When you take an Asian action film off the shelf that boasts the pedigree of the producers of Ong Bak and The Protector (another Tony Jaa vehicle) and features “explosive martial arts star” Sophita Sriban, you expect some clever if not innovative action sequences. You expect some wow moments. Vanquisher might have had some of those was it not for a totally incompetent director (Manop Udomdej) and cinematographer who managed to ruin every single fight scene. Of course, that’s just the start of the film’s troubles, and by the end of it all Vanquisher is a totally irredeemable mess not worthy for export from Thailand.
The overly convoluted plot about a Thai secret agent who survives her CIA partner’s attempt to kill her in an effort to keep information of a mission under wraps and surfaces in Thailand years later as a police officer in the middle of an unraveling terrorist plot. None of the action, featuring ninjas, guns, and swordplay, makes any sense, and it’s only complicated by some of the worst writing (even by foreign action film standards) you’ll ever find in a film. Every action scene has been brutally butchered by the director and cinematographer, it’s borderline criminal to still call this a martial arts film. It feels like the director got three or four shots they liked and then spliced everything around it – even if none of it really fit.
Avoid this, even if you’re a diehard Asian martial arts flick fan.
Vanquisher stars Sophita Sriban, Jacqui A. Thananon, Nui Ketsarin, Pete Tongchuer, and Saranyu W. Kajang.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
There’s a brief making of the film featurette, rounded out with a behind the scenes look and a trailer.
"Vanquisher" is on sale March 22, 2011 and is rated R. Action, Martial-Arts. Written and directed by Manop Udomdej. Starring Sophita Sriban, Jacqui A Thananon, Nui Ketsarin, Pete Tongchuer, Saranyu W Kajang.
