Mercury Man (film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the Thai superhero film. For the unrelated Charlton Comics character, see Mercury Man.
Mercury Man

Thai film poster.
Directed by Bhandit Thongdee
Produced by Prachya Pinkaew
Sukanya Vongstthapat
Starring Wasan Khantaau
Metinee Kingpayome
Arnon Saisangchan
Jinvipa Kheawkunya
Parinya Kiatbusaba
Darunee Khrittabhunyalai
Cinematography Sittipong Kongtong
Editing by Sudtipon Tubtim
Distributed by Sahamongkol Film International
Release date(s) Flag of Thailand August 10, 2006
Running time 101 min.
Country Thailand
Language Thai
English
Budget 60 million baht [1]
IMDb profile

Mercury Man (Thai: มนุษย์เหล็กไหล or Ma noot lhek lai) is a 2006 Thai superhero martial arts action film. It is directed by Bhandit Thongdee with martial arts choreography by Panna Rittikrai of Ong-Bak, Tom-Yum-Goong and Born to Fight.

Contents

[edit] Plot

After being stabbed with an ancient Tibetan amulet, a Bangkok firefighter named Sharn is transformed into a superhero when his body becomes a massive heat source, which he learns to manipulate to give him super strength, increased agility and the ability to make great leaps.

Sharn's fate is entwined with an Afghan terrorist, Osama bin Ali, who wants the power of the Tibetan amulet to use in a plot to destroy the United States. With his international terrorist organization, led by henchwoman Areena, Osama kidnaps Sharn's mother and transsexual sister and takes them to the Royal Thai Navy base, where he hopes to launch a rocket at a US Navy chemical weapon ship. Osama also has suicide bombers spread out throughout Thailand, ready to act on his word.

Aided by the young female guardian of the amulet, Sharn rescues his mother and sister. However, he must face Areena, who has stabbed herself with a companion amulet, giving her the powers of extreme cold and ice.

[edit] Cast

  • Wasan Khantaau as Sharn
  • Metinee Kingpayome as Areena
  • Arnon Saisangchan as Osama bin Ali
  • Jinvipa Kheawkunya as the amulet guardian
  • Parinya Kiatbusaba as Sharn's sister
  • Darunee Khrittabhunyalai as Sharn's mother

[edit] Production

Similar to Ong-Bak, which was also choreographed by Panna Rittikrai and produced by Prachya Pinkaew, Mercury Man contains "shout outs" to Western films. References to Spider-Man are seen throughout Mercury Man, in dialogue, in Spider-Man T-shirts worn by extras and through spray-painted messages in the scenery, such as "Spidy how R U?"[2]

[edit] Reception

Mercury Man was met with mostly negative criticism, which held that the concept of a Western-style comic book superhero was unoriginal. The Times of India said: "Now why can’t the East stick to its own brand of cinema instead of churning out B-grade Hollywood clones?"[3]

Additionally, critics had problems with the execution of the film. "The pyrotechnics ... are rough, jagged and quite-quite amateur," the Times of India said.[3]

[edit] Soundtrack

Arnon Saisangchan (Osama bin Ali), is the lead singer of the Thai rock band Blackhead. Known as Phu Blackhead, he sings the song heard over the closing credits.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Agence France-Presse. August 18, 2006. "First Thai superhero to battle Hollywood at box office", via Channel News Asia (retrieved August 18, 2006)
  2. ^ July 5, 2006. "Mercury Man says Hi", Twitchfilm.net (retrieved August 18, 2006)
  3. ^ a b Mercury Man (review), Times of India; retrieved 2007-11-03

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Cinema of Thailand
Languages