13: Game of Death (2006) User Reviews

FantAsia Fan Favorite

[christian94 · 8/10 · 30 July 2007]

Out of another great edition of FantAsia, this film received the PUBLIC'S GOLDEN PRIZE - BEST Asian FILM. A well deserved title with a well crafted storyline and fine acting.

The premise of the movie is that of a deadbeat salesman who is in debt and in desperate need of money... as well as deeper needs such as love, hope, sense of purpose, etc. He gets a targeted phone call that invites him to play a secret game in order to win incremental amount of money all the way to the grand prize: 100 million bahts. At first he will have to kill an insect which he does without to much problem. The twelve other challenges are likely to be a bit more difficult to achieve in order to bank the jackpot, but this guy has nothing to lose and seems to be going along with the game as he sees money as the answer to most of his problems and pushing his limits by succeeding in this game as some well-needed sense of accomplishment.

So the movie relies heavily on Krissada Terrence playing the protagonist, Pusit, and making us go through the motions and the emotions. His is a very capable actor and was well casted and directed to give a fine performance that reaches out to the sympathizing viewer. As for the rest of the cast, they are also of fine caliber. They bring to life this solid script cohesively and captivate the audience with the help of well-timed editing and a definitive storytelling know-how by screen-writer/director Ma-Deaw Chukiatsakwirakul (Chookiat Sakweerakul )

Based on a comic, the transition to screen is surprisingly realistic and the story is well explored in all its humour and twisted horror. The game concept reminds us of the Saw trilogy (2004,2005&2006) and has similar elements on top of the reality TV references a la Fear Factor. At times, we are also reminded of Falling Down (1993)'s similar slow fall and emotional meltdown.

Trying to conclude this wild ride is tricky and we are left with diverse elements that are not necessarily captivating or as original as the rest of the film on their own merit--nor are they out of place--, but tied together provide the base for the ending that does not disappoint.

A clever movie that easily make you embark on a journey that can only be slowly but surely spiraling down. So where is the point where you lose control and what happens if someone else loses it for you?

A thin line between deprived and deranged.

Thailand 2006 | 113 min | 35mm Thai language (English subtitles)

Interesting

[TdSmth5 · 8/10 · 15 August 2008]

A surprisingly excellent production from Thailand. This movie tells the story of a loser/loner who just got fired, had his car repossessed, is in credit card debt, and has an overbearing mother who needs money and suddenly gets a call inviting him to play in a game that could make him rich. The game consists of 13 challenges, the completion of each entails a money transfer into his bank. If he completes the final challenge he would get a very large sum of money. But he has to complete all challenges and not try to find out who is behind the game.

The challenges range from mild to disgusting to violent. While initially the movie doesn't seem to fit into the "Dimensions Extreme" line because for a good while it lacks gore, nudity, violence that are required for a good horror movie, this one is a little more psychological and a lot more story-based. Also at some point you start wondering what the point of all this is and then the movies gives a hint, a glimpse into out character's childhood that will be important for the end of the movie. Speaking of the end, it has a couple of surprise twists and explanations. The man's childhood and family will be key and are related to the final challenge. In addition there is some sort of revealing of who's behind all this that isn't entirely satisfying, but the point here is to get the audience to imagine...what if...and what our price would be, if it is true that we all have a price and also how far we would go for money.

The movie succeeds in creating a very likable character that you root for. There's an obligatory female who falls for him and tries to help him, rescue him. And you will also dislike the cruel villains in the shadows. The movie, however, is not a noir film despite the hopelessness of the situations. In fact, there's a good dose of humor here and there in terms of how other characters react to what is going on and how our friend deals with the crazy things he's asked to do. This movie looks very good. Unlike American movies that rely too much on artificial colored lighting and effects like grainy looks or discolored film or disco-type lights, this one looks bright, crisp, and naturally lit. It also sounds good and has good subtitles. Recommended as a different type of horror/ psychological thriller that is effective and funny and makes you think.

