Bang Rajan 2
      

Director:  Tanit Jitnukul
Year: 2010
Rating: 6.0
Country: Thailand

Ten years after the epic Bang Rajan, director Tanit Jitnukul returns to continue the story. Long ago, for Bang Rajan I wrote "The year is 1765 and once again the Burmese Kingdom to the west is invading Thailand. The overwhelming Burmese force is descending from the north heading for the capital of Ayutthaya and only the small nearly unnoticeable rural village of Bang Rajan lies in its way of victory. The people of Bang Rajan pick up their cleavers, their swords, their farm implements, their bows and arrows and stop the Burmese in their tracks for five long and bloody weeks before they are defeated. To the Thais this is their Alamo – a tale full of valor and the ultimate sacrifice from the men and women of Bang Rajan for the love of their country. It is stirring, ferocious and delivers an accumulated emotional wallop that will leave you saddened and stunned." How much of the story of Bang Rajan is historically true is up for grabs, but in the Thai consciousness it has become an essential part of who they are. The Burmese were actually able to defeat the Thais in this war and destroy the Ban Phlu Luang dynasty that had ruled Ayutthaya for over 400-years. But the Burmese soon had to leave and the Chakri dynasty came into power. The current King is a Chakri.



For a few years in the 2000 decade the Thais were making epic historical films - the King Naresuan films, The Legend of Suriyothai, The King Maker, Edge of the Empire.  They were big films with huge battles, royalty, elephants, tons of extras and filled to the brim with patriotism and Thai identity. Bang Rajan more than most and this follows in those footsteps. The hated Burmese are on the verge of taking Ayutthaya and there are only pockets of resistance outside of the city. They use guerilla tactics in slaughtering Burmese troops when they are isolated in the countryside. The name of Bang Rajan is a rallying cry. Most of those men and women are now dead but these carry on the fight and are just as ferocious. In pretty much any Thai film, the Burmese are depicted as monsters. Even today there are no fond feelings for them from the Thais. There was a long history of wars between the two countries - though back then they were not so much countries as territories run by various warlords.



The film goes back and forth between the rebel band living in their small village full of refugees from the fighting and scenes of action. Burmese are murdering entire villages or making them slaves. When the band of fighters called Yantric Cloth Warriors are home there are small stories that play out - Daeng wants to marry his girl but her mother doesn't approve of him, the leader of the group finds out his wife is pregnant, food is running out, a monk rallies them all. But about every 25 minutes they go off to kill Burmese. In violent head bashing, head cutting, leg breaking ways with arrows and muskets doing their bit. The fights are brutal and nicely done with lots of CGI blood spraying all over. One scene of them luring the Burmese into a jungle ambush is great.



Finally, they have to face the big army and are vastly outnumbered. The Monk has already told them, you are only borrowing your body - we all have to leave it some time, Maybe this is the time. The leader gives comforting words to his wife who wants to leave. Leave? This is my soil. My land. Where would I go? And they march off. I am not sure why since I saw Bang Rajan over 20-years ago but this one didn't capture my imagination in the same way. Ponderous when they aren't cracking skulls. None of the characters stood out like some of those did. Though the guy with the two axes was pretty cool. In Bang Rajan the women warriors were magnificent - here there are not any till the end battle. Still always good to see Thais killing the evil Burmese.