The story is simple but elaborately written. It’s a heist thriller that puts you at the edge of your seat. No wonder why this Thai movie is making waves & breaking box office records in Thailand & around Asia. Not your average youth oriented film, #BadGenius is a story of how cheating in school becomes a serious business that can rake in millions, orchestrated by a quartet of high school students. It’s also a story of how social inequality defines your role in society. The Thais have always pushed the envelope with the stories they tell through their films, from horror to romantic comedies and now this, a brilliant, well structured thriller that becomes more & more ambitious, reminiscent of the Oceans 11 trilogy. It escalates from being just two friends exchanging answers with the help of a Morse code like piano playing technique to a very risky operation of leaking international college entrance exam questions & answers from another country whose timezone is 4 hours ahead of Thailand thru an online message app. But don’t get me wrong, the film doesn’t condone cheating. Rather, it subtly exposes the loopholes of Thailand’s education system and takes jabs on the disparity between the rich & the poor. The 4 leads are all film newbies, but they all gave highly commendable performances. The cinematography is excellent, the musical score and the quick edits further heighten the excitement of the film. Ultimately, Bad Genius is more about the escapade than its consequences, showing that bad things still highly prevail in this crooked world. Super highly recommended! 9 out of 10 popcorns.
iamtoshi 