Stomach churning Thai Thriller

[Indyrod · 8/10 · 15 March 2008]

This is probably the best Thai thriller I've seen so far, and I've seen a bunch. Pusit has lost just about everything, his job, his girlfriend, his home, not much left. Then out of the blue he gets a call on his cell phone, telling him he has won the right to compete on a game show, and he can make huge sums of money. The game, is to complete 13 tasks presented by the show via his cell phone, but he has to complete all 13 with money going into his account after each task is completed. Pusit decides to play and off we go on a journey with Pusit that is at times stomach churning for the audience. The first task is pretty easy and Pusit is feeling good about things, but then they start to become very intense and towards the end terrifying. I could feel the tension as this movie goes along, it's along the lines of a good Hitchcockian suspense thriller. More than one of these tasks is very shocking and brutal to say the least, but Pusit is committed and turning back means losing everything again, something he cannot do. So he's hooked, and so are we as one shocking scene after scene builds up to an excellent climax. Put this baby on your want list immediately, you'll love it. I've never seen a movie quite like this one, and it's worth multiple viewings.

Harrowing spin on reality TV game shows

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 4 June 2013]

A surprisingly decent little Thai thriller that comes across as a mix of FALLING DOWN and DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE, 13: GAME OF DEATH is unique in that it offers something from a country that we haven't seen before. Most Thai movies I watch are typically poor vengeful ghost style movies that lack a single iota of originality, but this film has a lot more going for it. It's pretty well made too, with director Chookiat Sakveerakul eliciting plenty of suspense from his premise and a fair amount of good twists as the narrative progresses.

This isn't a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination. The script is fast-paced and witty, yes, and the liberal sprinklings of blackly comic humour definitely add to the experience to make it more palatable. You may be inclined to think there's at least one too many twists come the unsatisfactory end, though. In addition, and this comes as no surprise, the characters are underwritten; the writer allows Krissada Sukosol's protagonist to develop through the nature of his experiences, but it's not enough to elicit any sympathy in the viewer in the same way as, say, Michael Douglas's character did in FALLING DOWN.

Still, there's plenty of intensity here, and the anything-goes premise means that we're in for plenty of incident even if some of it is lacking. The 'well' set-piece, clearly derived from RING, is a real stand-out, while the restaurant scene will be sure to test the stomachs of even the toughest viewer, coming across as an extreme and timely version of a certain reality TV gameshow, I'M A CELEBRITY...GET ME OUT OF HERE! There's also at least one ultra-gory CGI effect that had me genuinely shocked with its realism and effectiveness. No, 13: GAME OF DEATH isn't perfect…but it is a great deal of fun, and one of the freshest and most inventive Thai movies I've seen in a while.

13:Game of Death

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 31 August 2008]

Dark, often somber(..while also being quite outrageous and comic)psychological parable of what man, in a state of unrest and distress, would do to become rich. Chit's(Krissada Terrence)life is in a state of turmoil. He has been fired from his musical instrument salesman job, lost his girlfriend to rock stardom, and is tormented by a past with a horrible, abusive father. Holding unpaid bills in his hand and seeing his car towed away, Chit is faced with quite a crisis. A call from an unknown source proclaiming to be a reality show game offers Chit a chance to make millions if he agrees to participate in a series of challenges, phoned to him by the network behind the reality show. Each obstacle becomes increasingly more hostile and amoral, as Chit's actions make him a wanted man, his face on the news and the police looking for his whereabouts. Eventually, Chit will have to make a harrowing decision if he wishes to win the big bucks. Either decision will change Chit's life forever.

While a bit far-fetched, Chukiat Sakveerakul's tale of desperation exploring the boundaries we are willing to go to achieve fortune sure grips hold thanks to fascinating subject matter. I doubt that Chit could've made it as far as he did, because the screenplay(..how this game show's network is able to always have everything in place by the time their contestant gets there without fail)depends a hell of a lot on coincidence. And, one wonders if anyone(..of course a few numskulls would in this day and age of greed and corruption), let alone poor sap Chit, would continue down such a dark path. This film is a lot like SAW in that a character runs through a series of obstacles where his decisions have great repercussions and everything that occurs from the moment he starts is based on being at the right place at exactly the right time. This is above all things a movie and obviously Chit will make it through every single scenario regardless of how unbelievable they are(..like his unlikely escape from a police force after him in a hospital). Sakveerakul and company ask for a leap of faith...are you willing to take it? The same question would be asked to those who watch SAW and it's endless supply of sequels. "13:Game of Death" has a voice, though, and isn't just an elaborate puzzlebox with endless death traps and gory murders. It has something to say and, despite a series of violent actions and aftermath of the game Chit's playing(..what a clothing line does to traveling motorcyclists and the vicious attack on ex-girlfriend's abusive beau with a steel chair), this film isn't really gory. I'm not sure why it's part of the Dimension Extreme label. There's some blood, and the allegory on display is a wicked one with an ending that will depress the hell out of you, but "13:Game of Death" isn't *that* extreme. The most warped sequence would have to be when Chit must go into a well, emerging from it with the corpse of the elderly cripple inside it while calling his uncaring relatives after he reaches the top! The film is clever, paced extremely well, with stunning camera-work, well acted, and exhausting. But, boy, does our hero get run through the ringer.

