Chocolate

If you enjoy a good, stupid Kung Fu movie from time to time as much as I do you need to see Chocolate!

This movie defines the term "obscure". Released in Thailand (where it's from) in 2008, it only opened on SEVEN screens in the USA a year later, obviously to no advertising or fanfare.

Chocolate was directed by Prachya Pinkaew, who also did The Protector (which has, I think, the best long, uncut martial arts scene ever!) It introduces and stars, and I do mean STARS, JeeJa Yanin as Zen, an autistic young lady who can copy complicated martial arts moves just by seeing them. She uses her remarkable skill to collect money to help her sick mother - money owed to the mother from her shady past.

Yes. The plot is silly and unrealistic. But in this case, I say who cares! This is a great, stoopid martial arts film! There are plenty of other problems and plot holes, all equally overlookable.

I'm no expert, but I don't think autistics have the physical dexterity to have this skill. But, as stated at the beginning, the film was made to celebrate people with special needs. The film, indeed, does very well not to treat Zen as a freak but as an actual person. This movie is actually touching at times too!

The biggest problem with this is getting through the first 20 minutes. Slow, boring, not well written, if you can get through the back story, a real treat awaits. Stick it out!

Chocolate has some of the best, most intense martial arts scenes. Quite brutal at times (a sure sign of a good Kung Fu movie) they are amazingly choreographed. The filming of the fight scenes is great - no jump cuts, so you can see exactly what happens and how hard the blows land. They also mix up the martial arts styles nicely- Muay Tai and Kung Fu are the most used there are others too.

I'm adding this to my soon-to-come list of Best Martial Arts Flicks!