. While the actors are all individually quite charismatic, the on screen chemistry between the two leads is lacking. This is fine as the plot develops and the choreography between the two is dynamic while fighting as a team in the end. The film is energetic, fun to watch, and will not disappoint fans of martial arts films.
Raging Phoenix, the new film with Jeeja Yanin (star of Chocolate), was finally revealed. You can see the poster below, and if it is any indication, it looks like it is becoming quite a unique movie, blending martial arts together with Hip Hop dancing. Twitch reports that Sahamongkol is clearly trying to go new ways with the fight choreography for Jeeja. Todd from Twitch has apparently seen some footage of Raging Phoenix already, although no trailer is available currently. Wise Kwai's thoughts about the movie poster seem to be similar, saying "...all I can think is this movie is going to be weird -- a heavily stylized head trip". Raging Phoenix was directed by Rashane Limtrakul who was also responsible for a segment in the 2008 movie 4 Romances.
One complaint from my side: Why do Thai production companies have to change the names all the time. I have to totally agree with Wise Kwai on this. It is difficult enough to keep track 5 different English titles for the same movies, now they are starting to change the names of their main stars. On the poster, "Jeeja" is written "Jija". Right now I cannot think of anything more unnecessary than this.
Raging Phoenix is the comeback of Jija Yanin, the female action icon, that combines new stunning martial art styles and love story to be the ultimate action-romance film. Focused specifically to Jija's skills and personality, Raging Phoenix fuses her martial arts skills with hip hop dancing and other elements. The film also introduces a newcomer, Kazu Patrick Tang who teams up with Jija on the big screen.
There's an odor to Jija Deu Suay Du. An aroma. Not a stink or a stench. But a fragrance if you will.
It's the smell of an impatient audience, waiting for something cool to happen.
The sophomore feature starring Jija Yanin promised a more dynamic role for the young female martial artist who vaulted to international recognition as an autistic debt collector in last year's Chocolate by Ong-Bak director Prachya Pinkaew.
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