How far will you go for money???

[yeti-32 · 9/10 · 23 July 2007]

Chit is a desperate guy : he has debts, his car has been seized, he lost his job and his love life is no better... He then receives a call to participate to a game show, with enough money involved to solve all his problems. 13 tasks, more money every time. How far will he go for 100 million bahts?

The main actors are good, the humor (at the beginning) is nice, with a bit of gore it makes a really nice mix. And asks some question about the evolution of the Thai society, which are also valid everywhere. Probably the best Thai movie I've watched so far, and just a very good movie.

Social commentary

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 24 February 2008]

This movie is really strong. And it almost achieves to stay strong until the end. The end, that was a bit of a let down to me. The movie or better the director might have wanted too much at the end. It starts so good though, even the scene that is shown first will come back later in the movie and you will get the point the director wanted to make.

Of course the "fun" is the guise for the social commentary/critic this movie wants to deliver. (Spoiler ahead concerning the end of the movie) But that is also the downfall at the end, because the morality/humanity of the story is so in your face, that you will probably choke on it. You also can't stop wondering, why the guy just didn't stop earlier ... his motivation not to kill in the end, doesn't seem real (especially after all he's done up to that point) ... but that's nit picking, that is only necessary to determine if this was meant to get a higher rating or not ... 7/10 is good and more than worth a watch!

An emotional roller coaster that should not be overlooked

[Shattered_Wake · 9/10 · 11 August 2008]

Phuchit (Krissada Terrence) receives a phone call on the same day he loses his job at a music center. The man on the line gives him a strange offer: complete 13 different tasks and win 100 million Baht (about $3 million US). Chit agrees to take part in this 'game' and his missions commence. . . ranging from the trivial (swatting a fly) to the unthinkable (you'll see). The biggest catch: He must complete ALL the tasks. . . or lose all the money. Will he beat the game, complete all the tasks, and win the huge cash prize? Or will the game beat him, as the rest of the world has been doing as of late?

Dimension Extreme, the distributor of Diary of the Dead, Black Sheep, Inside, etc., delivers to horror fans yet another violently original new film. . . and this one is just as good as, if not better than, the aforementioned. Sadly, I did overlook it more than a few times. I'd pass it by in stores thinking that, due to its cover & plot line, it was just another of the dozen or so Saw ripoffs that have been released over the past few years. With a storyline like this, I don't blame myself. However, I was more-than-pleasantly surprised to find that the film is blurs the lines between horror, paranoia thriller, and comedy, and it does it very well, making it an unbelievably fresh and stirring film. There were times where I was equally overcome by the tension, comedy, disgust, sadness, and loathing. . . sometimes separately, sometimes together. Technically, the film is extremely well made. The direction and writing work perfectly well together, although the acting does leave a bit to be desired at some points (excluding Krissada Terrence who delivers a great, great performance). But, the thing that makes this film shine is the revelation/conclusion along with the way it was shown. . . it was so emotionally stirring that I'm surprised it's not more talked about. I suppose it's so little spoken of because it's so little seem. . . and that's a shame, because this is a truly, truly great modern horror/thriller that utilizes many different elements of both genres, including quite a bit of comedy to keep the more disturbing elements tolerable. See this one if you can.

Final verdict: 8.5/10.

