How do you review a movie were you have no idea what the story is about? Trying to avoid the story and focus on everything else I guess. Black Killer is one of those Panna Rittikrai movies I have on VCD and I finally took time to watch it. Released in 1990, this is when Rittikrai kinda slowed down his own fighting and released his students more and more. He focuses more on less stunt-oriented fighting and even some more acting. In Black Killer he runs around in his classic outfit, stone washed jeans jacket, a mullet and with a gang of kids around him – on of them Tony Jaa, as you can see down below.
But like in all of these movies some sinister types are sneaking around, that includes three ninjas! They seem to been sent out by another main baddie (with a beard, as usual) who’s looking for a woman who might have some important documents with her – or maybe that’s two different storylines, can’t tell. Sorry. What Panna and his kids do I have no idea, but they visit a blues rock concert (probably guest starring some famous singer) and slowly gets involved in the story. Everything leads up to the typical big fight with blood and stunts.
Black Killer must have been a small hit at the time. Not that it’s especially original, but it has a great pace and goes from action to action, some comedy in-between and then some more action. The story is all over the place, but it’s clearly that the filmmakers aim for a wide audience and tries to include everything that can lure people to the outdoor cinema. The only thing missing is something supernatural, or? Well, there’s a scene were two older men either uses magic on each other or imagining that they’re killing each other, because knifes appears in hands and blood spurts all over the place. And then they are alive again!
The action? It’s not bad, but it’s quite ordinary and even if it’s not in the jungle (were everything is free and they don’t have to break something) they clearly stays away from more dangerous and painful stunts. The full contact-hits is lesser also, but the fights has energy and always tends to be quite bloody! I mean, we have ninjas with swords here! One poor sucker gets both his arms and his head chopped off! The final fight is more violent and has more advanced stunts then the rest of the movie, which is a common thing. Always save the best for last.
The VCD from Lepso Studio is in quite good shape and is recommended for collectors of obscure Thai cinema.
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