Chocolate

It is martial arts fest today, comparing recently discovered (by me at least) Muay Thai and Kung Fu. Chocolate is another entry in the Muay Thai martial arts offerings (see the Kung Fu review of Drunken Master). I really like watching this form as it is much more dynamic than traditional Kung Fu. Unfortunately, good martial arts does not always make a good film. In this story, we are introduced to Zin, who is an enforcer for a local mafia boss. She falls in love with a rival Japanese man, is thrown out of the business and has a baby (Zen). The story focuses on this child who has a developmental problem and requires lots of care, but also has the unique ability to learn martial arts from watching TV and video games. After watching lots of Ong Bak, Zen re-enters the world of her mother in an effort to raise some much needed cash, clashing with her old nemesis along the way. The Zen character is sympathetic in many ways, but mechanical in others. She comes across as a machine that is being used by the people and circumstances around her. She does not really understand or make decisions in the world which she lives. I know that this "child martial arts" critique was leveled by many against the recent Kick Ass as well, claiming the images of child manipulation were abusive and inappropriate, but it didn't bother me there. Here, the tone is different, resulting in the entire movie being a bit uncomfortable.
2 stars (out of 5)