Interesting movie that could have been cut down a little

[dschmeding · 6/10 · 4 August 2008]

This is a nice movie from Thailand that basically deals with the subject of movies like "Running Man", "The game" and similar movies... that is reducing life to a thrill-seeking reality show. Where "13 - game of death" starts is with salesman Pusit. His life is rather on the way down at the moment. Sales are slow for his job in a musical sales business where a colleague steals his best customers. His car gets repossessed, his mum needs to borrow money from him and it seems he still struggles with the loss of his girlfriend. To top things off his boss fires him and just as it couldn't get any worse his phone rings and someone tells him he was chosen from a pool of unlucky people who need some money to participate in a reality game show. There is no information about the show, he is just contacted by cellphone and presented with one of his 13 challenges... if he masters all 1Million Dollars is his.

The first challenges start of rather harmless... Pusit has to kill a fly, then eat the fly and you can guess they crank up the demands of their challenges. Where the movie starts of in a drama/Thriller fashion it soon incorporates some comedic elements when Pusit has to go to a playground and make some children cry which is a rather odd scene. He is soon looked after by the police for beating up people and no one knows he is just following the orders given through his cellphone that has a pretty annoying car alarm sound ring-tone. Beside the comedy elements the movie tends to freak out with some gross scenes where Pusit chucks down a nicely garnished plate of poo in a restaurant or he has to get a decomposed corpse out of a well. The mixture of these offbeat elements with fights, comedy and chases is kind of interesting and different and to top it off there is a lot of social commentary in the movie. I especially like the black humor that is incorporated like when Pusit has to beat the boyfriend of his ex-girl unconscious with a chair but the guy just won't get knocked out. Every time he wants to explain to his ex-girl he has to get back to work and beat the guy again. You can guess that it soon leads to questions of life or death and the question if Pusit will become a murder for money. In the end you realize that all the challenges and the game have more in common with Pusits life than you thought and this is where the movie takes a fall. There sure are several flaws like he duration of 120 minutes which start to drag after a while or the bad English dubbing and some rather bad acting and plot holes. But the finale doesn't just keep the whole game show concept obscure but also adds elements that make absolutely no sense in how the challenges were chosen and how they monitored the whole city with Pusit running amok. If you like a littleoffbeat movies give this one a try but don't expect to much plot-wise because it really gets pretty messy in the script towards the end.Anyway, it kept me entertained for most of the time... only thing thatjust didn't get into my head was the final scene with the girl on the bench... what the hell was that supposed to mean?

Good Idea, Bad Movie

[princebansal1982 · 3/10 · 8 July 2011]

This movie has a very good idea. A normal man who is desperately in need of money is given a chance to earn a huge amount if he goes through a series of increasingly difficult challenges. But the movie is let down by inconsistencies and plot holes and bad execution.

Inconsistencies are everywhere.The main protagonist is given the task to make three kids cry. He does so by taking a toy from a child. There are two female teachers present there. On witnessing the incident, they chase after him and then tell a guard to chase after him. Then they go to a police station to file a complaint and behave in a hysterical way. They demand a gun so that they can shoot the guy. Seriously ! all because the guy took a toy from a kid. The madness doesn't ends here. Apparently the Thai police think that since the guy has punched a colleague after he was fired and then beat up a beggar, he is some sort of huge threat. So they announce it on T.V. Wow, if that is realistic, then Thailand must have no crime to warrant a reaction like this.

As I wrote earlier it has a good idea but the execution makes the whole thing unbelievable and contrived. You are acutely aware that you are watching a movie. And some minor actors do a bad job which doesn't help matters either.

a hitchcockian thriller

[neideparente · 9/10 · 19 January 2008]

A film of almost unbearable suspense, who starts lightly and goes darker by the minute.

It works on various levels: as a critique of the society we live in ( the voyeurism and excessive competition), as psychological (the characters have their behavior well explained by the movie).

It is the best movie I have ever seen from Thailand.

Thai cinema is evolving and proof is Sick Nurses, an stylish exercise in horror better than most American movies and 13 Beloved, who is also very well served by its actors and director.

If you like suspense, don't miss that film

Disappointed

[anacleto_biloba · 6/10 · 25 July 2007]

I saw this movie last night at the Fantasia movie festival here in Montreal. I cannot believe that this movie won the "Best Asian film" award of the festival. Don't get me wrong, the movie is entertaining but you cannot compare it with for example the Japanese film "Memories of Matsuko" (http://imdb.com/title/tt0768120/) which is a far superior film also shown at the festival. 13 Beloved started as a funny, sick dark comedy. Too bad that by the end the comedy was gone and replace by criticism of our violent society. It turned too serious for its own good. Still, the movie is entertaining, but for gosh sake it doesn't deserve an award. 6/10

Seriously flawed... More like a comedy than a thriller. A huge let down.

