Untitled MileApo Movie (2023)

Excellent acting but slightly weak plot

I'm on holiday in Bangkok when I decided to catch the movie since I'm not sure if it will be shown in Singapore.

First thing to note - It's not a BL movie but the chemistry between Mile and Apo is still there.

As someone who is not Thai, it feels weird realising that the dialogue was not in the Thai language that I'm used to with my Thai friends. I think it's in one of the many Thai dialects but got used to it within 15 mins of the movie.

The production is seriously gorgeous. The costumes, the make-up, the backdrop was all so beautiful. It is a visually appealing movie in every way.

Apo's acting improved a lot compared to back in KinnPorsche. Bas was a little bit underuse but the scene between Apo, Mile, Tong & him - Bas completely stole the scene from everyone. I hope people in the industry notice more of his skills. Personal opinion - I feel that Mile's acting was the weakest among the 4 of them. I felt that the other 3 step up their game while Mile's acting was still the same back in KinnPorsche but still love him.

The plot was okay. I felt that something is missing from the storyline but I'm not sure what it is.

Overall, totally worth it for me to catch it at the cinema while on holiday!

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Mansuang Comes Out With a Bang!

One of the movie I looked forward to in 2023 and they delivered every part of the movie well. From amazing production to beautiful cinematography, everything in this movie was beautiful. When it comes to reviewing Mansuang, one of the most important thing to highlight is that every single actor, from main actors to side actors played their role incredibly well. The acting is a 10/10 without any hesitation. One thing that could be improved is that they should release the uncut version as it was reduced from 3 hours to 2 hours. Although the storyline was not impacted by this, it would be great if we can dive deeper into every scene. Overall, an amazing film to watch!

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A film worth watching - but maybe not for its plot

As has been an unfortunate theme in Be On Cloud's "KinnPorsche" and now "Man Suang", the plot suffers quite heavily from inconsistencies where everything else is absolutely excellent. I absolutely adored the dancing scenes and getting to immerse myself more in the culture of the country my mother grew up in. It feels like I get to connect with a part of myself that often ends up in the background given I don't live there and never have, only visited a handful of times. It was all portrayed very well; I loved the music, the detail of their training and the choreography. I just wish there had been more of it, since the Thai culture was what was the main focus of how this film was initially promoted.

I liked how the characters were written and performed, though their role in the story often made little sense. A lot of it was confusing, as was the pacing which would sometimes be too slow but sometimes so fast that it became impossible to keep up with what was happening and why. It's unfortunate, because I had very much looked forward to Man Suang, and it ended up falling flat because of these aspects. If one looks away from the plot entirely and just wants to watch this film for its portrayal of Thai culture from an age past, you've come to the right place. Set your expectations accordingly, and you'll have a wonderful time. For the most part, I did- but there were times where I couldn't ignore trying to make sense of the plot.

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A promise that wasn’t

When this movie was announced during the world tour, my heart danced. It was supposed to be a story between a drummer and a dancer. Following the production, the direction has changed to what we have now.

The story: Mansuang tells a story of 2 men( Khem and Wan) of low born status, who by a stroke of bad luck, got sent to Mansuang to uncover a government secret. There they met CHATRA who is on a mission of his own. There is a huge lapse in logic at the methods these men have chosen their individual objectives-

1. There was no foundation to the trust, that allowed Khem to so openly divulge this massive secret that have cost the life of people to Chatra.
2. The Khem character who was on this important mission, seemed to make it a point to engage in unnecessary conflict, thereby drawing unwarranted attention to himself.
3. How did the trio, who have been established as lowborn, earn the right to question the people of higher status, regarding their involvement in said scheme.
4. Why was Khem and Wan sent, when they knew no English, and the document was in English?

The acting in this movie was brilliant and that is to be expected of actors of their calibre. My personal favourite would be Hong(played by Tong) and Chatra(played by Mile) - these two(2) presented a reverse charm to the characters they played in KP, and did it beautifully. Their search for answers amidsttheir grief, was interpreted beautifully with gorgeous micro expressions. I enjoyed watching them.
For Apo(Khem), I had high expectations for his performance, but cringed so hard at his dancing but he looked beautiful so it was bearable. Also, his acting came across as exaggerated at times and in some scenes, seemed to maintain only one facial expression. It broke my focus a little bit. However, he embodies his costume and was a treat for the eyes.
Personally, it was also a discovery of Bas, who played the character, Wan. I went into this not knowing what to expect from Bas as his part in KP was minimal, but I am thoroughly impressed.

The pacing of the movie could have been better. It was fast at times and slow some other times. The emotional scenes came out of nowhere and was short lived. The cinematography and shot was really beautiful, as expected of BOC.

I also wasn’t fulfilled with how much dance or Tanphon was integrated in the movie. Considering this is was the main marketing point, I expected more.

Mansuang could have been something beautiful if more time has gone into the plot development I believe.

