Introduction
This film review analyzes the Bad Genius movie released on 3 May 2017 in Thailand. The 2017 Thai heist suspense film Bad Genius was directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya. The film recounts the narrative of a high school learner identified as Lynn, who is highly talented academically but faces financial hardships. Grace, a wealthy classmate, approaches her with an offer to assist her in dodging an exam in return for money. This sets in motion an unfolding sequence of occurrences that results in Lynn and her companions designing an intricate plan to assist students in falsifying assessments for money.
The film was an economic triumph in Thailand, generating over 100 million baht at the box office (Mok). Numerous critics praised the film’s intelligent and enthralling plot, well-developed protagonists, and remarkable scenery. In addition to its local triumph, Bad Genius earned worldwide acclaim by exhibiting at several global film ceremonies, including the New York Asian Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival. The relatable figures and concepts contributed to the film’s achievement, as it also emphasized the significance of upright principles and the perils of giving in to avarice and insincerity.
Filmmaker
While Poonpiriya is not a prominent voice, he is well-known for his socially progressive narrative and has been commended for his thoughtful exploration of sophisticated motifs. Nattawut Poonpiriya, a well-known Thai cinematographer who has been creating films since the middle of the 2000s, directed “Bad Genius” (Nattawut Poonpiriya). Poonpiriya’s third screenplay, “Bad Genius,” was a box office and critical triumph in Thailand and abroad, firmly establishing him as among the most intriguing creators in Southeast Asia. Poonpiriya’s early works, such as ‘Countdown’ (2012) and ‘Snap’ (2015), also grappled with conscience and income disparity, but ‘Bad Genius’ was his most prominent work to date.
Bad Genius (2017) chronicles the tale of an ensemble of classmates who conceive an ingenious fraudulent plot to aid their colleagues in achieving a high-stakes examination. It was commended for its precise timing, incisive conversation, and thought-stimulating reflection on the constraints contemporary Thai teenagers encounter. Essentially, “Bad Genius” constitutes a crucial professional breakthrough for Poonpiriya, and it is evident that his distinctive voice and viewpoint have reverberated with viewers around the globe. It will be thrilling to see what he shows up with next as he proceeds to investigate new concepts and challenge the limits of Thai filmmaking.
Summary of the Story
The 2017 Thai crime thriller “Bad Genius” was helmed by Nattawut Poonpiriya. The plot centers on a high school student named Lynn, who is particularly intelligent but hails from a disadvantaged family. Grace, a privileged colleague of Lynn, asks her to assist her in falsifying an impending worldwide examination that establishes the probability that students are admitted to top institutions (Zamora 09:05-11:56). Despite initial reluctance, Lynn ultimately agrees to help Grace, and she soon discovers herself commanding a team of learners in an international cheating scheme.
Initially, the group communicates during the assessment using secretive techniques such as hand movements and body language. Still, they gradually devise more ingenious ways incorporating surveillance cameras, fake identities, and even aircraft. Lynn starts wondering whether her actions are ethical and whether the objective justifies the procedure as the stakes increase. In the meantime, Lynn’s schoolteacher father becomes skeptical of her newfound affluence and probes her movements. Lynn’s interaction with her father becomes fraught, but she ultimately recognizes she must confess and admit her wrongdoing.
The film’s climactic moment occurs during the summative assessment when Lynn must determine whether to proceed with the deception scheme or jeopardize everything by doing the responsible thing. Lynn ultimately resolves to stop her deceit and surrender to the police. Lynn’s honesty and judgment in taking the correct action gain her father’s and others’ appreciation and admiration, notwithstanding the consequences (Zamora 1:53:29-1:54:19).
The intriguing and thought-provoking film “Bad Genius” examines socioeconomic status, morality, and the strain to flourish. The film was critically acclaimed and commercially successful in Thailand, China, and South Korea, among other countries. It is regarded as one of the greatest Thai films ever produced and is suggested for fans of crime movies and thought-provoking thrillers.
Analysis of the Plot Elements
The protagonist of Bad Genius is a high school student named Lynn who exploits her remarkable brilliance to cheat on her examinations and assist her peers in doing the same. The film’s escalating action and climax are essential in driving the plot forward and creating tension (Pratama et al. 3). In this response, the narrative components of the rising action and climax in “Bad Genius” are discussed and analyzed.
