Following the current trend of martial arts movies springing from Thailand (and more specifically the “lethal bitch” genre, as some promotional material has referred to it), Raging Phoenix is no exception to the rule. Geared up to practically be the squeal to the cult smash Chocolate, Raging Phoenix features Jeeja Yanin coupled again with martial arts choreographer extortionate Panna Rittikrai, who also has the much celebrated Ong Bak under his belt.
The plot is a simple Macguffin-driven story trying to pose as something more complex than it is. Yanin fills the role of the intentionally irritating Deu, a young drummer-girl with quite the taste for cheap booze. While wandering through a car-park in a drunken stupor, a group of lady-boy gangers attempt to kidnap her when she is saved by a mysterious and attractive young man known as Sanim (played by Kazu Patrick Tan).
Sanim takes on the mantle of vigilante leader, knight in shining armour and mild love interest for Deu. He takes her under his wing, and introduces her to his gang of renegade misfits. A duo of alcoholic sidekicks provide the comic relief, and the standard Asian slapstick is definitely present, including a moment where Deu gets her backside lodged in a chair and uses it as a weapon, like some kind of killer bee. As is often the case, some of the humour is lost in translation.
We then learn that Deu’s rescue was no coincidence, after Sanim reveals that his gang has been tracking the very same bad guys that tried to snatch her up. We discover that Sanim and his friends have their own reasons for seeking revenge on the would-be kidnappers, as they are all men who have had women taken from them by the very same kidnapping ring.
Having nothing to lose, the miserable Deu pleads to become a member of Sanim’s gang, and she is given the job of bait. Predictably she must first learn how to take care of herself - cue the training montage. The three friends school her in the art of drunken Mauy Thai, break-dancing and alcohol etiquette, which she picks up surprisingly fast. She must also learn the benefits of being completely inebriated, and is taken on several rights of passage, including consuming copious amounts of alcohol from brightly coloured bottles, and drinking from a bottle while lying in the sea with your hands and feet tied. As unbelievable as it is it that a spoiled brat can pick up excellent mastery of a difficult fighting style in just days, it is essential to the plot, so you just take it with a pinch of salt and go along with it regardless.
The action continues with the gang desperately trying to come face-to-face with the gang’s terrible leader, a muscle bound woman who would give Mr. Universe a run for his money. Things take a turn for the worse with a rather limp try at a plot twist, and a cobbled together revelation, which seems to be nothing more than an attempt to give the story more depth, but, ultimately, is completely unnecessary.
The last half-an-hour of the film reverts to wall-to-wall fights, which remain pretty consistently enjoyable, giving viewers exactly what they signed up for. Although towards the end it does begin to get tedious, and, considering the running time, the odd fight wouldn’t have been missed. The combat scenes aren’t the most impressive and, at times, the action is overdone. However, the pleasant innovation of drunken Muay Thai and break-dancing does make for good viewing, with the odd moment that will inspire you to jump to your feet and join in on the action. The first major fight does standout as one of the more jaw-dropping, as it features a group of men on bladed pogo-boots. The stunts are executed as flawlessly as expected considering the team on board, and certain moments during Deu’s training montage are breathtaking. Yanin once again sets herself up to be a force to be reckoned with in the martial arts genre.
The soundtrack is a mixture of guitar riffs, touching piano heartbreakers and funky hip-hop, complete with Thai rapping, which provides an eccentric accompaniment but fits the mood perfectly.
Raging Phoenix has a plot that leaves a lot to be desired, and the ending boarders on tragic, however, what it lacks in story, it just about makes up for in action. The sprinkles of romance and humour manage to salvage a lot of the enjoyment. Yanin is by far the best thing in it, and she is certainly cementing her place as the one to watch in Thai cinema. If you are looking for something non-too cerebral then leave your brain at the door and get ready to see some unadulterated Mauy Thai violence.
Fan: Oliver Askew
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