Chocolate (2008 film)
Encyclopedia
Chocolate also known as Zen, Warrior Within, is a 2008 Thai martial arts film
starring Yanin "Jeeja" Vismistananda
in her debut film performance. It is directed by Prachya Pinkaew
, with martial arts
choreography by Panna Rittikrai
. It also stars Hiroshi Abe
and Pongpat Wachirabunjong
.
skills by copying what she sees on television, as well as at the Muay Thai
academy next to her home. She also has uncanny reflexes and is able to catch balls thrown at her without even looking.
Zen is the daughter of Zin, the Thai
lover of Yakuza
boss Masashi. Zin was previously the girlfriend of Thai gangster No. 8, who was jealous of her relationship with rival gangster Masashi. After Zin chooses Masashi, he shoots his own toe and forbids Zin from ever seeing him again. Zin asks Masashi to go back to Japan, as they would not be able to be together safely. He begrudgingly leaves.
Soon after, Zin finds herself pregnant and moves into a new place to get away from No. 8. She has a daughter named Zen who is soon found to be autistic. As Zen gets older, Zin one day decides to tell Masashi about his daughter by writing him a letter. No. 8 finds out that Zin is in contact with Masashi and is furious. He visits Zin and cuts off one of her toes to remind her that she is forbidden from seeing Masashi.
Zin is forced to move again to a house shared by a Muay Thai kickboxing school. Zen becomes infatuated with martial arts and begins to self-teach herself by mimicking the moves she sees, as well as what she watches on television. One day when coming home from work, Zin sees a little boy named Moom being picked on in the streets. Feeling sorry for his plight, she takes him in.
Zin then falls ill with cancer and does not have the money to pay for chemotherapy treatments. Zen and Moom attempt to make the money needed to pay for them by having people throw balls at Zen as a street performance act. Unfortunately, they are not able to earn enough to keep up with the treatments. One day Moom discovers a list of debtors in an old notebook from the days when Zin was a high-interest moneylender under No. 8. In order to get money to pay for her mother's cancer treatment, Zen and Moom decide to collect on the debts. The first attempt to collect the money turns violent, and Zen uses her copied Muay Thai skills to fight back. This leads to further confrontations with various criminal gangs and, eventually, No. 8.
No. 8 learns that Zen is collecting debts for the sake of Zin's treatment, and Zin finds out what Zen and Moom have been doing for money when her toe is sent to her as a message. She realizes there will be retaliation from No. 8 and sends Moom to mail a letter to Masashi asking for help. Moom is captured by No. 8's gang, but No. 8 has the letter mailed anyway, because he wants to deal with both Zin and Masashi. Masashi receives the letter in Japan and leaves the Yakuza for the sake of his family. When Moom doesn't return, Zin goes to confront No. 8 to save Moom and try to reach a solution, bringing Zen with her. The conversation turns into a fight in which both Zin and No. 8 are wounded and No. 8 takes Zin hostage. Zen fights through many of No. 8's crew to get her mother back. Zen's father, Masashi, eventually makes it to the battle, but while he and Zin are fighting No. 8's men Zin is mortally wounded by No. 8. Angered by what has happened, Zen continues to battle through No. 8's men until she catches up with No. 8 and throws him off the third story of a building to his death. She returns to her mother only to find her dead. Masashi adopts Zen.
, was discovered by director Prachya Pinkaew
in 2003 when the director was working on casting sessions for Panna Rittikrai
's directorial effort, Born to Fight
.
Already experienced in taekwondo
, Yanin underwent more training with Panna Rittikrai's stunt team.
The script for Chocolate was then developed with Yanin in mind.
The film was in production during 2006 and 2007, with promotional efforts including a cast appearance at the Bangkok Film Market during the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival
in July.
A three-minute promotional video was released online in early January 2008, showing action scenes from the film as well as outtakes of what appeared to be painful injuries for the star and stuntmen.
was quick to announce their intention to film its sequel (in 3D).
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
starring Yanin "Jeeja" Vismistananda
Yanin Vismistananda
Yanin "Jeeja" Vismitananda , née Nicharee Vismitananda , , is a Thai actress and martial artist. She specialises in Taekwondo...
in her debut film performance. It is directed by Prachya Pinkaew
Prachya Pinkaew
Prachya Pinkaew is a Thai film director, film producer and screenwriter. His films include Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior and Tom-Yum-Goong, both martial arts films starring Tony Jaa.-Biography:...
, with martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
choreography by Panna Rittikrai
Panna Rittikrai
Panna Rittikrai is a Thai martial arts action choreographer, film director, screenwriter and actor...
. It also stars Hiroshi Abe
Hiroshi Abe (actor)
is a Japanese model and actor.He began his career as a model, but he successfully made the transition to acting, becoming one of the most regularly visible presences in Japanese media. He is a 1988 graduate of Chuo University.-Career:...
and Pongpat Wachirabunjong
Pongpat Wachirabunjong
Pongpat Wachirabunjong is a Thai singer, actor and film director.He is well-known in Thailand for his role in the action films Heaven's Seven and Seven Street Fighters, as the red-shorts-clad Sergeant Dab Jampoh....
.
Plot
A young autistic woman named Zen has developed uncanny martial artsMartial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
skills by copying what she sees on television, as well as at the Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
academy next to her home. She also has uncanny reflexes and is able to catch balls thrown at her without even looking.
Zen is the daughter of Zin, the Thai
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
lover of Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
boss Masashi. Zin was previously the girlfriend of Thai gangster No. 8, who was jealous of her relationship with rival gangster Masashi. After Zin chooses Masashi, he shoots his own toe and forbids Zin from ever seeing him again. Zin asks Masashi to go back to Japan, as they would not be able to be together safely. He begrudgingly leaves.
