Kingdom of War Part 1 and Part 2 [DVD]

Product Description As a follow up to Chatreechalerm Yukol's THE LEGEND OF SURIYOTHAI, KINGDOM OF WAR is an epic historical action film about King Naresuan the Great, who liberated the Siamese from the control of Burma, changing the destiny of a nation. Part 1 introduces Naresuan as a child prince captured by the Burmese King Bayinnaung in order to keep the province of Ayudhya subservient. Naresuan spends almost seven years away from home studying as a novice Buddhist monk. Part 2 depicts Naresuan's life as the heir-presumptive to Ayudhya. Over the next decade, he matures in military capability and gains an enemy in Bayinnaung's successor, Nandabayin. Nandabayin orders Naresuan on an ambushed mission, for which Naresuan discovers and retaliates by strengthening Ayudhya's borders. Soon after being crowned king, the Burmese resume attacks, but it is Naresuan who reigns victor and turns the tables of war for the first time in 30 years. Amazon.com History on a grandly gargantuan scale, director Chatreechalerm Yukol's multipart epic is an exceedingly lavish (and somewhat narratively muddled) tribute to the early life of Thailand's King Naresuan, the 16th-century leader who fought to free Siam from Burmese rule. Sporting enough convoluted factions and royal backbiting to make Game of Thrones seem like Candyland, this reverent biopic demands--and rewards--fierce concentration from the viewer. Part one (originally titled King Naresuan) follows the 9-year-old hero as he is held hostage by the ruler of Burma in order to ensure his native land's compliance. While winning the favor of his (mostly) benevolent captor, he begins to learn martial arts techniques from a wise monk, sowing the seeds for his eventual destiny. Meanwhile, a myriad of noblemen from surrounding regions attempt to scheme their way to the top of the heap. Skipping ahead to its subject's adult years, part two ( King Naresuan: The Reclamation of Sovereignty) begins to deliver on its predecessor's laborious setup, as the death of Burma's ruler sparks off a series of impeccably staged, increasingly massive battle sequences, including a terrifically gonzo skirmish between forest bandits and an elite squad of female archers, and the film's final bench-clearing brawl between Naresuan's forces and the Burmese army. Whether the two parts are viewed separately or together, the sheer scope of Kingdom of War is fantastic to behold, with an attention to detail that borders on the flabbergasting. However, although the filmmaker's dedication and craft is unquestionable, the sheer tonnage of his narrative proves difficult to overcome. While those with prior knowledge of the historical events will be enthralled, newcomers may wish to have a flowchart handy. --Andrew Wright