Bangkok Dangerous (2008 film)

Bangkok Dangerous is a 2008 crime film written and directed by the Pang Brothers and starring Nicolas Cage. It is a remake of the Pangs' 1999 debut film of the same name, a Thai film for which Cage's production company, Saturn Films, purchased the remake rights.[2] Known by its working title, Big Hit in Bangkok,[3] and also as Time to Kill, it began filming in Bangkok in August 2006, with locations that include Soi Cowboy.[4][5]
The film was financed by Initial Entertainment Group, with Lionsgate acquiring its North America distribution rights.[6]


Plot
Hitman Joe (Nicolas Cage) goes to Bangkok for a month-long assignment, to kill four people for Bangkok ganglord Surat.
He hires pickpocket Kong (Shahkrit Yamnarm) as his go-between, a condition of the contract being that the gang will never meet Joe. Contracts from the Bangkok gangsters go through Kong via a nightclub dancer, who becomes romantically involved with Kong.
Joe's first execution is done in traffic with him riding a bike and stopping in front of the car. He then shoots the target and everyone in the car with an machine pistol. His second target is a hotel owner. Joe sneaks into the penthouse and kills the target by drowning him in the pool.
Originally he plans to kill Kong before he leaves but after Kong gives him information about the second target he begins to train Kong. For the third execution Kong assists Joe, the kill does not go as planned, with the target nearly getting away before Joe catches him and shoots him after a chase in front of many shocked onlookers. Before the third kill the gang attempt to identify Joe, he warns them off.
His fourth target is the Prime Minister of Thailand. Joe is about to make the kill when he has second thoughts, is spotted, and escapes through a panicking crowd. Joe is now a target and is attacked at his house by four gang members. He manages to use explosives to take them out and is faced with the choice of rescuing Kong or leaving the country unharmed. Joe decides to rescue Kong, so he sets off to the gang's headquarters with one of the half-alive attackers who was injured in the explosion at Joe's safe house.
Joe goes to the gang's headquarters, kills most of the gang and saves Kong and the dancer. The fearful gang leader flees to his car with three other accomplices. Joe spots him and shoots the gang members at the front of the car dead. After one of the gang in back of the car attempts to run to safety, Joe kills him. Joe gets into the back seat with Surat, the gang leader.
As the police arrive at the location, Joe is again in a difficult situation; he decides to use what is believed to be his last remaining bullet to kill himself by putting both his and Surat's heads together. Joe then puts the gun up to his temple and pulls the trigger, killing himself and Surat.

[edit] Production
The original film's main character is a deaf-mute hitman whose disability makes him a fearless, unflinching gunman. That character has been changed in the remake.
"We'd like to keep him the same, but we understand that from a marketing point of view Nic needs to have some lines," Oxide was quoted as saying in the International Herald Tribune. "So what we’re going to do is transform his girlfriend instead into a deaf-mute. This switch will maintain the drama of communication between the two main characters."[7]


Bangkok Dangerous

Directed by
The Pang Brothers
Produced by
Norman GolightlyGraham KingWilliam SherakJason Shuman
Written by
The Pang BrothersJason Richman
Narrated by
Nicolas Cage
Starring
Nicolas CageCharlie YeungChakrit Yamnam
Music by
Brian Tyler
Cinematography
Decha Srimantra
Editing by
Micheal JacksonCurran Pang
Distributed by
Initial Entertainment Group(all countries except North America)Lionsgate (North America)
Release date(s)
September 5, 2008[1]
Running time
100 min.