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The “spectacular” 2008 movie so good it ruined one of Quentin Tarantino’s favourite genres: “You’ll never do it as good”
The 2008 Thai martial arts film Chocolate, directed by Prachya Pinkaew and starring Yanin Vismitananda, impressed filmmaker Quentin Tarantino with its exceptional combat sequences. Vismitananda, who spent years training under stunt choreographer Panna Rittikrai before production, delivered what Tarantino described as displays of physical artistry among the finest fight sequences he had witnessed in cinema.
Tarantino's enthusiasm was so complete that he claimed the film altered his relationship with the martial arts genre, leaving him disinterested in watching new entries for years afterward. He asserted that subsequent films would inevitably disappoint when compared to Chocolate's accomplishments. While some critics contend that later action films such as The Raid and The Night Comes for Us achieve comparable quality, Tarantino maintains no fight film can surpass the benchmark set by Chocolate.
In short
- 2008 Thai martial arts film Chocolate impressed Quentin Tarantino with its fight choreography
- Tarantino claimed viewing it discouraged him from watching new martial arts films for years
- He maintains subsequent fight movies cannot match Chocolate's technical and creative standard
Explained simply
Chocolate is a 2008 Thai martial arts film that has gained particular attention due to filmmaker Quentin Tarantino's glowing assessment of its fight sequences. According to Tarantino, the film's combat scenes represent some of the finest examples of physical performance he has ever seen in cinema, leaving such a strong impression that he claims it fundamentally changed how he views the martial arts genre.
The film stars Yanin Vismitananda, who underwent years of intensive training under renowned stunt choreographer Panna Rittikrai to prepare for the role. Director Prachya Pinkaew's work impressed Tarantino so thoroughly that he stated subsequent martial arts films would inevitably disappoint when compared to Chocolate's standard, effectively declaring the film his definitive benchmark for the genre.
The reaction highlights how exceptional filmmaking can influence even seasoned industry figures, though opinions vary on whether other recent action films have matched Chocolate's quality. Some critics point to later films such as The Raid and The Night Comes for Us as achieving comparable excellence, yet Tarantino maintains his original assessment that Chocolate remains unmatched.