Reviewed by Alicia Glass
A beleaguered detective returns from suspension to form an unconventional team of very-special investigators to hunt down a serial killer!
So Detective Pitak (Surasak Wongthai) has a hell of a reputation at his local police precinct – absolutely ruthless and overpowering in his rage, Pitak charges in like an ox after whoever he’s chasing and bowls right over anyone who’s in his way, including fellow cops and his Lieutenant General Namchai (Surasak Chaiyaat), if necessary. And when the Rain Murderer, the serial killer who’s been terrorizing the city with his brutal stabbing slaughters of multiple women when it rains, as it does far too often in Thailand, joyously executes Pitak’s only beloved daughter, there will be literal Hell for him to pay. Pitak swore it, and fellow policewoman Lieutenant Aris (Chanya McClory) believes him, enough to not only get Pitak reinstated as a cop, but to also obtain permission for the unorthodox team Pitak wants to form to hunt down the Rain Murderer! It does also help that Aris happens to be the daughter of an old colleague of Namchai, one could easily say police work is in their blood.
First off for our team of extra-special investigators is Race (Jirayu Tantrakul), extensively trained and highly effective assassin. Orphaned when he was young, Race and his tiny gang of orphaned brothers were all adopted by the local executioner himself, generally known as Hem (Kajornsak Rattananissai), and trained to become assassins themselves, following in Hem’s shadow. As a grown man, Race is a hit man without equal, efficient, ruthless, methodical and frighteningly intelligent, excellent at his job and known for stoically accepting orders from Hem and carrying them out with fearsome precision – until the day he botches a job because of a pair of witnesses – the targets wife and screaming daughter. The cops finding Race sitting there in a scene right out of Kill Bill – surrounded by dead bodies, splashed head to toe with still-dripping crimson, Race perches holding a single devastating sword like a killer crow – and yet, he still surrenders to the police and goes in silence. Sometimes, even the best killers get tired of it, and want out.
Next is Yak (Yuan Kawinrath Yotamornsunthorn), at least initially considered to be the brainless muscle, the tank that can soak up all sorts of damage and deal it out x10 in return. It turns out, Yak actually worked for Hem too, in much more of a bruiser enforcer capacity, Yak can always be relied on to bull (or is it yak? LOL) his way through any obstacle. This doesn’t just apply to enemies in the way either, as the show progresses we see Yak demonstrate his blunt charge-ahead philosophy in all aspects of his life and he lovingly applies it to his friends and his erstwhile coworkers, cheerfully encouraging them to just go for it already, and we love him for it. Known for his near-constant eating, an adorable shtick for a very large man who needs to maintain his reserve for the near-constant ass-kicking Yak involves himself in, Yak is also smart, funny and kind, capable of leadership and other unexpected surprises. Anyone could understand why a character such as Yak is absolutely necessary to round out our trio of Bad Guys.
Lastly is the wild card, the enigmatic and difficult young savant known as Sky (Napath Vikairungroj). Denounced as a psychopathic murderer of multiple victims over a period of months, acknowledged genius Sky is actually a sensitive artistic soul who claims to be unable to remember killing anyone. Granted, his brooding hoodie-wearing presence, vaguely reminiscent (in my mind) to the ultra-strange character L from Death Note, would make most people suspicious but the cops probably triply so. Poor Sky is repeatedly told by everyone from his beloved girlfriend to his psychiatrist doctor that yes, he did in fact kill a whole bunch of people in horrific ways, so why can’t he remember any of it? Sky’s gifted genius brains are put to excellent use in the chasing of various villains besides the Rain Murderer, and as he gracefully defends or attacks with clubs or empty hands, we come to understand that while Sky certainly has the potential to be a serial killer, it is actually entirely possible that he was elaborately set up. So then, the question becomes why? And, by whom?
It’s not until the Bad Guys who hunt bad-der guys have gone through at least a couple of cases and more or less solved them with relatively minimal public damage, that slick and suspicious prosecutor Phadet (Than Thanakorn) decides he wants to join the gang. Initially the Prosecutor tells Pitak and the others that he wants to help get the villains plaguing Thailand’s streets from the law-related side in a prosecutorial fashion, but doesn’t hesitate in pulling rank when the others balk at his interrupting the repertoire they’ve begun to build, and he near immediately begins acting suspicious, especially towards Aris. Which turns out to be a mistake, given that Lieutenant Aris is just as tough as the rest of them, despite or perhaps because of, the lack of male genitalia.
It has to be said, despite clearly being a foreign show with subtitles and all the lush scenery of Thailand to back it up, that the show has clear, compelling storylines that are easy to follow, even for a series of murder mystery clues. We come to care about these characters – ox-like Pitak and his despair over his daughters death, big ole oaf Yak and his gigantic heart, the penitent assassin Race and his grief, graceful artist with the missing memory Sky, even Aris and her desire for justice at last – and cheer them on amidst an epic beat-filled club soundtrack.
