Force of Five (2009)

The people who have released Force of Five on DVD here in the UK have been very sneaky, the cover prominently featuring actor Johnny Nguyen (Warrior King) striking a heroic pose, when he is, in fact, the villain of the piece, while the carefully worded synopsis on the back is deliberately vague. Only those who study the postage stamp sized images on the reverse might realise what is afoot. Despite being from the producers of Ong Bak and Warrior King, as the cover proudly boasts, this isn't another brutal beat 'em up in the same vein: it's a bloody kids' movie!

The 'four young heroes' described in the blurb are actually pre-teens whose hobbies include Thai boxing and racing remote control cars, both of which come in very handy when the kids have to enter a hospital held by terrorists in order to find the replacement heart needed so badly by their little brother. With the ever-so-nasty baddies between them and the transplant organ, the kids have no choice but to put their skills to use, bashing the adults with fists, feet, elbows and knees while dodging bullets. It's all very silly, with Nguyen and his henchmen becoming bruised and battered despite being heavily armed and twice the size of their opponents.

The first half of the film, in which the kids practise their fighting, fall foul of bullies and an inebriated brute (quite possibly the worst example of drunken acting I have seen), and teach Muay Thai to an old man, is pretty tough going, neither exciting nor funny. The second half—the hospital based action—is better, with the tough Thai tykes pulling off some impressive moves, although, at the end of the day, it is still child's play compared to the action in Ong Bak or the Warrior King.