This film is based on the true story of Billy Moore, a British boxer who was imprisoned in Thailand for drugs offences. Before being transferred to a British jail he spent three years in a Thai prison; it is that time that is covered here.
After we see Moore's arrest, the prison movie requisite rape scene (of an unnamed extra) is quickly dealt with and we move on to the meat of the story. Moore swears a lot; gets bullied; starts fights; continues his drug habit; joins the prison boxing team; has a tender, sexual relationship with a 'ladyboy'. Although engrossing, it is all rather unstructured - Moore appears to be the only Western prisoner; the addition of an English-speaking pal to whom he could speak, à la John Hurt in 'Midnight Express', would have helped the audience understand what was going on in his mind, even if it would have been factually inaccurate... a voice-over, perhaps? Adding to the confusion, Thai dialogue is not always translated, although this may be a device to highlight Moore's own bewilderment as to what is going on around him (in which case, it succeeded!) And while the fight scenes are extremely fast-paced and violent, the camera gets in so close that at times it is hard to tell who is pummeling who.
Fans of leading man Joe Cole - impressively muscular - will be pleased that he rarely wears more than a pair of shorts (and certain sections of his fanbase may also enjoy the sight of him in handcuffs and leg irons). As for his acting, I would not say the role stretches him but he is convincing. Overall this is worth watching - and do keep an eye out for the scene in which the boxing team gather around Moore as he gets his first prison tattoo - it is a wordless, but very powerful, expression of comradeship.
After we see Moore's arrest, the prison movie requisite rape scene (of an unnamed extra) is quickly dealt with and we move on to the meat of the story. Moore swears a lot; gets bullied; starts fights; continues his drug habit; joins the prison boxing team; has a tender, sexual relationship with a 'ladyboy'. Although engrossing, it is all rather unstructured - Moore appears to be the only Western prisoner; the addition of an English-speaking pal to whom he could speak, à la John Hurt in 'Midnight Express', would have helped the audience understand what was going on in his mind, even if it would have been factually inaccurate... a voice-over, perhaps? Adding to the confusion, Thai dialogue is not always translated, although this may be a device to highlight Moore's own bewilderment as to what is going on around him (in which case, it succeeded!) And while the fight scenes are extremely fast-paced and violent, the camera gets in so close that at times it is hard to tell who is pummeling who.
Fans of leading man Joe Cole - impressively muscular - will be pleased that he rarely wears more than a pair of shorts (and certain sections of his fanbase may also enjoy the sight of him in handcuffs and leg irons). As for his acting, I would not say the role stretches him but he is convincing. Overall this is worth watching - and do keep an eye out for the scene in which the boxing team gather around Moore as he gets his first prison tattoo - it is a wordless, but very powerful, expression of comradeship.