Now, I may have had my expectations too high because the file read Les Fils du Vent, Yamakasi 2. I liked Yamakasi, even if I don't usually watch sport movies. As sports go, Free Running is pretty cool and the story and acrobatics of Yamakasi were very nice.
This movie lacks the story, the technical prowess and it's set in Bangkok, where just about everyone knows how to jump from buildings (in the movie, of course). To make the French athletes fight in the end and mix Free Running with martial arts seemed to me a very bad idea.
I could have liked this movie, though, if it weren't for the end. It's a mindless brawl where no one has any purpose in what they do. To make things worse, after this scene that seemed to be the end comes another, which practically voids the one before.
So if you are a movie lover or a Free Runner enthusiast, you will not be particularly pleased with this movie. And it has no other qualities.
Keywords: free running
Plot summary
Six parkour adepts open a gym in Bangkok. When the new gym starts to attract the area's kids, a local gang feels challenged. Their Eurasian leader Kien attacks the foreigners while they are training on a scaffold.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
It's rather bad.
Bangkok Ninjas
This French film sees a group of French parkour specialists heading to Bangkok where they hope to help one of their number set up a gym for street kids. Unfortunately they soon cross paths with a local gang. The gang is led by Kien, who along with his sister Tsu is helping the yakuza in their conflict with the local triad which rejected them because of their mixed Eurasian parentage. Tsu is trying to get away from the gangs and starts to develop feelings for Logan, one of Parkour group. This basis set up leads to confrontations between the various groups; all leading to a massive fight where the parkour group are caught in a fight between yakuza and triad gangsters which will require their skills to escape.
This film might not have the most original plot but that doesn't matter as the plot is just there to give a reason for the action and it is that action most viewers will be watching for. The parkour scenes are very exciting and when they are combined with martial arts fighting the thrills only increase. These scenes look very real with none of the obvious wirework you get in many martial arts films. It is just a bit of a pity that some of these scenes are over-edited with excessive cuts hiding the performers' obvious skills. The romance between Logan and Tsu is a bit of a distraction from the action but just provide some character motivation. The acting might not be the very best but it is clear most of the cast is there for their physical skills and in that department they really deliver. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of parkour or martial arts which aren't too brutal.
These comments are based on watching the film in French with English subtitles.
Where were the martial arts and ninjas?
When I picked up this movie, I was expecting something rather different from what the movie actually turned out to be. The title "Sons of the Wind: Bangkok Ninjas" led me to believe this was a Thai martial arts movie, not some Parkour event movie.
Sure the people in the movie, the ones doing the Parkour, were really athletic and did some rather amazing stuff. But, personally, I think you really need to be into Parkour to find this movie interesting. It was so disappointing for me to sit through, waiting for martial arts, and only seeing Parkour. I must admit that I gave up about one hour into the movie.
And why was everyone speaking French in the movie? It made no sense that the Thai people spoke French as well. Sure, I could understand the Parkour people from France spoke French, but the natives Thai? Come on... Now, I got nothing against French language or movies that isn't in English, but at least keep it proper to the regions in which it take place.
It should be said that the camera work was really nice, it was almost like you were right there in the action yourself. But still, you have to be appreciative of Parkour for this to really be interesting.
This was a major disappointment to me. But it just goes to prove, that you can't always put your trust in the DVD cover.