Ominous Maybe, Dangerous No

The problem with Nicolas Cage’s new film “Bangkok Dangerous” is it isn’t dangerous enough. It’s a little ominous maybe, but dangerous - never! Cage can make good movies. He has done so in the past, but this film is just bad from start to finish.

Cage plays Joe, a hit man who travels the world carrying out assignments. He is a loner who is getting tired of the game. He decides a four part killing job in Bangkok will be his last. And who among you don’t know how these “last jobs” turn out?

Joe hires a local named Kong (Shahkrit Yamnarm) to be his errand boy. He always has one in his “jobs” and usually kills them off when the job is finished so as to leave no loose threads. But in the case of Kong, he becomes attached to him and even begins training him to take over his line of work

Joe also meets a young woman who works at the local pharmacy. She is mute and for some reason Joe becomes fascinated with her. Again, violating his rule against involvement, he begins to date her. Maybe it is her innocence in contrast with his many sins that draw him to her.

The film moves to a fairly exiting climax with Joe going up against the thugs who hired him. Still by this time most members of the audience will have tuned out. Joe is not a character with whom you have any empathy. He is a killer pure and simple and he is never redeemed – at least not in any way that Cage plays him.

This is one of Cage’s worst performances in years. Watching him bring this character to life is a study in how not to act a role. He gives this man no humor, no heart, no warmth and no depth. You can’t get much worse than that.

The film itself is poorly lighted, poorly conceived, and muddled in the execution. Nothing about the man or the mission makes much sense. The audience is as unenlightened at the end of the story as it was at the beginning.

The film is rated R for profanity and violence.

This is a movie that doesn’t live up to its title. If there had been a little more danger and suspense the film might have been worth watching. But there is no tension and not much excitement here. The color seems to have been drained from the film print as well as anything special to make the movie stand out. Nicolas Cage owes his fans a better product than this.

I scored “Bangkok Dangerous” a tepid 4 out of 10.