Found on Netflix, Bad Guys (2022) is perfect for binging and can be cheered on by anyone!

Streaming
Midnight Mass: The Blood of Life

The isolated island community of Crockett receives a mysterious new head priest, full of secrets and a brand new testament under a very unusual Messenger of God.
Meet poor Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford), freshly released from prison and wracked with guilt over what got him there, a stupid drinking accident that caused the death of his ex-girlfriend. The last thing he wants to do is go back to Crockett and the judgment of the mostly religious community there, his disappointed family, and the nightmares of his ex’s death that plague him. But where else would have him? Resignedly on the ferry, he goes.
Riley’s dad Ed (Henry Thomas) isn’t the kind of man who talks very much at all, much less about his feelings, or his very real disappointment in his elder son. Riley’s teen brother Warren (Igby Rigney) has no idea what to say to him either, and just generally keeps mum. Riley’s mom Annie (Kristin Lehman) is accepting and loving, hesitant in how to help her eldest son but never wavering in her faith in the help of our lord Jesus. Mom seems to think a good heaping dose of the Church would set Riley right but is surprised to learn that the old priest of the Parish, Pruitt, has taken an extended leave of absence from the island, and his newcomer replacement Father Paul (Hamish Linklater) is young, charismatic, and bursting at the seams to tell the whole island about the gifts he brought them, most especially what he claims as a new testament under a messenger of God.
We’ll get back to that whole ball of issues in a moment, the other interesting characters of Crockett Island. Bev Keane (Samantha Sloyan) is the nightmarish overly polite and gently, almost lovingly condescending neighbor Christian woman you’ve ever loathed, the kind of person who explains away every last thing her Church may do wrong or contradictory because, after all, God works in mysterious ways. Pfft. Of course, Bev immediately ingratiates herself as the second to the new Father Paul in their services and is the first to start covering up his transgressions as they become more rampant.
Newcomers to Crockett Sheriff Hassan (Rahul Kohli) and his son Ali (Rahul Abburi) present a burgeoning problem to the plans of Father Paul and his shadowy companion, for they are both practicing Muslims. The practical side of investigating these so-called ‘miracles’ and strange happenings falls on Hassan’s shoulders, as he already struggles with barely-concealed racism and suspicion from his fellow islanders, and of course his son is being wooed away from him by the promise of actual, tangible miracles, but from a different whole faith and God. Father Paul definitely does not practice a traditional Christian faith and relies far too much on making use of the eucharist, the ceremony of the blood and flesh of Jesus Christ turning into bread and wine and, well, consumed.
Wade (Michael Trucco) and his wife Dolly (Crystal Balint) are lifers of the island and both in general interested in one thing, the advancement of their own family, specifically their daughter Leeza (Annarah Cymone), who happens to be in a wheelchair. And that happens to be the canny Father Paul’s first real miracle-with-a-cost that he demonstrates to the astonishment of the parishioners, after a heartfelt and rousing sermon, Father Paul commands Leeza to rise, to stand, and to walk. And lo, she does. What parents wouldn’t wholly dedicate themselves to a cause after seeing this happen to their beloved precious daughter? The fringe benefits of healing, and power, the ones that come at a mighty, currently unnamed, cost, are simply a nice bonus.
Joe Collie (Robert Longstreet) is the town drunk, and while his reasons for drowning his sorrows in the sauce might be understandable, absolution wears a very different face when it comes from Father Paul. While Leeza might be willing to forgive Joe, and even as Joe begins attending the newly-formed Al-Anon meetings on the island of course hosted by Father Paul, redemption might’ve been better sought from medical professionals, and not this newfound method of religious worship.
Dr. Sarah Gunning (Annabeth Gish) is the islands’ kind of all-around medic, and this is how she and Riley’s old friend Erin (Kate Siegel), also newly returned to the island, a few months pregnant but traveling quietly alone, met when Erin comes to the Doc for obstetrics. Sarah’s older mother Mildred Gunning (Alexandra Essoe) has many medical and mental issues, and Sarah struggles in their shared home, to take care of her addled mom and balance her own life. Then Father Paul takes it upon himself to visit one of his oldest parishioners, bringing the sacred host and wine with him to give directly to Mildred, who starts looking and acting so much better under his loving care.
The show is very much a slow slow burn, with a lot of the actual action taking place in the last two episodes. Much of the beginning and middle episodes feature two people just sitting alone, having quiet and seriously in-depth conversations about heavy subjects – grief and repentance, what happens when we die, the disasters that come as a result of addictions, how our actions’ consequences reverberate to those we love around us, faith and the foibles of man, and of course, the giving of oneself over to a higher power, for strength, and guidance, and love.
