13: Game of Death – 2008
In 13: Game of Death, when things can’t possibly get worse for Pusit—he loses his job, is drowning in debt, and misery seems to follow his every step—he finally gets a chance for a turnaround. Someone calls his cell phone and offers him the opportunity to win an obscene amount of money. All he has to do is complete thirteen challenges, and he’ll become enormously wealthy. The rules of the game are strict, though. if he fails a single task, he loses everything he’s earned so far. If he reveals the game to anyone, the same thing happens. He can always choose to quit voluntarily. The first tasks turn out to be relatively easy, but they become increasingly grueling and challenging, both physically and mentally, the closer he gets to the end.
Thriller or Horror?
13: Dame of Death, is probably intended as some kind of thriller or horror film, as it is rather gruesome, but I interpret it as a very dark comedy where you can laugh at all the misery instead. Some of the challenges are portrayed in such a way that they’re almost comedic. But not because they’re easier to complete than anything else, but because the cynicism is so pronounced that you can’t take it any other way. Add in some cliché humor, and the picture is complete.
The story is both original and not. Somewhere in the background of 13: Game of Death, lies inspiration from the world of reality TV and humiliation-based entertainment. but it also incorporates elements of the snuff film myth in a way. A select few people pay to watch the protagonist agonize over the decisions he’s forced to make, decisions that sometimes mean people die.
Thai
The fact that the film is Thai might make it harder for some people to embrace. Partly because the language is far more foreign than English in our Western society. But also because there are cultural differences—both cinematic and more general—that aren’t always easy to grasp. The ingrained respect for elders or explicit politeness towards superior managers, for example, are just a couple of things that might stand out. We don’t really pay that amount of attention to that in our Western society.
Even though I enjoyed this, it doesn’t mean the film is flawless. Towards the end, for instance, there are some relatively clumsy references to Bond villainy. I don’t think it fits the story at all. There are also attempts to shoehorn in a moralizing subplot. You don’t necessarily have to agree with it, but it still becomes a bit annoying. What works well though, is that the film leaves you with something to think about after it ends. Not everything is obvious. Who the key players in the plot really are And how long the game has been going on. And also whether there’s some underlying motive beyond making an obscene amount of money from the spectacle. Global domination would certainly align with the Bond references…
Watch it!
