Hilarious effort that deserves respect and attention

I had the pleasure of seeing this Thailand-made title on the big screen, in Turkey no less, in the early 80's. Now, I can't imagine any distributor in Turkey hiring a translator that spoke Thai for the translation of this film, so I assume all the dubbed dialogue, some of which I still remember, was made-up.

Not that you really need dialogue to understand what's going on, of course. This is one of those movies where the goodies and baddies are so boldly drawn, that all you need to do is sit back and enjoy "what" is on the screen, without giving any thoughts as to "why".

The Kamen Riders are bike-riding masked heroes, although they don't really have any superpowers. Their bikes look like 12-year old kids' bikes that they pimp up for Hallwoeen, and their powers consist of lousy karate chops, and kicks worse than a grandmother could do.

The evil lord, who resembles Ultron (actually it's more appropriate to say "whom Ultron resembles", since this is a much older production) somehow needs blood, and sends his henchmen for the job. He also kidnaps a scientist for some reason I can't remember. And the Kamen Riders help the innocent people.

All this is enough to make a decent plot, but somehow Hanuman gets involved in this. Hanuman is a godly being, and tries to punish the evil lord (just like the Kamen Riders, although they don't necessarily work together). This makes the plot a bit complicated, but no less enjoyable.

The real star of the film is the action and the special effects. The baddies have cheap Halloween masks instead of makeup, and the fight sequences are terrible, but this all adds to the enjoyment of the experience. I'm not one of those western doofuses that compare shoestring-budget movies like this to Hollywood productions. This is a different kind of filmmaking altogether. And in terms of what it means, what it tries to do, and what it claims to give the audience, it fairly succeeds. It looks worse than a school project done by the most inept kids with the help of a hand camera and some buddies, but it will certainly stay with you longer than the latest The Fast And The Furious installment.

I've read on movie sites that this is regarded as the worst Kamen Rider movie ever (also the only one made in Thailand), and that the original copyright holders, plus most fans, completely disown it and claim it doesn't exist. I can't really make any such comparison, since I haven't seen any other Kamen Rider movie, but this is something worth seeing, if you can find it. It's very cheap, very crude and by all means terrible, but still very enjoyable.

Thai cinema blends spirituality, folklore, and experimental techniques, producing films that balance mystical introspection with popular entertainment. It stands out in Southeast Asia for its inventiveness and range, spanning from lyrical slow cinema to inventive genre-blending films that seamlessly weave in horror, romance, and social critique with unique narrative styles rooted in Thai tradition.

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010)

The superhero subgenre features costumed crime fighters with extraordinary abilities or powers who use them to fight against villains and protect the innocent. They often combine high-energy action sequences with themes of heroism, morality, and the struggle between good and evil.

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, and Chris Hemsworth

The action genre features fast-paced, thrilling, and intense sequences of physical feats, combat, and excitement. The characters of these stories are involved in daring and often dangerous situations, requiring them to rely on their physical prowess, skills, and quick thinking to overcome challenges and adversaries.

The sci-fi genre, short for science fiction, features imaginative and futuristic concepts that are often rooted in scientific principles, technology, and possibilities. These stories delve into "what if" questions and can serve as a platform to address contemporary social, political, and ethical issues by projecting them onto future or alternate settings.

James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Hindu god Hanuman teams up with Ultraman and his brethren against familiar Ultra-foes in this rare Ultraman movie co-produced in Thailand.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Kamen Raidâ X: Go-Nin Raidâ tai kingu Dâku

Hanuman and the 5 Kamen Riders

Photos3

Top Cast5

User reviews1

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed