The Red Eagle
Encyclopedia
The Red Eagle is a 2010 Thai superhero film directed and written by Wisit Sasanatieng
.
) emerges within the city. Red Eagle is actually Rom Rittikrai, a former Special Task Force agent who had been rescued by Vasana when escaping from an attack by the Matulee (a secret society that hires masked assassin Black Devil to murder Red Eagle) and got a bullet in the brain; his terrible headaches can only be relieved by regular doses of morphine. Red Eagles has dispatched drug-dealers while Detective Chart Wuttikrai (Wannasingh Prasertkul) and his Sikh colleague Singh (Jonathan Hallman) are ordered to track down Red Eagle. Red Eagle kills the parliamentary member Sonkuan who is a child pornographer. This leads him to become the no. 1 target of the Matuleee. Vasana recognises that Red Eagle and Rome are the same man, igniting an attraction between them. Meanwhile, Chart and the Matalee continue to hunt Red Eagle down.
stars as the Red Eagle. The character was originally played by Mitr Chaibancha
who died shooting the last scene in the 1960s film series of the same name.
Everingham said that "if you know anything about the history of the film, well, you can understand that the role felt like it was big shoes to fill." The character was changed from being an alcoholic in the original series to being addicted to morphine in the new film.
The Red Eagle was released in Thailand on October 7, 2010. The film had its international premiere at the 2010 Pusan International Film Festival
on October 10. The Red Eagles Thai box office returns have been described as "underperformed" and "disappointing".
and Panna Rittikrai
that "it would have tighter action and more cinematic panache". Variety
gave the film a negative review, calling the film overlong and noting that "aside from a few eye-catching setpieces, there's little excitement or cinematic flair on display." Both Variety and Film Business Asia critiqued the soundtrack calling it "Ear-splitting" and "the most deafening music track in memory" respectively.
Wisit Sasanatieng
Wisit Sasanatieng is a Thai film director and screenwriter of Chinese descent...
.
Plot
In the year 2013 in Bangkok, the Liberal Party leader Direk Damrongprapa (Pornwut Sarasin) campaigns during an election on an anti-corruption platform with the support of his fiancee Vasana Tienpradap (Yarinda Bunnag), a Harvard educated geology expert. Three years later Vasana separates herself from Direk who has become the prime minister over his betrayal in refusing to stop construction of the Chumporn nuclear power plant. Meanwhile, a masked vigilante known as Red Eagle (Ananda EveringhamAnanda Everingham
Ananda Everingham is a Laotian-Australian film actor who was born in Thailand. Working primarily in Thai films, he is best known for his lead role in the 2004 horror film, Shutter.-Biography:...
) emerges within the city. Red Eagle is actually Rom Rittikrai, a former Special Task Force agent who had been rescued by Vasana when escaping from an attack by the Matulee (a secret society that hires masked assassin Black Devil to murder Red Eagle) and got a bullet in the brain; his terrible headaches can only be relieved by regular doses of morphine. Red Eagles has dispatched drug-dealers while Detective Chart Wuttikrai (Wannasingh Prasertkul) and his Sikh colleague Singh (Jonathan Hallman) are ordered to track down Red Eagle. Red Eagle kills the parliamentary member Sonkuan who is a child pornographer. This leads him to become the no. 1 target of the Matuleee. Vasana recognises that Red Eagle and Rome are the same man, igniting an attraction between them. Meanwhile, Chart and the Matalee continue to hunt Red Eagle down.
Production
Ananda EveringhamAnanda Everingham
Ananda Everingham is a Laotian-Australian film actor who was born in Thailand. Working primarily in Thai films, he is best known for his lead role in the 2004 horror film, Shutter.-Biography:...
stars as the Red Eagle. The character was originally played by Mitr Chaibancha
Mitr Chaibancha
Mitr Chaibancha was a Thai film actor who made 266 films from 1956 to 1970....
who died shooting the last scene in the 1960s film series of the same name.
Everingham said that "if you know anything about the history of the film, well, you can understand that the role felt like it was big shoes to fill." The character was changed from being an alcoholic in the original series to being addicted to morphine in the new film.
Cast
- Ananda EveringhamAnanda EveringhamAnanda Everingham is a Laotian-Australian film actor who was born in Thailand. Working primarily in Thai films, he is best known for his lead role in the 2004 horror film, Shutter.-Biography:...
as Rome Rittikrai/The Red Eagle - Yarinda Bunnag as Vasana Tienpradap
- Pornwut Sarasin as Prime Minister Direk Damrongprapa
- Jonathan Hallman as Singh and Black Devil
- Wannasingh Prasertkul as Detective Chart Wuttikrai
- Pattanadesh Asasappaku
Release
The Red Eagle had its world premiere in Bangkok on October 4, 2010.The Red Eagle was released in Thailand on October 7, 2010. The film had its international premiere at the 2010 Pusan International Film Festival
Pusan International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival , held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan , South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia...
on October 10. The Red Eagles Thai box office returns have been described as "underperformed" and "disappointing".
Reception
The Red Eagle received generally negative reception from English language critics on its release. Film Business Asia gave the film a rating of three out of ten and called the film a "repetitive mess", stating "the main problem is the raggy script - a consistent problem with Sasanatieng's movies - and style-less, hand-held direction". The Hollywood Reporter has mixed feelings on the action scenes in the film, but called the choreography not "particularly creative". The review suggested if the project was made by directors Prachya PinkaewPrachya 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:...
and Panna Rittikrai
Panna Rittikrai
Panna Rittikrai is a Thai martial arts action choreographer, film director, screenwriter and actor...
that "it would have tighter action and more cinematic panache". Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
gave the film a negative review, calling the film overlong and noting that "aside from a few eye-catching setpieces, there's little excitement or cinematic flair on display." Both Variety and Film Business Asia critiqued the soundtrack calling it "Ear-splitting" and "the most deafening music track in memory" respectively.