Fans of old-fashioned epics featuring casts of thousands and sumptuous production values will enjoy this two-part mega-film from Thai director Chatrichalerm Yukol—a somewhat idealized version of the life of King Naresuan, who liberated the Siamese people from Burmese occupation in the 16th century. Part one focuses on Naresuan's youth, when he was taken hostage by the Burmese monarchy and trained as a Buddhist monk. Part two picks up the story in Naresuan's young adulthood, when his genius for military strategy serves to rally the Siamese to fight for their freedom against their Burmese overlords. The second part is superior, with stunning battle sequences involving horsemen, archers, and a seemingly endless number of foot soldiers. Wanchana Sawatdee's performance as Naresuan is vibrant and empowering (although he may seem closer in temperament to Hollywood action heroes than Asian royalty) in this double feature that is so much fun one can hardly wait to experience Yukol's third installment, released earlier this year in Thailand. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “Royal Lineage & Characters” featurette (11 min.), two behind-the-scenes featurettes (10 min.), a “making-of” featurette (8 min.), a music video from the soundtrack, and trailers. Bottom line: a decent soundtrack for a winning epic.] (P. Hall)
Kingdom of War
Magnolia, 332 min., in Thai w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $26.99, Blu-ray: $29.98, June 14 Volume 26, Issue 4
Kingdom of War
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