13: Game of Death (2006)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Better Late Then Never

Absolutely brilliant

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

If you were to put Speed and the Saw series into a blender, strain out the guns, explosions, and most of the gore, then add a dollop of Stephen Chow and garnish it with lemongrass, you might just get 13: Game of Death.13 is a lot of things: wacky, sadistic, chaotic, frantic, absurd, and a lot of fun.I have never watched a movie this versatile. It changes gears so quickly and frequently, covering dozens of bases: horror, thriller, comedy, drama, action, mystery, slapstick, satire, and everything in between.While this makes it sound like a mess, it's far from it. The screenplay is brilliant, the directing is sharp, and though nothing is gradual and the story is herky-jerky, everything is paced perfectly. Of course, the film mostly operates in the realms of horror and extreme dark comedy. I'm not talking the usual blend of sight gags and one liners piled into zombie movies. It's very similar to the American film Chop in how it juggles the 2; the main character is drawn into a sick, goofy situation, the absurdity and despair of which are used for an almost Marxian comic effect. But where Chop is more gruesome and confined, this movie is more story-based and wide open, which it uses to a greater advantage.In addition to transnavigating types of fiction, it also tiptoes around all the landmines that destroy horror films: from the protagonist's method of coming to terms with what he's involved in, to the final piece of the puzzle being revealed.13 is able to do this because it is constantly self aware and it demonstrates that gracefully. It knows when to be serious and when to crack a joke. More importantly, it knows how to do either. It also benefits from an excellent script, with an ending that's impossible to predict and even somewhat poignant (a tall task for horror).I can't say enough good things about this movie, and there are no weak points other than a fairly poor CGI scene which can be forgiven. If you like off-the-wall movies and don't watch horror with strict expectations, this is the first thing I'd recommend to you.

This movie has a very good idea. A normal man who is desperately in need of money is given a chance to earn a huge amount if he goes through a series of increasingly difficult challenges. But the movie is let down by inconsistencies and plot holes and bad execution.Inconsistencies are everywhere.The main protagonist is given the task to make three kids cry. He does so by taking a toy from a child. There are two female teachers present there. On witnessing the incident, they chase after him and then tell a guard to chase after him. Then they go to a police station to file a complaint and behave in a hysterical way. They demand a gun so that they can shoot the guy. Seriously ! all because the guy took a toy from a kid. The madness doesn't ends here. Apparently the Thai police think that since the guy has punched a colleague after he was fired and then beat up a beggar, he is some sort of huge threat. So they announce it on T.V. Wow, if that is realistic, then Thailand must have no crime to warrant a reaction like this.As I wrote earlier it has a good idea but the execution makes the whole thing unbelievable and contrived. You are acutely aware that you are watching a movie. And some minor actors do a bad job which doesn't help matters either.

To be honest I think that this is easily one of the worst movies I have ever seen, one of those movies I just can't stand, and I just can't get over it that it's actually gotten some awards. Problem is simply that I just do not like a plot of this movie at all. It's just might be partially because this happens to be a movie with Horrible a bit game show/reality show alike "there's a game, where you can win money doing something stupid or disgusting" type of a idiotic plot which I find really boring and frustrating. But even so this type of plot itself is not enough to make movie almost completely unwatchable for me if movie can somehow make itself interesting enough. So yes, I also found movie otherwise completely uninteresting and so complete waste of my time.Obviously I completely hated this movie. But, to be fair plenty of people have liked it, so since plot doesn't seem to be problem for other people and actually besides the horrible plot movie was well made, and acting work, directing etc. was not really bad at all I won't give this movie ultimate judgement in form of 1/10 review despite my hate towards it...

Dark, often somber(..while also being quite outrageous and comic)psychological parable of what man, in a state of unrest and distress, would do to become rich. Chit's(Krissada Terrence)life is in a state of turmoil. He has been fired from his musical instrument salesman job, lost his girlfriend to rock stardom, and is tormented by a past with a horrible, abusive father. Holding unpaid bills in his hand and seeing his car towed away, Chit is faced with quite a crisis. A call from an unknown source proclaiming to be a reality show game offers Chit a chance to make millions if he agrees to participate in a series of challenges, phoned to him by the network behind the reality show. Each obstacle becomes increasingly more hostile and amoral, as Chit's actions make him a wanted man, his face on the news and the police looking for his whereabouts. Eventually, Chit will have to make a harrowing decision if he wishes to win the big bucks. Either decision will change Chit's life forever.While a bit far-fetched, Chukiat Sakveerakul's tale of desperation exploring the boundaries we are willing to go to achieve fortune sure grips hold thanks to fascinating subject matter. I doubt that Chit could've made it as far as he did, because the screenplay(..how this game show's network is able to always have everything in place by the time their contestant gets there without fail)depends a hell of a lot on coincidence. And, one wonders if anyone(..of course a few numskulls would in this day and age of greed and corruption), let alone poor sap Chit, would continue down such a dark path. This film is a lot like SAW in that a character runs through a series of obstacles where his decisions have great repercussions and everything that occurs from the moment he starts is based on being at the right place at exactly the right time. This is above all things a movie and obviously Chit will make it through every single scenario regardless of how unbelievable they are(..like his unlikely escape from a police force after him in a hospital). Sakveerakul and company ask for a leap of faith...are you willing to take it? The same question would be asked to those who watch SAW and it's endless supply of sequels. "13:Game of Death" has a voice, though, and isn't just an elaborate puzzlebox with endless death traps and gory murders. It has something to say and, despite a series of violent actions and aftermath of the game Chit's playing(..what a clothing line does to traveling motorcyclists and the vicious attack on ex-girlfriend's abusive beau with a steel chair), this film isn't really gory. I'm not sure why it's part of the Dimension Extreme label. There's some blood, and the allegory on display is a wicked one with an ending that will depress the hell out of you, but "13:Game of Death" isn't *that* extreme. The most warped sequence would have to be when Chit must go into a well, emerging from it with the corpse of the elderly cripple inside it while calling his uncaring relatives after he reaches the top! The film is clever, paced extremely well, with stunning camera-work, well acted, and exhausting. But, boy, does our hero get run through the ringer.