tear of the black tiger be one of those film that work so hard to entertain you and it be hard not to enjoy immensely and if only for it sheer exuberance . the story be simple . dum and the black tiger and be the best shot there be . he work for a ragtag group of mercenary lead by fai and whose motto be and if youre against fai and you die . when they capture the captain of the military group try to shut them down and dum have to choose between his allegiance to his men or honour the wish of his old flame and rumpooey and who be engage to the captain . that about it really and but the story be not the reason to watch this film . it main appeal lie in it style . shot with the tone of a western but in the style and colour of thai theatre and it be beautiful to watch and often hilarious in it tongue in cheek over the topness . shootout be frequent and bloody and yet wholly unrealistic . yet they be never intend to be . the opening sequence set the tone perfectly . a dum and his colleague raid the hideout of traitor to fai and the film play a particularly extravagant stunt twice and offer the title card do you get that . if not and we will show it again . in the middle and play the same sequence in more detail . the set design and colouring of the film be exaggerate and lush and all deep red and green . there be frequent musical interlude and but not in the bollywood style and rather song which explain the emotional state of certain character and the high point be the main love song ridiculously over sentimental and the cowboy esque bonanza style rid song and a country and western inspire and cheery melody about loneliness . the five main character dum and rumpooey and kumjorn and fai and mahesuan be wonderful . dum be all emotionless precision and repressed feeling and a man of action who hide his deep down long for his former love . rumpooey and the love interest and be quietly hilarious in that she just never seem to do anything and a knowing side swipe to cheap melodrama of the 50 . kumjorn be the dashing and slightly pompous good guy that you do not want to win and but do not want to die either . the two best though and be fai and a classic machine gun and vest bad guy who have the film funny shot in his first shootout look out for it and it quite subtle and mahesuan and dum right hand man and who have the best evil laugh ever and use it whenever he get the chance and also one half of an inspire shootout or two . his duel in the first half hour be also one of the funny shot for any film fan . it be a very violent film and but the kind of violence that be truly comic book and overly red blood ( think cheap hammer horror ) and take to a level of exaggeration which rather than make you gag and just make you wince and laugh . and that be the point . some people have say that be just terrible and but it be knowingly terrible . it be never attempt to be anything like high art . and in it badness and it be often beautiful and brilliant . the only niggle be that it have a tendency to slow down a little in it lingering and slow shot and but never for more than a couple of minute in what be only an hour and a half of mickey taking and action pack hilarity . good look and good set and good idea and great fun . positive sackley .