Search - 13: Game of Death on DVD

Chad B. (abrnt1) from CABERY, IL
Reviewed on 6/4/2011...

An interesting and very disturbing film. Well worth checking out if you're a fan of asian horror or most dangerous game type films.

1 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Nicole W. (sterju3) from SCRANTON, PA
Reviewed on 4/13/2009...

pretty good movie...fast paced with a killer ending that really suprised me. not bad for a thai psychologcal thriller...task #5 is quite a gross out..as well as task 10 which is very bloody..

5 of 5 member(s) found this review helpful.

What would YOU do for a million dollars?

The Matrix Fan | 04/03/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I must say, When I brought this movie home last night, I thought I was just getting another horror movie rental, but I was pleasantly surprised by the psychological thriller known as 13: Game of Death. It presents us with a question: what would you be willing to do for money?



The film starts off pretty slow - we're introduced to a man known as Chad or Chit (this depends if you watch the movie in English or Thai) and he's having a run of bad luck. His bank account is seriously overdrawn, his girlfriend has no more interest in him, and as the last straw, he's gotten fired from his job.



When all seems lost, Chad gets a mysterious call on his cell phone. Apparently someone has been watching him for a long time and has chosen him to compete in a special game. The caller offers Chad a chance to change his life - if he completes 13 tasks set before him, he will be rewarded with one million dollars.

However, if he decides to stop, Chad will lose all the money he has earned and will be left with nothing.



At first, Chad has no problems with the challenges that are presented to him. Over time, however, they get increasingly difficult - physically, mentally, and morally. Chad realizes that there is something else going on behind this game...the task master seems to be setting up challenges which bring back memories Chad thought he had buried forever.

Before the night is over, Chad will have to face all of his worst inner fears in his pursuit of the final cash prize.



Will 13 be his lucky number?



I feel 13: Game of Death succeeds on a number of levels. It serves as a taut thriller, keeping us guessing as to what Chad's next task will be. Each challenge is designed to provoke a morally questionable response from Chad, very similar to the delivery of traps in the Saw film series.

I also found myself wondering what I would be willing to do for a million dollars. There are some tasks I could do without breaking a sweat, other tasks would leave me feeling guilty for years. Surprisingly, there's quite a bit of humor thrown throughout the movie, and while it is surprisingly light on gore; it still manages to entertain and captivate our attentions.



13: Game of Death is a clever morality tale hidden in a horror/thriller film. Sure, we'd all like to have the gold ring, enough money to solve all our problems. Unfortunately, money like this doesn't come without a steep price to pay - and Chad will be finding out just how high that price is.



This film definitely makes an excellent rental, but if you're a fan of movies like Saw, Seven (New Line Platinum Series), or foreign films like Oldboy, I highly recommend this for ownership.



The only reason I didn't give this movie 5 stars is because of the film's pacing and the misleading cover. The cover, in my opinion, will not entice people to buy it, it will lead them further down the shelves. As a foreign film, there is no American advertising to speak of...so the only way 13: Game of Death will get seen is by positive word of mouth.



Spread the word, folks.

"

All the disgust, tension, and random hilarity only asia coul

Raul Duke | Pittsburgh | 06/24/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"**** 1/2



this is one of the coolest thrillers ive seen in a long time. its got it all, believable characters, cool set up, some occasional gore, and you might even find yourself cracking up at a few points.



basically its the story of a guy who is down on his luck, he's in serious financial trouble, doesnt have many friends, and he just lost his job. everything seems to follow the same grey routine for the poor guy, until he gets a phone call with a strange, unfamiliar voice on the other end, followed by even stranger instructions from the caller. if he can kill the fly buzzing around his head he will win $1000 dollars. thats it? no problem. now for $5000, eat the fly.



as the day goes by, the challenges get more and more outlandish, from retrieving a dead body from the bottom of a well, to eating a fresh pile of... eh hem..



i dont want to spoil too much plot-wise, because there are some very interesting twists and turns, but ill just say i was glued to the screen from start to finish, and it'll probably do the same for you.



::all in the name of the almighty dollar::"

What Do You Have To Lose?

C. Sawin | TX | 04/23/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Chit is having one of the worst days anyone could possibly have. Prame, the guy who always seems to outsell everyone else in the office, swiped a sale right out from under his nose, then his car was repossessed, then he lost his job, he has bills piling up, and his mom's asking him for money. He has no idea what to do. And then he gets a strange phone call. Whoever it is knows all about him. They're offering him a chance to make something of himself. He's been selected to be a contestant on a game show. What does Chit have to lose? As the game progresses, Chit finds out that he can win up to 100 million baht if he completes 13 challenges. The only problem is that not only do the challenges get more and more disturbing as the game goes along, but they're also getting darker and more twisted. There are rules to the game and if Chit breaks any one of them, the game ends and he loses everything. Will Chit still be left standing by the time this is all over? Will his financial problems be solved?



I guess this is translated a few different ways. IMDb and Netflix have different names for the characters than the version I watched. In the version I watched, the main character was named Phuchit(called Chit throughout most of the film), but Netflix and IMDb list him as Pusit. I guess the English dub lists him as Chad. The film is also known as 13: Beloved. All the technicalities aside, the DVD cover may be a bit misleading. It might make you think you're in for a bloodbath or a serial killer type of film. This isn't the case. This is an intelligent thriller. Possibly more intelligent than you first give it credit for.



Films from Thailand seem to be some of the only films that are still somewhat original these days. That's not to say the film doesn't have its similarities to other films. The most obvious being its similarities to Saw. But instead of ripping off a successful horror film just to put out another one to try and cash in on the same audience like so many others have done before it, they took an idea associated with the film, put their spin on it, came up with a well developed story, and turned it into a thriller that builds up as it goes along. The only factor that drags the film down is the use of CGI in the film. I can only think of two scenes off the top of my head that used CGI, but you can tell it's just that...below par CGI. You really start to feel bad for Chit though. As the game drags on, you realize there's nothing Chit won't do to try and get his life back on track.



The one thing that may make or break the viewer's opinion of the film is the ending. From other reviews I've skimmed through, the majority of people seem to hate it. I think it fit the film. As the game gets into its closing stages, Chit keeps telling himself that he's still human even after the horrific events he's witnessed tonight and were his doing. The ending fits that logic. There is a slight twist at the end, but I don't want to spoil anymore than what I already have.



13: Game of Death is a Thai thriller that I think just about anyone can sit down and enjoy. It's well-written, there's more character development than you may be expecting, it's suspenseful, it picks up momentum as the film progresses, and it builds towards an ending you may not be expecting. What would you do for $100 million?"