Soon after, Zin finds herself pregnant and moves into a new place to get away from No. 8. She has a daughter named Zen who is soon found to be autistic. As Zen gets older, Zin one day decides to tell Masashi about his daughter by writing him a letter. No. 8 finds out that Zin is in contact with Masashi and is furious. He visits Zin and cuts off one of her toes to remind her that she is forbidden from seeing Masashi.
Zin is forced to move again to a house shared by a Muay Thai kickboxing school. Zen becomes infatuated with martial arts and begins to self-teach herself by mimicking the moves she sees, as well as what she watches on television. One day when coming home from work, Zin sees a little boy named Moom being picked on in the streets. Feeling sorry for his plight, she takes him in.
Zin then falls ill with cancer and does not have the money to pay for chemotherapy treatments. Zen and Moom attempt to make the money needed to pay for them by having people throw balls at Zen as a street performance act. Unfortunately, they are not able to earn enough to keep up with the treatments. One day Moom discovers a list of debtors in an old notebook from the days when Zin was a high-interest moneylender under No. 8. In order to get money to pay for her mother's cancer treatment, Zen and Moom decide to collect on the debts. The first attempt to collect the money turns violent, and Zen uses her copied Muay Thai skills to fight back. This leads to further confrontations with various criminal gangs and, eventually, No. 8.
No. 8 learns that Zen is collecting debts for the sake of Zin's treatment, and Zin finds out what Zen and Moom have been doing for money when her toe is sent to her as a message. She realizes there will be retaliation from No. 8 and sends Moom to mail a letter to Masashi asking for help. Moom is captured by No. 8's gang, but No. 8 has the letter mailed anyway, because he wants to deal with both Zin and Masashi. Masashi receives the letter in Japan and leaves the Yakuza for the sake of his family. When Moom doesn't return, Zin goes to confront No. 8 to save Moom and try to reach a solution, bringing Zen with her. The conversation turns into a fight in which both Zin and No. 8 are wounded and No. 8 takes Zin hostage. Zen fights through many of No. 8's crew to get her mother back. Zen's father, Masashi, eventually makes it to the battle, but while he and Zin are fighting No. 8's men Zin is mortally wounded by No. 8. Angered by what has happened, Zen continues to battle through No. 8's men until she catches up with No. 8 and throws him off the third story of a building to his death. She returns to her mother only to find her dead. Masashi adopts Zen.
Cast
- Yanin "Jeeja" VismistanandaYanin VismistanandaYanin "Jeeja" Vismitananda , née Nicharee Vismitananda , , is a Thai actress and martial artist. She specialises in Taekwondo...
as Zen - Hiroshi AbeHiroshi Abe (actor)is a Japanese model and actor.He began his career as a model, but he successfully made the transition to acting, becoming one of the most regularly visible presences in Japanese media. He is a 1988 graduate of Chuo University.-Career:...
as Masashi - Pongpat WachirabunjongPongpat WachirabunjongPongpat Wachirabunjong is a Thai singer, actor and film director.He is well-known in Thailand for his role in the action films Heaven's Seven and Seven Street Fighters, as the red-shorts-clad Sergeant Dab Jampoh....
as No.8 - Taphon Phopwandee as Mangmoom "Moom"
- Ammara Siripong as Zin
- Dechawut Chuntakaro as Priscilla
- Hirokazu "Hero" Sano as Ryo
- Su Jeong LimSu Jeong LimLim Su-Jeong , often anglicised to Su-Jeong Lim, is a South Korean female Muay Thai kickboxer.-Background:Lim was born on in South Korea....
as Su Jeong Lim
Production
The star of Chocolate, Yanin VismistanandaYanin Vismistananda
Yanin "Jeeja" Vismitananda , née Nicharee Vismitananda , , is a Thai actress and martial artist. She specialises in Taekwondo...
, was discovered by director Prachya Pinkaew
Prachya Pinkaew
Prachya Pinkaew is a Thai film director, film producer and screenwriter. His films include Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior and Tom-Yum-Goong, both martial arts films starring Tony Jaa.-Biography:...
in 2003 when the director was working on casting sessions for Panna Rittikrai
Panna Rittikrai
Panna Rittikrai is a Thai martial arts action choreographer, film director, screenwriter and actor...
's directorial effort, Born to Fight
Kerd ma lui
Born to Fight is a 2004 Thai action film directed by Panna Rittikrai. It followed Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, on which Panna served as martial arts choreographer, and featured more of his "no strings attached" stuntwork. Many of the actors in Born to Fight were Thai national athletes...
.
Already experienced in taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
, Yanin underwent more training with Panna Rittikrai's stunt team.
The script for Chocolate was then developed with Yanin in mind.
The film was in production during 2006 and 2007, with promotional efforts including a cast appearance at the Bangkok Film Market during the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival
2007 Bangkok International Film Festival
The 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival was held from July 19 to July 29, 2007, at SF Group's SF World Cinema at CentralWorld. The fifth consecutive year for the festival, organizers planned a program of about 100 films, with an emphasis on Asian cinema....
in July.
A three-minute promotional video was released online in early January 2008, showing action scenes from the film as well as outtakes of what appeared to be painful injuries for the star and stuntmen.
Sequel
With the box office success of Chocolate, Sahamongkol Film InternationalSahamongkol Film International
Sahamongkol Film International Co. Ltd. is a Thai motion picture production and distribution company. It is the leading movie company in Thailand, ahead of GMM Grammy's GMM Tai Hub, Five Star Production and...
was quick to announce their intention to film its sequel (in 3D).