I have seen many Thai movies in my time, and nothing comes close to the sheer brilliance and tear moving humanity of Ai Fak. This movie is nothing less than a masterpiece of world cinema which, most unfairly, never really made it to the wider world stage.
Its message is simple: those whose fate lies with the whims of the crowd, better watch out! Ai Fak (The Judgement) is one of the most powerfully touching movies, which far transcends its humble origins as a locally produced Thai movie, screened in a few local cinemas for barely a few months, and then later released to select Thai DVD stores - without even English subtitles! Frankly, I'm not sure what was more of a tragedy the brilliantly moving tale contained in this movie, or the fact that its distributors couldn't see that the world is crying out for a movie like this. Apart from the odd screening at select international film festivals, the movie was never widely marketed outside of Thailand. But why!? It beggars belief that a movie so brilliant as this has been so half-heartedly marketed! Any thinking person who has watched this movie couldn't but agree on this: Ai-Fak's film-makers have greatly erred in releasing such a masterpiece locally while ignoring the fact that this movie had such fantastic international potential.
I was lucky enough to watch this in a Bangkok cinema where English subtitles were displayed during its screening. Few worldwide (never mind just 'Thai') movies come anywhere near the standard of this aphoristic tale of the cruel ignorance of the mob (being the village at large in a rural Thai setting). Meanwhile, our hapless protagonists engender our increasingly hopeless support as they might one day face their judgement from the ignorant masses of all too common fools and narrow minded idiots...
This movie, unlike most Thai movies, will make you stop and think about just what it means to know that the crowd will change all our lives, wherever we may live, even if it is owing to the sheer numbers of ignorantly cast votes at the ballot box. You will remember Ai-Fak's message for the rest of your life. I can say no more but implore you to watch it and share in its brilliance. 10/10 (& trust me, a "10" from me is about as rare as this movie is brilliant!)
Its message is simple: those whose fate lies with the whims of the crowd, better watch out! Ai Fak (The Judgement) is one of the most powerfully touching movies, which far transcends its humble origins as a locally produced Thai movie, screened in a few local cinemas for barely a few months, and then later released to select Thai DVD stores - without even English subtitles! Frankly, I'm not sure what was more of a tragedy the brilliantly moving tale contained in this movie, or the fact that its distributors couldn't see that the world is crying out for a movie like this. Apart from the odd screening at select international film festivals, the movie was never widely marketed outside of Thailand. But why!? It beggars belief that a movie so brilliant as this has been so half-heartedly marketed! Any thinking person who has watched this movie couldn't but agree on this: Ai-Fak's film-makers have greatly erred in releasing such a masterpiece locally while ignoring the fact that this movie had such fantastic international potential.
I was lucky enough to watch this in a Bangkok cinema where English subtitles were displayed during its screening. Few worldwide (never mind just 'Thai') movies come anywhere near the standard of this aphoristic tale of the cruel ignorance of the mob (being the village at large in a rural Thai setting). Meanwhile, our hapless protagonists engender our increasingly hopeless support as they might one day face their judgement from the ignorant masses of all too common fools and narrow minded idiots...
This movie, unlike most Thai movies, will make you stop and think about just what it means to know that the crowd will change all our lives, wherever we may live, even if it is owing to the sheer numbers of ignorantly cast votes at the ballot box. You will remember Ai-Fak's message for the rest of your life. I can say no more but implore you to watch it and share in its brilliance. 10/10 (& trust me, a "10" from me is about as rare as this movie is brilliant!)