Dark, often somber(..while also being quite outrageous and comic)psychological parable of what man, in a state of unrest and distress, would do to become rich. Chit's(Krissada Terrence)life is in a state of turmoil. He has been fired from his musical instrument salesman job, lost his girlfriend to rock stardom, and is tormented by a past with a horrible, abusive father. Holding unpaid bills in his hand and seeing his car towed away, Chit is faced with quite a crisis. A call from an unknown source proclaiming to be a reality show game offers Chit a chance to make millions if he agrees to participate in a series of challenges, phoned to him by the network behind the reality show. Each obstacle becomes increasingly more hostile and amoral, as Chit's actions make him a wanted man, his face on the news and the police looking for his whereabouts. Eventually, Chit will have to make a harrowing decision if he wishes to win the big bucks. Either decision will change Chit's life forever.
While a bit far-fetched, Chukiat Sakveerakul's tale of desperation exploring the boundaries we are willing to go to achieve fortune sure grips hold thanks to fascinating subject matter. I doubt that Chit could've made it as far as he did, because the screenplay(..how this game show's network is able to always have everything in place by the time their contestant gets there without fail)depends a hell of a lot on coincidence. And, one wonders if anyone(..of course a few numskulls would in this day and age of greed and corruption), let alone poor sap Chit, would continue down such a dark path. This film is a lot like SAW in that a character runs through a series of obstacles where his decisions have great repercussions and everything that occurs from the moment he starts is based on being at the right place at exactly the right time. This is above all things a movie and obviously Chit will make it through every single scenario regardless of how unbelievable they are(..like his unlikely escape from a police force after him in a hospital). Sakveerakul and company ask for a leap of faith...are you willing to take it? The same question would be asked to those who watch SAW and it's endless supply of sequels. "13:Game of Death" has a voice, though, and isn't just an elaborate puzzlebox with endless death traps and gory murders. It has something to say and, despite a series of violent actions and aftermath of the game Chit's playing(..what a clothing line does to traveling motorcyclists and the vicious attack on ex-girlfriend's abusive beau with a steel chair), this film isn't really gory. I'm not sure why it's part of the Dimension Extreme label. There's some blood, and the allegory on display is a wicked one with an ending that will depress the hell out of you, but "13:Game of Death" isn't *that* extreme. The most warped sequence would have to be when Chit must go into a well, emerging from it with the corpse of the elderly cripple inside it while calling his uncaring relatives after he reaches the top! The film is clever, paced extremely well, with stunning camera-work, well acted, and exhausting. But, boy, does our hero get run through the ringer.
While a bit far-fetched, Chukiat Sakveerakul's tale of desperation exploring the boundaries we are willing to go to achieve fortune sure grips hold thanks to fascinating subject matter. I doubt that Chit could've made it as far as he did, because the screenplay(..how this game show's network is able to always have everything in place by the time their contestant gets there without fail)depends a hell of a lot on coincidence. And, one wonders if anyone(..of course a few numskulls would in this day and age of greed and corruption), let alone poor sap Chit, would continue down such a dark path. This film is a lot like SAW in that a character runs through a series of obstacles where his decisions have great repercussions and everything that occurs from the moment he starts is based on being at the right place at exactly the right time. This is above all things a movie and obviously Chit will make it through every single scenario regardless of how unbelievable they are(..like his unlikely escape from a police force after him in a hospital). Sakveerakul and company ask for a leap of faith...are you willing to take it? The same question would be asked to those who watch SAW and it's endless supply of sequels. "13:Game of Death" has a voice, though, and isn't just an elaborate puzzlebox with endless death traps and gory murders. It has something to say and, despite a series of violent actions and aftermath of the game Chit's playing(..what a clothing line does to traveling motorcyclists and the vicious attack on ex-girlfriend's abusive beau with a steel chair), this film isn't really gory. I'm not sure why it's part of the Dimension Extreme label. There's some blood, and the allegory on display is a wicked one with an ending that will depress the hell out of you, but "13:Game of Death" isn't *that* extreme. The most warped sequence would have to be when Chit must go into a well, emerging from it with the corpse of the elderly cripple inside it while calling his uncaring relatives after he reaches the top! The film is clever, paced extremely well, with stunning camera-work, well acted, and exhausting. But, boy, does our hero get run through the ringer.