Suek Khangkhao Kin Kluai (2024)

Squandered potential

The premise for Bat War is ripe with potential. A strict military colonel comes onto the scene to enforce a ban on traditional Thai music. But there's an exception. While he holds traditional Thai music practitioners at gun point, one house of music is allowed to continue playing and teaching.

Trying to slap comedy onto this premise was not the best idea. Music is such a drawcard for film because of how its pulls at the heartstrings. Music practice is a deeply personal thing, imbued with meaning for both the musician and their audience. I think Bat War could've been a beautiful production if there'd been both this emotive quality AND the comedic elements. Alas, no.

As such, the comedy falls flat. Having soldiers run around brandishing their guns at old guys playing their music just isn't very 'ha ha' material. It doesn't help that the acting is Hallmark Movie quality. The dialogue and cuts are awkward and stilted. And the music doesn't get to shine.

I dropped this around 30 minutes in. But not before I had scrubbed ahead to see what the motivation behind the music ban was, only to find it trivial and disappointing. I had originally thought when I first saw this movie pop on my Netflix recs that it might've been based on a real historical ban - but quickly realised in the first couple of scenes this was not the case.

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