Overall, it’s not a bad watch but not the best either. You won’t regret watching it if you set your expectations low.

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A TRUE MASTERPIECE

Rating: 10000000+/10

I'm just going to start with the characters first. Every single actor in this movie has been incredible. Top tier acting.

Khem - He is freaking beautiful. He is so majestic when he dances. You can see the passion he has towards his craft. He is such a strong character, doesn't take shit from anyone, and despite everything he went through, he is so kind to those around him. I was absolutely shattered when I saw him crying in front of the mirror. Just wanted to reach out and hold him. Also, I absolutely love the way he was so happy and free with Chat. Small kindness was enough to earn his trust and loyalty. Apo, as always, is an outstanding actor. He uses his whole body to act, and it is beautiful to watch.

Chatra - I thought he would be serious, but he was so funny and lovable, and also so kind, and the way he subtly threatens people is so hot. He was so powerful and smart, but the way he broke down when he learned about his father was heartbreaking as hell. He is such an interesting character. The way he was ready to give up everything so Khem could get his freedom, too. So romantic. In the end, when he puts on his noble outfit, he is so freaking handsome. Khun Chatra, my gosh. Mile did an incredible job at portraying Chatra. The way he acts through his eyes is magnificent.

Wan - this character seems so naive but holds so much pain in him. He has a dark past, and the constant ears rubbing and ptsd he goes through just make me want to jump into the screen and hug him. The ending surprised me, but he went through so much. I could see how that affected him. Bas is a superb actor! I was stunned by his portrayal of Wan.

Hong - he was a surprising character for me. I thought he was just a rich son getting ready to take over but naive and clueless. But my god, I loved his character. He is so smart and intuitive. I absolutely loved the little twist they had for his character. Tong killed it! Amazing acting.

All the other characters were so interesting and had a story to tell. The villains were very much villaining. Got the creeps from most of them. Actors did an amazing job at portraying them.

The plot was quite engaging. It had the appropriate balance of comedy, mystery, drama, and light romance. I literally held my breath the entire time. I just wanted to know what would happen next.

The cinematography is top tier! With stunning lighting, gorgeous imagery, and beautiful aesthetics, it really took us to the world of ManSuang.

I am definitely going to watch it a bunch of times to absorb all the details I missed. But this was such a beautiful movie, and you can clearly see the hard work and passion that went into creating this masterpiece 👏

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Thai movie, with some fight and blood

The movie is very great.
The traditional clothes that the actors wear and the vibes in the movie is just awesome , the work they put in it is very complex. the effects are very good , when there's people being murdered or something else its very well done , looks real and not fake so its very great to see realistic things in this awesome movie , conclusion i really recommend this movie of lovers of the tradition in Thailand also for the lovers who loves to see blood or fight, there's not a lot of fight but even tho when they fight its very realistic! So i really recommend it !! 100000/10

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Masterful Film

Amazing acting from everyone, great storyline, beautifully shot film, and fantastic costuming. It also taught me more about Thai culture, which was an absolute plus! Seeing the dancing, learning a little about social class and political climates of the time, witnesses customes and seeing traditional dress was all very interesting as someone with extremely limited knowledge on traditional Thai culture. Overall, wonderful film. The only reason I didn't give it a full rewatch score is because of the amount of twists in the movie and how a lot of my love comes from my reactions to the twists in the story. Experiencing it a second time wouldn't be the same or as intriguing because I know what the twists are - and they are awesome! But that's a "me thing" lol. A must-watch!!

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A few ups and downs, but mostly serves

Man Suang is a solid production.

Though this may be a fictional story, it is intricately connected to the events of the time period, including the societal norms of the time period. The movie also showcases the political and cultural landscape of Thailand in a realistic way. When you produce a fictional account set in a very real and turbulent political and historical period, it is bound to get confusing at times, but for what it's worth, they did an admirable job.

Coming to the actual story, it was quite predictable. Like I mentioned, historical stories require a certain amount of explanation and background to be fully appreciated, and while I would have preferred that, the storytelling was solid for the most part. The characters are well fleshed out, the motives were clear and despite the fact that the mysteries were easily solved and the plotlines were succinctly wrapped up. The ending left something to be desired, but I guess that's what the sequel's for.

One thing that needs to be cleared up: there's no romance. This is a political thriller through and through, and even with the occasional glances, I'm glad it didn't develop into a romance. Including a full fledged romance would have taken a lot of time, and this was already chock full of events that including more scenes would have messed up something that already felt like it lacked a few things.

I probably wouldn't re-watch this, maybe if I wanted to see if I missed some details. More than anything, it was a pretty good watch and it will keep you invested.

