Krystal plays a cop
By Tatat Bunnag
Photographs by Varuth Hirunyatheb
and courtesy of Sahamongkol Film International
Did you know
Adam’s father is renowned film director MC Chatrichalerm Yukol.
Hitting cinemas on July 4 is Sahamongkol Film’s latest big-budget action movie, Sarawat Ma Baa (The Cop). Directed by MR Chalermchatri Yukol (Adam), The Cop features an intelligent plot, an anti-hero cop, gun fights and a car chase, just like the gritty action-thrillers that were popular back in the 1980s.
In the film, Bangkok police detectives are trying to track down a mysterious serial killer, against the advice of their commander.
The Cop features renowned actors Somchai Khemklad, Piyathida Worramusik, and Note Chernyim. Also starring is 25-year-old Krystal Vee, who previously acted in the international movies Street Fighter: The legend of Chun Li and The Scorpion King 3.
Student Weekly recently caught up with Krystal at the Sahamongkol office to hear all about the making of The Cop.
Student Weekly: What is your character like in The Cop?
Krystal: I play Nalin, a rookie cop who is assigned as the partner of Inspector Wasan, played by Somchai Khemklad. They’re investigating a serial murder case. Nalin is very clever, but often overlooked by her team, so she’s always trying to prove herself to Wasan. Nalin also has a secret past that leads to a turning point in the film.
Student Weekly: The Cop is advertised as being influenced by ‘80s style police dramas. Can you tell us about the style of the film?
Krystal: I think that’s the style what the director was aiming for. The mood of the film is similar to action movies from the ‘80s. They used mostly blue and orange light, so the film has a dark, shadowy look like modern film noir. It reminds me of classic ‘80s movies like Blade Runner.
Student Weekly: What was it like working with a superstar like Somchai Khemklad?
Krystal: I’m really glad that I had chance to work with great actors like Tao Somchai, Pok Piyathida and Note Chernyim. They’re all very experienced actors. I’m much younger, and I was pretty nervous working with them at first, but they taught me a lot during filming.
Student Weekly: Were there any particular obstacles that you faced while making the film?
Krystal: The hardest thing for me was the language. I can speak Thai, but not fluently. There was a lot of dialogue for me to remember, and a lot of it was police jargon and terminology.
Student Weekly: What kind of movie do you personally like to watch?
Krystal: I love dramas and psychological thrillers that emphasise character relationships and dilemmas. Two of my favourite films are Up in the Air and Closer.
Student Weekly: Is there a type of character that you’d particularly like to try in the future?
Krystal: I’d like to try comedy. That should be fun! Most of my films so far have been action and martial arts movies.
Student Weekly: What makes The Cop worth seeing?
Krystal: For me, the cinematography alone is worth seeing. The Cop is the type of top-quality action film that you rarely get to see these days.
Vocabulary
- plot (n): the series of events which form the story of a film, novel, etc.
anti-hero (n): the main character in a story, but one who does not have the qualities typical of a hero and is more like an ordinary person
commander (n): a high-ranking police officer
rookie (adj): a person who has just started a job or an activity and has very little experience
serial (adj): doing the same thing in the same way several times
overlook (v): to fail to see or notice something
aim (v): to try to achieve something
film noir (n): a term used to describe stylish crime dramas that emphasise cynical characters and a dark, shadowy atmosphere
obstacle (n): something that makes it difficult for you to do or achieve something
jargon (n): words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group of people
terminology (n): technical words or expressions used in a particular subject
dilemma (n): a situation which makes problems, often one in which you have to make a very difficult choice
cinematography (n): the art or process of filming for a movie