[fahadkashmiri7 · 5/10 · 13 February 2012]

Well... i had heard great things about this movie, but frankly speaking i am very disappointed. The script has many loopholes and its very unstable. For example: When the guy makes three children cry and runs off from there, the two teachers get so hysteric and complains about him in the police station like he's some kind of terrorist... And the other one I didn't knew that punching a guy in the face and bashing up a beggar makes you the most wanted criminal in Thailand. WOW. If that would be the case than Thailand must be the most crime-free place in the whole world. And the last part, where the girl is sitting on the bench and the police comes near her... What does that means? I've tried to connect all the dots regarding that, but still i am clueless... It just does not lead to anything then why such a meaningless scene to end the film? Well... seriously i was expecting a lot from this movie but trust me its more like watching a Judd Apatow movie with a serial killer on the loose. Complete letdown.

Review from a Thai American who lives for these...

[alex-harris-love · 7/10 · 28 November 2021]

Movies about money versus morality are my favorite. Giving the characters options that decide their own or other's fate and potential demise is what I enjoy most in film. With that being said, this is the first ever Thai movie I have watched in full, I did not know it was a Thai movie going in and saw the American remake first. If you don't mind subtitles, this film is a comedic psychological thriller in which the storyline will have you not only glued to your seat but also questioning if things like this happen in real life especially in Hollywood (I'm sure you have heard of the Illuminati). The main character is given 13 challenges to complete and if successful, will receive enough money to have made it all worth it. However, what starts off as an easy task eventually leads to what could potentially be the hardest task he has ever faced in his life. Is it worth sacrificing all morality to attain this life-altering money or will he have a change of heart? The acting cannot be judged as it is not only terrible but so bad it makes the film seem purposefully funny (especially with the low budget special effects) but the focal point of the film is the plot. You will be guessing what comes next but never be right and the ending will have your surprised as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and hope you will as well.

Fast paced and entertaining but the end is a huge letdown

[kluseba · 7/10 · 11 March 2012]

This is a very emotional, gore and philosophical psycho thriller coming from Thailand that is well played by diversified actors and that has a couple of memorable ideas that lead to a surprising end even though the last sequence of the movie left me somewhat confused, disappointed and empty. Everything in the movie is extreme but it all makes a sense even if you can't be sure what is fiction or reality in the end.

The movie is about the question how far you would go to solve your problems and fight the demons of your past and portrays a young man that has lost everything and has no easy way out to get some money and some respect. The story reminds me a little bit of the great American movie "Falling Down", the intense and sometimes obscure gore moments are similar to the "Saw" series and the structure of the flick is close two "Twelve Rounds" with the exception that you have thirteen unholy steps to triumph or agony.

The movie is rather fast paced and always entertaining but it would have definitely needed a better conclusion concerning the reasons behind the events you see throughout the whole film and what happens to the characters after these events. This is why I cut off one point out of my final rating while the rest is nothing truly innovating but always intense entertainment and another great modern movie coming from some creative masterminds in Asia.

I'll stick to Monopoly!

[asda-man · 8/10 · 1 January 2013]

It's difficult to define 13 Game of Death into a particular genre because it's got a bit of everything in it. The cover art would suggest straight up horror, as would the title and the idea sounded pretty horrific to me too, as well as intriguing so I decided to buy it. However, even though if I had to pick a genre I would call it horror due to its sometimes violent nature and the creepy mystery of the man on the phone, but it also offers you so much more than that. It has the thrills of a thriller and is also quite often really funny, which I didn't expect.

