Tawan Deard The Review

Tawan Deard. Tawan Deard. Tawan Deard. Where to start? Yes, you are unprecedented. One of kind, definitely. It was the first cowboy-action genre in lakorn history. It also was the first action Ch3 lakorn to be filmed in HD. As a 4+1 Superstar lakorn, there was heavy promotion. It’s the first Ch3 action lakorn to do well with its finale hitting the record as the highest episode rating of Ch3 lakorns thus far in 2011. Oh, plus its has a record for bloodshed too. Damn, that’s a heck of a lot of milestones. Because I barely inserted myself in the recap, I will condense all my thoughts here and smashed in the OST and ratings. If I bore you, AT THE LEAST, SCROLL DOWN TO THE QUOTATION WHERE I TELL YOU GODNINJA’S ENDING. Don’t hate me. Godninja is proud to give Tawan Deard 4.

Tawan Deards’ Nationwide Ratings: (In Thailand, 10 is good)

• epi10 12.20
• epi11 11.00
• epi12 11.80
• epi13 13.20
• epi14 12.50
• epi15 13.70
• epi16 15.60* Finale received highest ch3 lakorns ratings in 2011 thus far

First is first, let’s give some credits to the superb crew. This was “Num” Attaporn Teemakorn first time directing, and he must be proud. You can’t forget PD “Nok” Chatchai Pluengpanich either who even made a cameo appearance with his wife “Nok” Sinjai Pluengpanich. There were immense effort put into Tawan Deard from the popular four pranangs to filming, making the set, constructing the costumes, and veteran casting. Next, I must applaud “Tao” Somchai Khemklad (Saroj) and Johnny Anfone (Jaran) our notable veteran actors. They ass kicked Tawan Deard. Saroj made an amazing all-the-way ‘righteous’ gunman while Jaran was his opposite. I ended up hating Saroj for pressuring Tawan to continue the revenge, and I started to love Jaran. I love nothing more than a bad guy turned good and kicking the right asses at the end! Yes, I am a villain-sympathizer. I think they are the most dynamic character, so Jaran, you get me favorite character vote!

Now, to dissect our nang’eks. Ploykwan (Mint Childa Wijitwongtong) was very childlike and grrrrr. She desperately chased after her brother Tawan even to the point of asking him to touch and kiss her to prove he doesn’t like her. I have zero tolerance for bro-sis misguided/one-sided love. Thank God, Tawan Deard didn’t let this go on too much. Though fan girls called Phetroong (Yaya Urassaya Sperbund) irritating, rebellious, and controlling, I admire her character. She’s a law optimist, always so wise and calm and all for the good. She is strong and keeps her feelings bottle well. BUT I am so damn regretful. She should have agreed to Tawan’s move to roll in the hay on episode 7. I do agree with fan girls that Phetroong is more of the praek than the nang’ek. This leads to my short analysis of our cowboy pra’eks. I like Singh (Pope Thanawat Wattanaphuti) all the way. If the peun pra’ek is a pushover, I like. However, Tawan’s (Mark Prin Suparat) character was way too weak for a revengeful pra’ek, and at times, he was even more emotional than Phetroong.

Godninja: Okay, I know that not all pra’ek are macho, but I like the cliché of macho pra’eks. At least Tawan would get to roll in the day with Phetroong if he was more macho. I will now introduce Godninja’s alternative and better Tawan Deard ending. Imagine if Tawan and Roong did roll in the hay, and Roong is prego:

After the doctor saves Phetroong from her gunshot, he announces that she is pregnant. The pacing Tawan is shocked. He freaks out that he’ll be a bad father because of his revengeful blood and that he can’t possibly accept to be the son-in-law of Sukda. So he walks out and hides in Saroj’s hometown with a broken heart. Tawan goes to town to send the letter that he forgives Sukda, but on his return, Tawan sees a pregnant woman carrying a heavy basket of groceries. Tawan runs over to help carry her basket and send her home. Then his thought wanders to Phetroong, and it clicks in him that he should be with her. Phetroong is in the swing, and Sukda comes with the letter to relay the contents to her. Roong asks her father if this means Tawan will never return. Sukda tells her to forget Tawan and leaves. Phetroong sits on the swing, reflecting over Tawan and her sweet memories. She cries and then…a million toy propellers start falling from the sky. Phetroong lifts her head to see Tawan in front of her. He kneels before her and swipes her tears.

Roong stares at him, “What are you doing here?”

Tawan caresses her face, “I promised you that I’ll make you a new one, as many as you want.”

Roong cries some more and picks up a toy propeller, “You made a lot.”

Tawan brings his forehead to rest on hers, “One for everyday since Pee Putawan this one has left. Since the last time ten years ago…Tawan love Roong na.”

Roong hugs him then and cries, “Roong loves Pee Tawan too.”

Tawan strokes her stomach, “We will start afresh. I will be the Pee Tawan you want.” Phetroong nods. Tawan kisses Phetroong softly on the lips.

THE END

Was that fun or not? Sorry, I have to move on to things I didn’t like. Even though Tawan Deard was filmed in HD, I did not fancy the dark lighting. Because I have to take screencaps, I noticed that there was way too much shadows, shades of brown, black, and yellow. No biggy, but it frustrated me a lot, so I thought I can vent here. In addition, I hated the unnecessary deaths especially Pond’s, but I suppose it’s for effect. Plus a good must dead in an action lakorn already; rather Pond dead that Phetroong which many fan girls believed so from the opening scene. Now to the last and most serious critique. I did not like the superficial script of Tawan Deard at all. They should had had Jaran see Daycha killed Naroong so he can come to bust out the fact in the end. Or have Daycha drop something at the scene so that the Commander can find it and come out to accuse Daycha. Or have Kulan rant him out. The only thing I wanted her to go tell-tale, and she fails to. Stupid. All the bad guys were killed, and they didn’t know know know that it was Daycha’s doing.

The number one reason why I rated Tawan Deard so low is as follows: Actions series are my favorite no question, but not Thai action lakorn. They still lack the layers, and the suspenseful buildup, and the ultimate smart and fulfilling finale execution. Though cliché, they should have played out Sukda’s innocence better and save it to the end. Imagine if on the assassination day when Saroj comes to Raifahroong, the plot didn’t get totally busted by Phetroong knowing the secret. Soraj shoots for cover as Tawan grabs Sukda aside. Tawan shoots Sukda once. Then Phetroong runs over and shelters her father. Tawan is taken aback. Then Sukda takes out the photo of the three friends, saying he keeps it with himself always knowing his demons. Then Sukda recounts his reason behind killing Pupaa. Tawan screams in disbelief and aims to give another shot at Sukda, but Phetroong shoots Tawan first. That’s more sensational in my book. The assassination attempts are dry, and Saroj’s death was so insignificant. The final conflict was surrounded by Naroong’s death triggering the General’s and his army’s anarchy. There no longer was any focus on Tawan’s revenge which killed the whole lakorn. Oh, well. Tawan Deard will still be a pioneer legend.

OST: Nalika Dtai (Dead Clock) by “Yaya” Urassaya Sperbund was awesome. I hate jazzy saxophone in music, but this is an exception. The original by Bodyslam released in 2007 has an air version MV staring Om Akapan. Must see!

***

Yes! Tawan Deard is all wrapped up and this puts the bow on it!