This has been the first Thai production I've ever had the pleasure of watching, and I'm still somewhat in awe. I usually have a difficult time connecting to foreign films, which is a serious problem for a Horror fan (as some of the best horror films come from Japan, and some of the sickest from France). For instance, during the film I found myself laughing embarrassingly from time to time because of the way the Thai women sounded when they spoke. However, much to my surprise, 13 Game of Death turned out to be a real hidden treasure, a diamond in the rough.
As an audience, I found myself rooting for the hero from the start. Poor working-class fella, trying his best to make a living while financially supporting his mother and sister, had just been dumped by his successful singer of a girlfriend, and lost his job. Some fine script-writing and editing made sure his despair and anguish were visible and relatable. Then - a mysterious phone call changes everything.
What I found the most impressive about the story was the variety of the missions the hero was given. They were spread all around the ethic spectrum, and challenged different parts of his humanity each time. Yet, regardless to the morality (or lack thereof) of the missions, I found myself completely supporting the poor hero, hoping he'd succeed, and excited whenever he did, as if it were my bank account growing with each mission.
The ending was a little disappointing, a little depressing, and a little anti-climatic in my opinion, but I only say this because I couldn't help comparing this movie to the Saw series, which in my book was the best horror anthology ever.
All in all, this film had been a perfectly balanced combination of Saw, Eagle Eye and Fear Factor, and was one of the best thrillers I've ever seen. Very highly recommended!!!
