Drama Digest
The story revolves around Ang, a transgender sex worker, and Jit, an aggressive yet idealistic student activist. The narrative begins with Ang being assigned to a special mission as an undercover spy. Her main job is to extract essential information about Miss Josh, a Hong Kong-Uighur activist taking refuge in Thailand, from Jit. She does this by posing as a cisgender man and entering a romantic relationship with Jit. The mission is smooth sailing for Ang until she gradually falls for Jit. She is later also awakened to a completed different world where people speak in an apolitical way by Jit. Will this sudden awakening cause Ang to change her practices entirely too? How will the romance between Ang and Jit progress? Will they end up joining their two worlds or turn their backs and follow the way their own world processes?
The Feel-Good Part
What is unique about this film is the use of dubbing to give tribute to the former conventions of Thai cinema during the Cold War. The film focuses on using dubbing so exaggerated that the hero sounds typically heroic, at the same time, the villain sounds like the typical villain. This gives the viewer a feeling of enhanced emotions making the film a more dramatic experience.
The Disappointing Part
For non-Thai viewers, the film might come off as significantly over-dramatic. The exaggerated way in which the characters are portrayed might even get annoying. Being an audience not accustomed to Thai cinema during the cold war, a lot of elements will come off as aggravated for no reason. Even being a 30 min long film, it might seem too long because of the drama.
In-Depth Analysis
In the context of the Cold war, the use of the LGBTQ community is a perfect choice by the director. Back in the day, the states of Thailand used to weaponize queerness to its ends. The film also makes use of “The Red Eagle,” a character who is a millionaire playboy wearing a costume with the main aim of fighting communism. Using such sensitive topics to portray the past while giving it a tribute using basic yet essential filmmaking techniques is something commendable of the director.
Star Power
Unlike most films, the power of this film is not only the actors but also the voice actors. Every actor and voice actor has shown such variety in their acting. Portraying a certain kind of emotion in a completely different context is definitely worth the appreciation.
Overall Opinion
For all film enthusiasts and Thai citizens, this film is a must-watch. It is the perfect combination of romance and thrill while using narration as a weapon. It’s not just a film but rather a whole experience that leaves you with a whole bunch of emotions while also informing you that even if Thailand has evolved, somewhere, the Cold war Mentality remains.
