Chocolate (2008 film)

Chocolate (Thai: ช็อคโกแลต), 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.

Chocolate
Thai teaser poster
Directed byPrachya Pinkaew
Produced byPrachya Pinkaew
Sukanya Vongsthapat
Written byChookiat Sakveerakul
Nepali
StarringYanin Vismitananda
Hiroshi Abe
Pongpat Wachirabunjong
Narrated byHiroshi Abe
CinematographyDecha Srimantra
Edited byRashane Limtrakul
Pop Surasakuwat
Production
company
Baa-ram-ewe
Distributed bySahamongkol Film International
Release date
  • February 6, 2008 (2008-02-06)
Running time
110 minutes
(Original Thailand Version)
92 minutes
(International Version)
CountryThailand
LanguageThai
Japanese
English
Budget150 million baht
($4.8 million)[1]

Plot

Zin is 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 as a symbolic gesture 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 from a young age, and learns martial arts by mimicking the moves she sees being performed by the school's students, as well as the martial arts movies that she sees on television, among them Bruce Lee and Tony Jaa films. She also has uncanny reflexes and is able to catch balls thrown at her without even looking. 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. However, 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 martial arts 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 does not return, Zin goes to confront No. 8 to save Moom and try to reach a solution, bringing Zen with her. The meeting 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 and faces Thomas, a capoeirista boy with Tourette's who proves to be a match for her until she adapts to his erratic fighting style. 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 comforts his long lost daughter and adopts her.

Cast

Production

The star of Chocolate, Yanin Vismitananda, 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.[1] Already experienced in taekwondo, Yanin underwent more training with Panna Rittikrai's stunt team.[1][2] The script for Chocolate was then developed with Yanin in mind.[1] Yanin and b-boying champion Kittitat Kowahagul also trained in capoeira for their fight sequence.[3]

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.[4] 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.[5]

Reception

Critics gave this film a mostly mixed reaction.[6][7][8]

Sequel

With the box office success of Chocolate, Sahamongkol Film International was quick to announce their intention to film its sequel (in 3D).[9]

References
  1. Pajee, Parinyaporn (November 15, 2007). "A hit of Chocolate". The Nation (Thailand). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  2. "Chocolate might be better than Tom Yum Kung." BK Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 June 2010. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  3. Mogk, Marja. Transnational Stardom: International Celebrity in Film and Popular Culture, 2013.
  4. "Chocolate - and the next female action star (maybe)". Screenhead. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  5. "The trailer for Prachya Pinkaew's Chocolate finally arrives". Screen Anarchy. 5 January 2008. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  6. Thomas, Kevin (2009-02-06). "'Absurdistan,' 'Chocolate'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
  7. Lee, Nathan (2009-02-06). "Chocolate". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  8. "Chocolate". DVD Talk. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
  9. "FM 2011: CHOCOLATE 2 COMING IN 3D". Screen Anarchy. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
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