DVD Synopsis: An exotic island of hidden pleasures where the nights are long and the women are as hot as the tropical climate. It's the perfect location for a bunch of fun loving guys in search of an overseas adventure. But when a sweltering night of hardcore gambling goes horribly wrong, a group of naïve backpackers find themselves indebted to a local mafia boss. Their only way of escaping execution is to agree to kidnap the daughter of a tyrannical millionaire. It's a deadly mission that results in them being hunted down by a merciless mafia boss, a demented tycoon and a crazed milita of martial arts assassins out for blood. Thrust into a violent criminal underworld they must fight for survival in the only way they know how: by kicking ass! Written by and starring mountainous action star Conan Stevens, Bangkok Adrenaline also features Jackie Chan Stunt Team veteran Daniel O'Neill. Bringing martial arts action cinema into a new decade, Bangkok Adrenaline laughs in the face of CGI with some of the most amazing fight sequences and death defying, wireless stunts caught on film. (90 Mins)

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Views: This independent Thai film was penned by an Aussie, directed by a Dutchman, and led by Englishmen. Each of these men have clearly spent a lot of time in Thailand, and have gained the support of the film community there, but my god, I only wish they would have refined a lot of things here before starting production. Bangkok Adrenaline tells the tale of four backpackers who arrive in Thailand to party and have a good time. But when a gambling game goes wrong and leaves their lives at risk, the friends decide to kidnap a billionaires daughter which doesn't quite go to plan when her father starts using her kidnapping as a means to further his own interests!

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Bangkok Adrenaline is so badly written, directed and acted, you feel like its 90 minute running time doubles in length as you painfully sit through the dreadful comedy sequences – most of which director and co-star Raimund Huber is responsible for along with co-writer and giant, Conan Stevens. Its completely unfunny, delivered with poor comic timing and happens way too much. So much so in fact, that apart from the lengthy (and messy) end fight, Huber focuses way too much on trying to portray himself as a comic actor rather than letting the action happen. That said, I know the trials and tribulations of making your first movie (although I'm sure their budget here was quite a big larger than my own), so I can see past the technical flaws of Huber's debut respectively – but some things just don't work. Regardless, Raimund has went onto make a few films now including Kill 'em All that features Gordon Liu, Dragonwolf, and 13 Lost – a documentary on the Thai cave rescue in 2018. Conan Stevens, of course, has starred in a few Thai productions including Muay Thai Giant and Force Of Five, as well as Yuen Woo Ping's True Legend and Hollywood outings such as Game Of Thrones, The Hobbit, and more – but even he is dreadful in this and doesn't get to do much in the way of action. Unfortunately the same must be said for the handsome Gwion Jacob Miles has the looks and the moves, but his acting isn't the best. That isn't helped by his trying to be a tough guy with a posh English accent. Miles would return to work with Huber a few years later on Dragonwolf and appear in the Scott Adkins vehicle Zero Tolerance soon after. In fact, if I'm to be completely honest the only saving grace of Bangkok Adrenaline is the gorgeous Daniel O'Neill who looks amazing on screen, in action, and in his brief on-stage strip-bar scene which was worth the price of the DVD alone. Dan, who plays Dan in the film, was lucky enough to get to Hong Kong in the early 2000's to be a stunt performer and/or bit-player on films such as Gen-Y Cops, Jackie Chan's Accidental Spy and The Medallion, The Twins Effect, and Naked Weapon, as well as delivering some stunts in Tony Jaa's Tom Yum Goong. The English born actor and martial artist looks incredible in his moves, and I only wish we could see more of him – and preferably under the eyes of a better director – although he hasn't done anything in some time now since his short films such as The Fixer and Alone.

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The team behind the fight-action is pretty decent, including a young Tim Man (who gets a brief fight against O'Neill), Ron Smoorenburg and others, resulting in some fun fights. But it's the scenes between Dan's fights that are often boring and drag on far too long. I must also point out that the direction and cinematography jumps from flat to WTF with the making of documentary on this DVD release proving to be shot better. If I were Huber, I'd stop getting in front of the camera and re-edit this film into a short that shows the amazing Daniel O'Neill fighting his way across Bangkok to save his friends. Perhaps that might give this very uneven, messy and below average flick a new lease of life...

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Overall: Painful to watch for the most of it, but Bangkok Adrenaline is worth sitting through to see Daniel in action!

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DVD Extras: Behind The Action Documentary, Trailer