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فیلمی با خط داستانی عالی اما پرداخت ضعیف

بعد از دیدن تریلر و مخصوصا موزیک‌ویدیویی که از این فیلم منتشر شد، به شدت منتظر ریلیزش بودم. با انتظارات بالا و دید مثبت شروعش کردم... ومتاسفانه با ناامیدی به اتمام رسوندمش.
تیم تولید امکانات زیادی در اختیار داشت که میتونست به بهترین نحو ازشون استفاده کنه و یه اثر به یادموندنی بسازه:
بازیگر هایی که شناخته شده و محبوبن
خط اولیه‌ی قوی داستان
المان‌ها و اشاره‌های فرهنگی
طراحی لباس عالی
دکور و صحنه‌سازی باکیفیت و‌...
اما متاسفانه همشون قربانی فیلمنامه‌ی به شدت ضعیف و تدوین پیچیده و بی‌نظم شدن.

<اسپویل>
قرار بود خِم و وان که به اشتباه به قتل متهم شده بودن، برای پاک کردن نام خودشون به مان‌سوانگ بیان و اونجا اسناد خرابکاری یه عده که گمان میرفت در حال آماده‌سازی برای شورش بر علیه تاج و تخت بودند رو پیدا کنن.
بعد از اومدن به مان‌سوانگ هم فهمیدن با چاترا منافع مشترک دارن و تصمیم گرفتن همکاری کنن.

انقدر باگ فیلمنامه زیاد بود که واقعا نمیدونم چجوری فیلم رو تموم کردم و واقعا باید ازش چه نتیجه‌ای بگیرم؟
شخصیت‌پردازی‌ها به شدت ضعیف بود. وان دچار یه تروما بود که به شدت روی رفتارش تاثیر داشت اما هیچ جوره این تروما رو برای بیننده توضیح دقیق ندادن.
چرا خِم به این راحتی به چاترا اعتماد کرد؟
چرا صاحب مان‌سوانگ یجا در حال همکاری با فروشندگان اسلحه بود و چند روز بعد مقابلشون؟
هونگ فقط برای گیر انداختن یه مهره‌ی ساده مثل پسرعموش مرگش رو جعل کرد؟ و بعد از اونهمه تلاش برای افشای هویت فروشنده و خریداران اسلحه جلوی شاه راما، تقریبا هیچ اتفاقی نیفتاد به جز اینکه وان بی دلیل و احمقانه کشته شد.
صحنه‌های احساسی انقدر بدون مقدمه و در موقعیت‌های نامناسب قرار داشت که هیچ تاثیری نمیذاشت.
و در نهایت قرار بود به داستان یک رقصنده و نوازنده پرداخته بشه که کل تبلیغاتی که در این زمینه شده بود محدود شد به یکی دو سکانس که واقعا حیف بود.

برای یک‌ بار دیدن خوبه.
ولی به هیچ عنوان هیچ انتظاری ازش نداشته باشید.

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A Great Historical Experience, But Could Have Been Better

Indeed, this is a visually stunning movie that is certainly entertaining. With a big bag of popcorn (or snack of your choice) and a relaxing chair, you will thoroughly enjoy this movie. Filled with handsome men, a relatively interesting but a bit slow-plodding plot at times, elegant chorography, breathtaking cinematography, and beautiful costumes, you are in for a treat. Is it memorable? Well, no, not really, but it sure is fun to watch.

It is a story of two dancers. During a performance before officials, one is so impressive, not just for his dancing skills but also for his beauty and is asked to ‘personally perform’ for his uncle who is a high official. Khun (Apo Nattawin) and his companion Wan (Bas Asavapatr) are an interesting pair. Both young and handsome, but with Khun looking after Wan, almost like a brother. Their backstory is somewhat vague. Unfortunately, both are accused of killing the official Khun was asked to entertain even though they had attempted to intervene in the assassination. However, to gain pardons for the crime of murder that they will be charged with since they are phrai, (of the lower class), they agree to go to Siam to conduct a cloak-and-dagger operation and steal documents that are proving that the group of Chinese known as Tua Hia are plotting a rebellion.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/16/man-suang-movie-review/

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beautiful but underwhelming

incredible acting, gorgeous sound design, and visually stunning, but the story leaves something to be desired.

this film really picks up after about an hour and twenty minutes. after that it's compelling, but that first hour plus dragged. it felt far too long, but the last forty minutes or so are good.

visually this movie is breathtaking. the cinematography, set dressing, and costume design all deserve a shout out. it is a highly textured and detailed aesthetic. it's a shame it wasn't available in my country when it first came out, as I feel it would be beyond beautiful on the big screen.

my big problem with this film is the story. I didn't find it hard to follow as others seem to have, but it takes far too long to get to it's major plot points, and it frankly isn't that interesting. the twists were largely predictable, the characters a little flat, and the ending somewhat disappointing. spoiler, if you're hoping the main bad guy gets his due comeuppance, you will leave disappointed.

overall a movie that is worth watching, and one that reaffirm my belief that be on cloud are a production company to keep an eye on as they find their grove, but frankly, I'd rather rewatch kinnporsche.

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