Tropical Malady

This film was anything but what I expected. The Thai film, Sud pralad, gives vent to a variety of notions or themes, some real, some mythical, but none that truly interested me, except for the slenderest of ideas. Some army dude, a pleasant enough young man, apparently seduces a country boy. The problem here is that I saw NO seduction except for some mystical words of love from army soldier to country boy. Can't say much more except that we spend over half the film in the THAI JUNGLE in a hopeless search. This is where the film becomes part mythology. The ending will stun you, perhaps, but it did nothing for me. The film script was exceedingly poor and boring, not clarifying much that had to be. The photography in the jungle is good, but not when you're stuck there for 45 minutes or more. What happens to the country boy is something you have to deal with in this mythical Thai world. Critics have described the film as stunning, ravishing, striking and literally a masterpiece. Well if it such a film, why has no one ever wanted to see it? I could barely tolerate it!