Thursday, February 04, 2010

Big booms come in little packages

I have a new favorite martial arts flick.  The people who know me best know of my love for the genre.  My love affair with the martial arts goes back a long way--to Billy Jack and Enter the Dragon... In the theaters.  I was barely old enough to be in school, but I was on my way to being a serious martial arts junkie.

This movie, a Thai offering called--of all things--Chocolate, features the skills of a young woman I've never heard of before and the direction of the man responsible for the Tony Jaa films "The Protector" and "Ong Bak, Thai Warrior."

I've also got a fondness for kick-ass heroines.  As anyone who's read any of my books might already know.  If it would fit into my WIP I'd be writing in a young Thai heroine in homage to JeeJa Yanin.  This girl kicks serious ass with high-flying style.  Supple, quick as a striking serpent, and acrobatic as a bounding spider monkey, the autistic savant Zen strikes confusion, if not fear, into the hearts of her enemies.

I enjoyed the other two Thai action flicks I've seen, but this one hit all the right notes.  Just perfect.  I'm pretty sure I'll watch this movie again and again, just to see JeeJa do her thing.  Move over, Milla... this girl is poised to take your crown as kickass queen of the universe.

When I start making films, my heroines are going to have their work cut out for them.  It's a good thing my choreography isn't going to be quite as high-flying.  But if I can get them to work even a fraction as hard as JeeJa did in this film, I'll feel like I've accomplished something.

It's good to dream.