A Prayer Before Dawn

The fact that this is a true story just gives me the shivers! Well played by Joe Cole, the directing and casting, top notch. I actually thought they were real prisoners until I found out that they all were ex-cons. The acting was that good. One of the few movies I didn't want to end! Very very good stuff.

Really intense prison-/boxing-/survival-drama. Its shocking, uncomfortable and harsh. Fortunately I have never been to a Prison like that but It felt so real. Where did they find all these tattooed thugs? The characters are all believable and the cinematography is original. You can see an impressive "oner" during the first fight in the ring. There is very little dialog and the subtitles for are absent for most of the time. I suspect this is done on purpose to make us feel like the protagonist Billy Moore. The sound design is great! The panting is loud during some of the scenes and the clashing, sweaty bodies in the fights sound just fantastic! The only complaint that I have is that it felt a bit long because it got a little repetitive, especially during the training sessions.

Not a quite enjoyable movie, but a good one, not a fighting movie either, but a good view on the atmosphere in an asian prison. Unfortunately the fight choregraphics are quite bad, but the surrounding, acting and mood is excellent.

The story tells about Billy Moore, who is detained for property of drugs in a notorious jail of Thailand. He has to struggle with the dialy impassable conditions of that jail. The rawness and dirty atmosphere of this movies seems so real. So it's easy to suffer with the main character. There are special rules that are hard to keep. So it's hard to see how Billy struggles with his fate. The more to be enlighted with the course of the story. Billy keeps on surviving. ...

I would recommend that movie on open minded people who want to look outside the box to get a new view about other parts of the world. We are used to have good conditions around, but a few people in the rest of the world. Have to manager very more difficult situations, that any of us would bear.

This is not your typical Hollywood production, but wow was it produced really well.

The score was perfect. The setting outstanding. The cinematography on point. The acting by all cast - even extras (mostly ex-convicts) was very convincing and intense, and Joe Cole nailed his role. The directing was fairly decent although the last fight scene was just too many close ups.

My main beef is the writing - either bad editing or cutting by the director. There were too many scenes that were missing info, such as what did the letters from his dad say? Why even have that in the film if it wont be elaborated. My other beef is the lack of subtitles where subtitles were needed (90% of the film). I'm not sure if it was my copy missing all the important dialogue subtitled, or the actual film, but I was left unsatisfied not knowing what everyone was saying, or at least many important scenes.

Nevertheless, a really intense film based on a true story, filmed really well overall. A great watch, especially if you're into the martial arts and Muay Thai. A well deserved 8/10 from me.