The film’s escalating action begins when Lynn’s colleague Bank approaches her and proposes to compensate her for supporting his falsifying his assessments. Lynn agrees with the proposal and quickly recognizes that she can earn money by assisting other classmates in cheating on their examinations. Grace, an affluent student, approaches Lynn and promises to pay her a considerable amount of cash to aid her in cheating on her SATs, escalating the action (Zamora 09:05-11:56). The action grows more intense as Lynn invites Bank and his companions to assist her with the scheme. Together, they concoct a complex cheating scheme that encompasses disseminating responses through earplugs, copying solutions onto water bottles, and distributing the results around the class.
The film’s tension increases as Lynn and her companions attempt to implement their strategy without getting trapped. During the SAT exam, the movie’s climax occurs when Lynn and her teammates encounter potential obstacles. Firstly, the supervisor observes that a learner is not donning the required uniform, forcing them to adjust (Zamora 1:22:46-1:23:10). A minute of uncertainty ensues when one of the classmates flinches to transmit the solutions to the next in line. The examiner ultimately apprehends Lynn, who discloses that she was mindful of the fraudulent conspiracy the entire time.
Consequently, the escalating action and climax of “Bad Genius” are essential in generating anxiety and dread in the film. As Lynn and her companions attempt to pull off an elaborate deception ploy without getting found, the viewer is brought on an emotional roller coaster. The climax is the pinnacle of all the obstacles the characters have encountered, and it renders the audience pondering how the tale will conclude (Pratama et al. 4). Overall, the narrative aspects in “Bad Genius” are well-crafted and maintain the audience’s interest throughout the entirety of the film.
Creative Elements
Dialogue
The artistic components of the video are represented predominantly in its dialogues, which are essential for communicating the narrative’s purpose and fostering personality. Firstly, the conversation in “Bad Genius” is an outstanding illustration of naturalistic interaction. The discussions between the actors sound natural and authentic, leading the spectators to think that these are actual adolescents conversing in an actual school environment. In the sequence where Lynn and Bank first encounter, for instance, they converse naturally about their different schools, hobbies, and ambitions. This authentic dialogue lets viewers intuitively identify with the protagonists, rendering the movie more compelling and understandable.
Furthermore, the dialogues in “Bad Genius” express the issue of social stratification and its impact on instruction. The film illustrates how the schooling institution prioritizes students from wealthy families while neglecting those from impoverished households. When Lynn and her companions tour a selective school, for instance, they observe how learners are given a better start in life by having access to superior educational attainment. The dialogue reflects these individuals’ exasperation and hatred toward the establishment, emphasizing the film’s motif.
Characters
The movie is a suspenseful espionage tale about a team of high school students who steal for payment on examinations. The film depicts a diversified collection of characters, each with distinct characteristics and dispositions. Lynn is the principal character and impetus of the storyline in “Bad Genius.” She is a high achiever from a humble upbringing who is motivated to attain educational achievement. She is a successful deceiver due to her inventiveness, perseverance, and defiant nature. Lynn is a multifaceted individual driven by self-interest and committed to helping her relatives and friends.
Bank is Lynn’s accomplice, and he is depicted as a somewhat optimistic and naive figure who is initially reluctant to participate in the deception scheme. Nevertheless, as the plot progresses, Bank becomes more dedicated to the story and ultimately prepared to endure greater hazards to accomplish their objectives. Bank’s demeanor contrasts with Lynn’s more calculated and cynical disposition.
Pat, Lynn’s childhood companion, is initially portrayed as a diligent and hardworking student. However, she is also under financial duress and is ultimately enticed to participate in the deception. Pat’s character provides a nuanced examination of the pressures low-income students confront and the difficult decisions they may be forced to make to succeed. Grace is a privileged and wealthy student who pays Lynn and her companions to cheat on her behalf on exams. Her character functions as a critique of the elitism and privilege that can exist in educational systems. However, she also reveals a vulnerable side, and her character reveals the pressures encountered by students from privileged backgrounds.
Use of Colors
Color is integral to the film’s narrative, adding to its visual style and boosting its innovative features. The continuous utilization of blue, yellow, and white is one of “Bad Genius’s” most noticeable color applications. These shades depict the personas and intentions of the movie’s main protagonists. For instance, blue portrays the heroine, Lynn, a shy, intelligent, math-loving learner. Conversely, blue is utilized to represent her skills and expertise. Yellow represents Bank, a flamboyant and extroverted student who is Lynn’s acquaintance and is used to describe his charisma and eloquence. Lastly, white denotes Grace, the affluent student who finances their cheating strategy and is used to represent her affluence and privilege.
