French filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz's pet project, Babylon A. D., went belly up when he moved it to Hollywood, and Hong Kong auteurs Danny and Oxide Pang seem to be carrying on that curse. Bangkok Dangerous, a remake of their own breakout 1999 film, suffers from a nasty case of dullness and inactivity, things they managed to avoid the first time around.

If killing were an art form, then Joe (Nicolas Cage) would be a bona fide Rembrandt. His eerily calm and detached demeanor allows him to carry out his assignments swiftly, never asking questions and never leaving a trace of where he's been. But Joe's started to become a little burned out by the assassination game, so when he's given the task of taking down four targets in Bangkok, he sees it as a high note to bow out on. As he prepares for the big hits, Joe hires street hustler Kong (Shahkrit Yamnarm) as his own private gofer, although he comes to let down his guard and becomes something of a mentor for the young man. But our strong, silent anti-hero crosses the line and breaks his own rules by falling for Fon (Charlie Young), a deaf-mute pharmacist, and their time together inspires Joe to ramp up his plans to leave the hitman life behind.  Unfortunately, Joe's newfound conscience doesn't cut any ice with his employers, who are ready and willing to rub him out of the picture if he doesn't finish his job soon.

Although I enjoyed the original Pang picture, I admit it could've used a little polish, so a re-do wouldn't be entirely out of the question. But like a wad of gum being chewed too long, most of the first film's flavor got lost in the adaptation process. Plain and simple, the new Bangkok Dangerous lacks the thematic punch its predecessor delivered. It's a lot of hot air and glitz scrambling desperately to mask loss of the story in translation (or, more likely, ditched completely to dumb it down for us Americans). The selling point of the original film involved the story being told from the perspective of a handicapped hitman who came to realize the consequences of killing for a living. Viewers were provided with a well-rounded character, a guy who wasn't completely sympathetic but whose conflict was nothing short of enthralling. In comparison, this Bangkok Dangerous turns the lead character into the same type of character we've seen hundreds of times before -- another badass loner whose efforts at soul-searching are, to say the least, pathetic.

The script for this remake is dull and monotonous. While watching the film, I couldn't help wondering if the government coup that took place during filming was the most exciting part of the production. Part of the blame falls upon Nicolas Cage, who, judging from his recent credits, isn't on a winning streak. Keep in mind, Bangkok Dangerous isn't as inherently goofy as The Wicker Man, but Cage spends most of the time staring into the camera and brooding up a storm. Supporting cast members end up with more spirited performances, a hollow victory considering how thin and forgettable their subplots are.

Bangkok Dangerous emerges as an exhaustingly mediocre film. With its almost staunch refusal to have fun, it contributes to our post-summer movie blues.  

MY RATING: * 1/2 (out of ****)

(Released by Lionsgate and rated "R" for violence, language and some sexuality.)

Read Adam's review of the original Bangkok Dangerous at www.passportcinema.com .