We all know the idea, so I'm not going to bore you with it again, I'm just going to say that I actually really really enjoyed it! 13 Game of Death does well with building up verstehen for the main character. You really do feel for him when you see him in the opening having a really terrible day and he doesn't deserve it either because he seems like a well-meaning chap. I also liked how it didn't take too long for the phone to ring, because that's why were all here isn't it? To see these challenges? They do start off incredibly easy but it doesn't take long for them to escalate and from then on it's a downward spiral full of provocative moral questions, making you think what would I do for 100 million? The screenplay really captures Puchit's desperation of the money, he almost becomes a different character by the end of it and it's a really fascinating journey, only aided by the wonderful flashbacks charting his early childhood which Freud would heavily appreciate!

Some of the challenges themselves are actually really clever, leaving you to wonder what the challenge actually is. Also, because of the constant flow of tasks I was compelled throughout the film's almost two hour running time! 13 Game of Death had me gripped, I wanted to see how far it would go and more importantly how far Puchit would go! It all builds up to a finale which could've been grander (I'll get to that in a minute) but nevertheless compelling. The (sometimes heavy) dashes of humour were also refreshing, some parts were hilarious and had me cackling away like the old witch (or wizard) that I am!

The direction is actually better than the trailer would suggest. When I watched the trailer for the first time (which I do not recommend doing as it spoils some of the challenges which is half the fun of the film, I had to stop the trailer mid-way and just buy it. You do the same, it's cheap on Amazon!) it had a sort of indie-made-for-TV look, but it actually looks very professional and some parts are extremely well executed. Now about that ending. It's not as crazily bad as everyone was saying (I was expecting something really off the wall) and it certainly doesn't spoil the overall effect of the film. It just could've done with a better explanation in regards to the idea of the film, however the ending in terms of the main character I thought was perfect.

I suppose the end sort of leaves you in the dark as it tries to convey the same sort of message as Hidden did. That everyone has secrets and can be watched. Perhaps it doesn't have to be taken as literally and the whole idea of the film is a metaphor which I shall not spoil for you. 13 Game of Death is definitely worth seeing. It's incredibly thrilling and funny, as well as throwing up (no pun intended) some thought-provoking dilemmas. I was never bored for a second of its running time. Perhaps the only trouble is that it has a limited re-playable factor as half the fun and thrill is seeing the twists and challenges for the first time. However, the characterisation and execution is so brilliant that it could be played numerous times. I heavily liked it. You might do too?

Creative, entertaining, hilarious

[d_in_chi · 10/10 · 7 April 2014]

If you were to put Speed and the Saw series into a blender, strain out the guns, explosions, and most of the gore, then add a dollop of Stephen Chow and garnish it with lemongrass, you might just get 13: Game of Death.

13 is a lot of things: wacky, sadistic, chaotic, frantic, absurd, and a lot of fun.

I have never watched a movie this versatile. It changes gears so quickly and frequently, covering dozens of bases: horror, thriller, comedy, drama, action, mystery, slapstick, satire, and everything in between.

While this makes it sound like a mess, it's far from it. The screenplay is brilliant, the directing is sharp, and though nothing is gradual and the story is herky-jerky, everything is paced perfectly.

Of course, the film mostly operates in the realms of horror and extreme dark comedy. I'm not talking the usual blend of sight gags and one liners piled into zombie movies. It's very similar to the American film Chop in how it juggles the 2; the main character is drawn into a sick, goofy situation, the absurdity and despair of which are used for an almost Marxian comic effect. But where Chop is more gruesome and confined, this movie is more story-based and wide open, which it uses to a greater advantage.

In addition to transnavigating types of fiction, it also tiptoes around all the landmines that destroy horror films: from the protagonist's method of coming to terms with what he's involved in, to the final piece of the puzzle being revealed.

13 is able to do this because it is constantly self aware and it demonstrates that gracefully. It knows when to be serious and when to crack a joke. More importantly, it knows how to do either. It also benefits from an excellent script, with an ending that's impossible to predict and even somewhat poignant (a tall task for horror).

I can't say enough good things about this movie, and there are no weak points other than a fairly poor CGI scene which can be forgiven. If you like off-the-wall movies and don't watch horror with strict expectations, this is the first thing I'd recommend to you.

Pretty damn bad

[Slsr · 2/10 · 1 May 2010]

To be honest I think that this is easily one of the worst movies I have ever seen, one of those movies I just can't stand, and I just can't get over it that it's actually gotten some awards. Problem is simply that I just do not like a plot of this movie at all. It's just might be partially because this happens to be a movie with Horrible a bit game show/reality show alike "there's a game, where you can win money doing something stupid or disgusting" type of a idiotic plot which I find really boring and frustrating. But even so this type of plot itself is not enough to make movie almost completely unwatchable for me if movie can somehow make itself interesting enough. So yes, I also found movie otherwise completely uninteresting and so complete waste of my time.

