The Bodyguard

Well... what can I say? When I watched this movie I thought that it was a Thai action movie like "Ong Bak", "Born to fight" or "Chocolate". Instead of that, what I found was a comedy action (sometimes a very crazy comedy) so my first reaction was to wonder "what the hell is this?". But that was my mistake, don't you think so? After changing my expectations while I was watching the film, I found myself laughing sometimes (hysterically at a couple of jokes). Not bad if I think that I'm not so easy to laugh. But what I primarily liked was the relation between the young heir and the girl from the suburbs and her family and neighbors. That was a nice touch, obviously not very developed in a movie like this but anyway nice and likable. Not bad at all, yes... Sometimes it's silly but it has its moments too. My two sons liked it, probably more than me. But I didn't dislike it either, so I give it 6 out of 10.

I was lucky enough to see this movie at a film festival, and had been looking for it since. Petchtai Wongkamlao---Dirty Balls from Ong-Bak, though he was originally a stand-up comedian---is hysterical as Wongkom, and I was laughing throughout the entire film at his random antics. Most of the cast from Ong Bak was in this movie (Tony Jaa even makes a brief appearance in a supermarket), but the two have nothing else in common, despite the fact that Tony Jaa refers to Wong Kom (the bodyguard) as Humleih (Dirty Balls) only to be told "Wrong movie!" With a nod to every action movie out there, it's one of the best parodies ever, and I'd say it's one of the top Asian movies I have ever seen!

Chaotic, over-the-top, and unapologetically eccentric, The Bodyguard blends explosive action with slapstick comedy, creating a uniquely Thai take on the action-comedy genre.

The film follows Wong Kom, a stoic bodyguard whose loyalty to his employer is put to the test when a powerful tycoon is assassinated. Tasked with protecting the heir, Chaichol (Piphat Apiraktanakorn), Wong Kom is drawn into a web of crime, corruption, and bizarre encounters across Bangkok. The narrative is a vehicle for both frenetic action and outrageous comedy, often pushing tonal boundaries between parody and sincerity.

The film's strengths lie in its inventiveness and cultural flavor. Action sequences, choreographed with energy and precision, range from gunfights to martial arts showdowns, paying a playful homage to Hollywood blockbusters while maintaining a distinct Thai cinematic identity. Humor-sometimes slapstick, satirical-is layered throughout, keeping the tone unpredictable. Petchtai anchors the film with a mix of deadpan seriousness and comedic timing, while cameo appearances by Thai celebrities add to its quirky charm.

However, tonal inconsistency is its biggest weakness. The film often swings too abruptly from serious action to absurd comedy, which can be jarring for audiences unfamiliar with Thai genre-blending. Some gags feel overextended, diluting narrative momentum. Yet, its willingness to embrace excess makes it memorable, if not always refined.

Ultimately, The Bodyguard succeeds as a cult-style action-comedy: messy, entertaining, and uniquely Thai.

Rating: 7/10 - A fast-paced, eccentric blend of action and comedy that entertains with energy, even if it sacrifices polish for chaotic charm.

I only watched this because of the cast from Ong Bak was in it and to my great surprise it was one of the funniest movies I have seen. I was not expecting much because I thought it would just be plain silly and not so funny. But I was not so wrong, it was silly, but so funny that sometimes I found myself cleaning the floor when I was rolling on it. In such movies you have begin it on a high and they surely managed it with the shootout. And during the rest of the movie I never took the smile of my face. That's how comedies should be! Great job by Petchtai Wongkamlao and fantastic cameo appearance by Tony Jaa. But the best was the bald guy who ends the movie really on a high.

(2004) The Bodyguard (In Thai with English subtitles) ACTION COMEDY

Co-written, co-directed and starring Phetthai Vongkumlao as he plays the bodyguard, Wong Kom escorting his boss, Mr. Chot (Surachai Chantimatorn). And as soon as Mr. Chot exchanges business contracts, Wong Kom notices two suspicious security cameras on the ceiling and he manages to save his boss after they were firing guns towards him. It was during then several waiters were also part of the conspiracy and were pulling guns and are also trying to assassinate Mr. Chok as well. Wong Kam manages to save him up until a specific point, it is when four cars all coming at them on all four directions as both of them were attempting to run away. For some strange reason all four cars went off a ramp and crash at the same time while they were on the air, except that viewers can see no jumping ramp nowhere to be found. And from that one gun shot that it looked like was on his shoulder, Wong Kom's boss unable to make it with strong resentment from Mr Chok's adult son, Chaichol Petchpantakarn (Pipat Apiruktanakorn) and we find out he now inherits all his businesses and wealth. And at that point, I presumed he or his uncle was behind the assassinations but as it turned out, I was right about the uncle except that for the time being it's supposed to look like it was one of the board members, Songpol (Wachara Pan-Iom). To which after the father's will was read, he would then make a call to Artit (Yingyong Yodbuangarm) to capture Mr. Chok's only son, Chaiocol alive. And that does not happen until after he is being driven to an underground highway, and he is then blocked with goons going after him after executing all his bodyguards. Chaicol as a result of stumbling onto a bridge falls into one of the garbage trucks. He is then nursed back to health by the slums part of Thailand taken in by the family of Aunt Jam (Apaporn Nakornsawan) and he falls in love with the daughter who looks to be the same age as him, her name is Pok Pok (Pumwaree Yodkamol) to which none of them have no idea who he is and that he is a wealthy.

Both the action and the comedy routines are quite lame considering what viewers are offered these days. It is also another one of those movies where the makers of this movie had more fun making it than viewers had fun watching it. Throughout the entire experience, I had never laugh once for it caters to children and the action made no sense. Many of the action sequences made no sense either whereas on one scene sometime at the opening with 3 or four vehicles happen to come straight at "The Bodyguard and his boss, and their was no off ramp seen anywhere and then for some odd reason all the cars at the same time came off one crashing each other all at the same time. How is this even possible! Tony Jaa has a small appearance when goons are at the grocery store for the intention of kidnapping the teenage son, and Jaa happens to be one of the customers. That sequence alone only lasted a less than a minute.