Except, for the higher power that Father Paul brought back with him, to share with his beloved flock of Crockett Island, while it may be extremely powerful and full of what could be considered miraculous magic, everything comes at some kind of a cost. And when the Messenger of God is finally revealed to the shocked denizens of Crockett at Easter Mass, with Father Paul rapturing on about rebirth as the bloody massacre begins in earnest, it’s faith, not in any kind of God or religion, but faith in each other, that may save a few hardy souls.
Question the wisdom of your religious leaders along with the rest of us in a fine slow-burn addition to the Flanaverse, Midnight Mass is on Netflix now!
Movie
Saw X: It ain’t brain surgery!

Legendary executioner Jigsaw returns to exact revenge on a cadre of scam artists who promised him a bogus cure for his cancer!
First off, be aware, that this is what I call an interleaved sequel, a movie set between previous films in the franchise. In this case, Saw X occurs after the events of the very first Saw film, and before Saw II. Everybody got where we are? Good! Into the madness, we dive!
So, as we all know, John Kramer’s been diagnosed with cancer, very aggressive brain cancer, and likely doesn’t have much time left. And he’s tried everything under the sun, doing a ton of meticulous research, we’d expect nothing less from our master of the art of murder, and not one thing has worked. Yet one man from the support group for cancer sufferers, Henry (Michael Beach), offers an off-the-books supposed miracle cure, and John jumps at the chance.
Why does this nonsense always sound too good to be true? Because it is. Deleted scenes from the first Deadpool movie already told us why traveling to Mexico for any kind of medical cure is a sublimely stupid move, but Kramer is desperate. And while he might be sick and dying, John Kramer has never been what anyone could call stupid. So the villa out in the Mexican countryside, the affable cab driver Diego (Joshua Okamoto) professes surprise at Kramer being highjacked for his good, the nervous muttering from assistant Valentina (Paulette Hernandez), the side-eyeing from little housekeep Gabriela (Renata Vaca) and her tequila, and most especially the smooth and smarming reassurances of head “doctor” Cecilia Pederson (Synnove Macody Lund), all leave a kind of sour taste in John’s mouth.
The whole cluex4 scene is done in the style that the Saw films are known for, where we the audience are treated to cut-together explanatory scenes in a flip-flash fashion of usually about two minutes, for poor John when he realizes he’s been hoodwinked and just how badly, seems a little contrived. But then it’s entirely possible that we the audience truly expected our genius mastermind of the infamous Jigsaw murders to have realized what was happening sooner, and got enraged along with Kramer. And cheered as he prepared to take his bloody and ultra-violent revenge!
First up in our grand guignol of executions is the return of Jigsaw’s first protégé, Amanda (Shawnee Smith). And despite her avowed reverence for Jigsaw and his proven “therapy”, Amanda does waver a bit when the scammers are put through the paces of their specially-made Saw traps, and they shriek and blubber and bleed out. The appearance of the ringer of the bunch, Parker (Steven Brand), doesn’t even slow our beloved engineer of the damned down, because we knew Jigsaw would have his other apprentice waiting just off stage, the deliciously vicious Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor). Even the monkeywrench of involving little-boy soccer fan Carlos (Jorge Briseno) in the traps, is just another cog in the machine that is the brilliantly plotting mind of John Kramer.
A fine addition to the Saw legends, showcasing a return to the beloved style and panache of the original Tobin Bell-starring Jigsaw films, Saw X is splashing gore and gallons of blood in theaters now!
Streaming
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

“Scott Pilgrim Takes Off,” Netflix’s latest series, is a rollicking journey through the world of video game culture, blending nostalgic references with a fresh narrative twist. Centered around Scott Pilgrim, portrayed with magnetic charisma by Michael Cera, the show skillfully integrates gaming elements into its storytelling, creating a delightful homage to the video game subculture.
The series cleverly employs pixelated graphics, power-up animations, and game-like sound effects to bring the virtual world to life. These visual cues, reminiscent of classic video games, enhance the storytelling and resonate with audiences familiar with the gaming landscape. The attention to detail in recreating iconic gaming moments is commendable, creating a visual and auditory treat for enthusiasts.
The exploration of video game culture goes beyond mere aesthetics; it becomes an integral part of the characters’ identities and interactions. The script intelligently weaves gaming terminology and tropes into the dialogue, effectively blending the real and virtual worlds. The series navigates the challenges and triumphs of the characters through the lens of gaming, making it a unique and engaging experience for both gamers and general audiences.
The ensemble cast, including standout performances from Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong, and Chris Evans embraces the gaming theme with infectious enthusiasm. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, adding emotional depth to the series.
“Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” successfully taps into the zeitgeist of video game culture, offering a nostalgic yet contemporary take on the gaming phenomenon. It’s a must-watch for those who cherish the pixelated roots of the gaming world while providing an accessible and entertaining narrative for a broader audience. The series takes off not only in its title but also in its ability to soar within the ever-expanding realm of Netflix originals.