Obviously I completely hated this movie. But, to be fair plenty of people have liked it, so since plot doesn't seem to be problem for other people and actually besides the horrible plot movie was well made, and acting work, directing etc. was not really bad at all I won't give this movie ultimate judgement in form of 1/10 review despite my hate towards it...

Solid Thai thriller

[Max-Asti · 8/10 · 11 June 2008]

I've always watched Asian movies, especially horror and thrillers, long before they became a fashion here. In particular I payed attention to Thai cinema that really grew up in the last 10 years, so i'm not surprised when I can see some solid product like this one. 13 Beloved is a strong thriller, based on a comic, that begins as a dark comedy, pass through some shocking scenes on the edge of gory horror to turn into a critic of (thai) contemporary society. The Cinematography is realistic and so are the special effects, acting is good, the director knows his job and the suspense is kept high for all the film. Maybe you could expect something more in the end. The only bad note is the English subtitles in the version I saw that took too much liberty in the translation and changed the MBK center into e-bay or a "farang" into a bastard and so on...

ridiculing

[dilaraarslan1998 · 3/10 · 3 May 2012]

I think this film was a very ridiculous film.This film is thriller but I wasn't afraid.I was laugh,laugh-and laugh.First time the film was little bit interesting for me.But later I was bored yo death.Thirteen games was in the films.And all of them very stupidly too.And I felt very bad when the man was eating stool.It's terrible.I want to see blood, body of parts, terrible faces and I want to hear screams.I am disappointed about this film. And finally I was surprised.I was very very surprised.I said myself "Opps!What happen?".His father killed him.And he won!!And I understood people shouldn't trust anybody.Everybody think themselves.Because life have many surprise...

13 challenges

[kairingler · 8/10 · 7 August 2008]

First off this is a very unique movie, for starters dummy me, i didn't know that the movie was in Japanese, but the subtitles make it easier, this kind of reminds me of the T.V. show Fear FActor. A man is having a very bad day,, gets fired, gets his car repossed, and his g/f dumps him,, so his cell rings, and low and behold it's the answer to all of his problems, a game show offering money , for each challenge that he completes.. the challenge starts off harmlessly enough,, killing a fly,, then swallowing it.. then of course the challenges get harder and more moral choices to face.. the movie is very fast paced, and i liked it as a whole, but there were a few things that didn't make sense, like the video cameras,, it's obvious the police could have rounded him up,, if the show is airing on live T.V. the ending of the movie left me confused,, it didn't go with the flow of the whole movie,, but hey there are quite a few movies that are good,, just screw up the ending for ya,, but all in all this is a very interesting film,, that should be given a try by all.

Would you do the doo-doo?

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 17 July 2011]

'From the makers of Chocolate and Ong Bak' was enough to pique my curiosity, but 13: Game of Death (AKA 13 Beloved) is no crazy Muay Thai beat 'em up; thoroughly twisted, darkly humorous, and totally unpredictable, the film plays out like a demented mix of Michael Douglas's Falling Down and The Game, with a little bit of the Saw movies thrown in for good measure.

Knee deep in debt and recently canned from his sales job, desperate Phuchit Puengnathong (Krissada Terrence) is offered a life-line when he receives a mysterious phone-call inviting him to take part in a bizarre game: successfully complete 13 challenges and he will win the staggering sum of 100 million baht. Unsurprisingly sceptical at first, Phuchit is convinced after completing the first simple task—killing the fly that is buzzing around his head—and a portion of the prize money is credited to his account. Seeing a way out of his predicament, Phuchit registers to play the rest of the game, but as the prize money goes up, so do the stakes...

This set up sees poor Phuchit forcing himself to perform and more outrageous, dangerous, and morally corrupt stunts; as he gets closer to claiming his prize money, he finds it impossible to call it quits, despite being required to carry out some absolutely nauseating acts. It's totally preposterous, yet utterly compelling stuff, forcing the viewer to question how far they would go in the same situation (personally, I would have drawn the line at eating a plate of doggy doo-doo and salad—I'm not big on salad!).