Camera Techniques
Extended scenes and following views are two of “Bad Genius’s” most stunning camera techniques. This approach is heavily displayed in the film’s opening credits, which depict Lynn sprinting through the congested hallways, stairways, and corridors of her school. The drama also utilizes multiple camera angles to communicate the sentiments and viewpoints of its actors. For instance, during a pivotal section of the movie, when Lynn’s scheme to cheat on the examination is almost uncovered, the camera alternates between Lynn’s and the instructor’s perspectives, producing a feeling of nervousness and confusion (Zamora 1:39:05-1:41:12).
Furthermore, the film utilizes a unique color grading technique contributing to its artistic elements. The colorization also functions to emphasize the moods and intentions of the protagonists. In scenes where Lynn is ambivalent about her deeds, for instance, the color palette transforms to warmer shades to provide an atmosphere of emotionality.
Mode and Tone
Mood and tone are two vital components that add to the creative accomplishment of the film. Mood pertains to the ambiance created by the filmmaker by employing lighting, soundtrack, and other approaches (Benini et al. 1). Tone refers to the author’s perspective on the movie’s particular topic, actors, and happenings. The mood in “Bad Genius” is chiefly tense and ominous, with numerous rapid camera motions, quick edits, and vibrant camera angles employed by the producer to generate a sensation of urgency and tension.
The music also contributes to establishing the tone, with a fast-paced and spirited composition that accentuates the graphics. “Bad Genius” achieves a dynamic equilibrium between skepticism and positivity in tone. The director emphasizes the wealth inequality between the privileged and the poor by showing that affluent learners can afford to cheat. At the same time, impoverished students struggle to get by on their own merit.
Symbols and Costumes
The film employs numerous symbols to communicate its concepts and messages. The apple, which depicts expertise, achievement, avarice, and dishonesty, is the most potent symbol. The apple is used as a pictorial metaphor throughout the movie to emphasize the film’s moral dilemma. In contrast, the costumes in the cinema are basic and subdued, mirroring the protagonists’ modest ways of life. Lynn is frequently seen wearing a school uniform, demonstrating her intellect and commitment to her studies, whereas Bank’s casual attire contradicts his wealthy background.
Opinions
The following are enumerated from the viewpoints of the film, “Bad Genius.” The significant motifs of the film are the significance of schooling and the academic stress that learners encounter. Lynn, the heroine, is a brilliant student subjected to demanding instructional strain from her family and the community. However, the film also emphasizes the shortcomings in the school curriculum, in which individuals are required to memorize data rather than learn it, and examinations define their futures. Moreover, corruption within the education system is essential to the movie. Lynn and her companions devise a scheme to cheat on global tests and sell the solutions for profit.
The film illustrates how the system is unfair to low-income pupils who cannot purchase costly preparation lessons or study tools. This demonstrates the disparity in the schooling system, where only wealthy trainees can flourish. The film also examines the moral quandary that Lynn and her friends confront when they falsify assessments. Students know deception is unethical, but monetary reward and competitiveness motivate them to engage in it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the director of “Bad Genius” has attained his goal of producing an entertaining and thought-stimulating film that thoroughly appraises the schooling system and the constraints placed on learners to flourish. The film’s substantiation, including its depiction of tough rivalry, corruption, and misconduct in academic contexts, helps portray its overarching theme. Moreover, “Bad Genius” offers a profound comprehension of the Film Review course topic by demonstrating how the film channel can be used to communicate compelling messages about significant cultural issues.
The film’s different approach to instruction and its representation of students’ challenges and accomplishments add value to the examination of filmmaking and its ability to influence our awareness of the surrounding world. Overall, “Bad Genius” requires viewing for anyone engaged in film, pedagogy, and morality. The film exemplifies how a well-crafted cinema can offer thoughtful analysis of urgent social matters while captivating and involving its viewers.
Works Cited
“Nattawut Poonpiriya.” Tatler Asia, 2018, Web.
Benini, Sergio, et al. “On the Influence of Shot Scale on Film Mood and Narrative Engagement in Film Viewers.” IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, vol. 13, no. 2, 2019, pp.1-12. Web.
Mok, Laramie. “What Thai Blockbuster ‘Bad Genius’ Means for Asian Cinema.” South China Morning Post, Web.
Pratama, Febby, and Laila Desnaranti. “An Obsessed: A Plot Analysis.” Literate, vol. 4, no. 1, 2022, pp.1-12. Web.
Zamora, Yuri. “Bad Genius Tagalog Dub.” YouTube, uploaded by Yuri Zamora, Web.