Set in Southern Thailand towards the end of World War II, Gold Rush Gang is a thriller that makes you want more even after the credits start rolling. Based on the life of Ko-Wah Thungsong, a bandit turned hero for the people, the plot follows his journey alongside his ragtag crew. Each of the crew members has their own specialized skills as they undertake high-risk heists against the Japanese Army train that is loaded with gold. Their aim is simple and straightforward: they want to drive out each and every invader in order to reclaim the treasure. Ko-Wah will remind you of Robin Hood, as he steals from the rich and distributes the wealth amongst the poor. However, this plan is interrupted when Ko-Wah meets a rival who was once a friend, Luang Arun, who abducted his wife. And to make things even more complicated, there is a blossoming romance between the rival’s daughter and one of Ko-Wah’s gang members.
When it comes to the plot, the plot never misses a chance to keep you entertained through comedy and bold action scenes. Even the aspect of romance adds to the overall success of delivering us fun banter to break the monotony. An ode to Ko-Wah, the script does full justice, all credits to the writer, who is none other than Director Wisit Sasanatieng and actor Phetthai Vongkhamlao.
When it comes to acting, the actors have to be applauded for bringing a script like this to life with full dedication. Phetthai Vongkhamalo as Ko-Wah is the show stopper. Bringing a legend to life isn’t an easy task, and for once, you forget that he isn’t Ko-Wah. That is the amount of reality he plays this role with. The rest of the cast, which includes Thiti Mahayotaruk, Chingduang Duijkers, and Na Chat Juntapun, along with Ophaphoon Chitapan, also does a great job. Their point on humor, friendship of characters, and dialogue delivery make the entire story a huge success.
What I particularly liked was the way Ko-Wah was portrayed here with all the traditional and modern narratives. Bringing a legend to life is not an easy task; there are multiple things that one has to keep in mind, including sentiments. This movie, however, manages to ace that. He is a true hero for many for fighting against oppression and helping those in need.
In all the fiction movies that we watch, sometimes a touch of reality is very much needed. This movie gave us that with its well-written script and great action and comedy scenes. It has everything that you ask for, even if it means romance. And frankly speaking, I am not a big fan of Thai movies, but this one is sure to be an exception.
So if you are someone who likes watching heist movies, action, and comedy, of course, a touch of romance, this movie is a good choice. The pacing is decent, hence it doesn’t become boring. None of the scenes are unnecessarily dragged as we see in many movies. Therefore, it won't be a case where fighting is going on and on.
Final Score- [8/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Choudhuri
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times