As with The Game, the film ends in a completely implausible manner, writer/director Chukiat Sakveerakul failing to wrap the whole thing up in a satisfactory manner with a twist ending that pushes the viewers suspension of disbelief to breaking point. The journey there, however, is well worth the effort.

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

Saw meets Eagle Eye meets Fear Factor, Excellent Result!

[nitzanhavoc · 8/10 · 12 October 2012]

This has been the first Thai production I've ever had the pleasure of watching, and I'm still somewhat in awe. I usually have a difficult time connecting to foreign films, which is a serious problem for a Horror fan (as some of the best horror films come from Japan, and some of the sickest from France). For instance, during the film I found myself laughing embarrassingly from time to time because of the way the Thai women sounded when they spoke. However, much to my surprise, 13 Game of Death turned out to be a real hidden treasure, a diamond in the rough.

As an audience, I found myself rooting for the hero from the start. Poor working-class fella, trying his best to make a living while financially supporting his mother and sister, had just been dumped by his successful singer of a girlfriend, and lost his job. Some fine script-writing and editing made sure his despair and anguish were visible and relatable. Then - a mysterious phone call changes everything.

What I found the most impressive about the story was the variety of the missions the hero was given. They were spread all around the ethic spectrum, and challenged different parts of his humanity each time. Yet, regardless to the morality (or lack thereof) of the missions, I found myself completely supporting the poor hero, hoping he'd succeed, and excited whenever he did, as if it were my bank account growing with each mission.

The ending was a little disappointing, a little depressing, and a little anti-climatic in my opinion, but I only say this because I couldn't help comparing this movie to the Saw series, which in my book was the best horror anthology ever.

All in all, this film had been a perfectly balanced combination of Saw, Eagle Eye and Fear Factor, and was one of the best thrillers I've ever seen. Very highly recommended!!!

One Of Thailand Cinema's Best Yet!!

[Movie-Misfit · 8/10 · 19 September 2019]

Putting the quote 'From the makers of Ong Bak and Chocolate' on the front cover has no doubt led many fight fans to believe that this is another action-packed film from Thailand, but unfortunately, that is not the case. Instead we are given one of the best Thai films in recent years - a twisted thriller, filled with dark comedy and violence galore that takes the Baa-Ram-Ewe Studio to another level!

I really like 13: Game of Death. Its been a while since I first watched it, and actually forgot how well made, directed and entertaining it all is. Like a ramped up version of Michael Douglas' fantastic film, Falling Down, this Thai flick starts off on a light jog then doesn't take long before breaking into a full sprint - shocking and surprising its audience along the way as poor Chit accepts challenge after challenge, with each one getting worse along the way.

Each role is pretty well acted, but main star Krissada Sukosol owns it. He plays Chit perfectly, full of emotion and keeps you glued to the screen every second he's on it - seeming like he is channelling the energy of a young Another Wong from the golden years of Hong Kong cinema! While only having appeared in a handful of films as I write (this being his third), I'd like to see Krissada go a long way and make a bigger name for himself.

A lot of the time, Thai comedy doesn't translate too well to the Western audience, but with this, most of it actually works and comes across quite funny. I don't want to give too much away about it as the shock value and twists will be spoilt if you haven't already seen it, so go find yourself a copy of 13: Game of Death and enjoy one of Thai cinema's better offerings before someone ruins it for you...

Overall: Fast paced, shocking and funny, 13: GOD is one of the best films to come out of Thailand to date!

Shock And Roll

[chicagopoetry · 8/10 · 25 May 2009]

This combination of Saw and Echelon Conspiracy contains three of the most shocking cinematic moments you are ever likely to see: one involving the consumption of something very vile; another involving the retrieval of a corpse from a well; and the most original--a remarkable scene of multiple decapitations. It starts out like a retelling of The Game (the one with Michael Douglas) but then it quickly becomes apparent that there isn't going to be much of a happy ending here, as the reality show our victim gets involved with heads into a downward spiral of violence and utter vulgarity. This one has the morals of Run and Kill and the subtlety of The Three Stooges. If you're looking for an EXTREME horror experience, 13 Beloved won't let you down.