Jess Smith
Great! Very intense. One of Nicole Kidman's finest roles. 1989's Bangkok Hilton is everything 1999's Brokedown Palace isn't. It's a well-written story with wonderfully crafted characters. Kidman is spot on throughout the film; a very convincing portrayal of a young woman whose life begins and almost ends when she sets off in search of her father. The supporting cast: Denholm Elliot (from the Indiana Jones series) and Hugo Weaving (The Matrix) are wonderful in their supporting roles. Highly recommended viewing. 5 stars.One of Nicole Kidman's finest roles. 1989's Bangkok Hilton is everything 1999's Brokedown Palace isn't. It's a well-written story with wonderfully crafted characters. Kidman is spot on throughout the film; a very convincing portrayal of a young woman whose life begins and almost ends when she sets off in search of her father. The supporting cast: Denholm Elliot (from the Indiana Jones series) and Hugo Weaving (The Matrix) are wonderful in their supporting roles. Highly recommended viewing. 5 stars.
acfielding
I loved this TV mini-series when I saw this many years ago. It is a wonderful story on multiple levels. It is about a girl Kat (played by Nicole Kidman when she still had very curly hair) searching for her father, and the trouble she gets herself into when she trusts, and is "set up" and abandoned, by a travelling companion. It is also educational in alerting all to the extreme dangers of trusting strangers. The characters are real and well portrayed. There is a good deal of suspense and insight into the legal and prison system in Thailand. I would love to see it again, or purchase the DVD. I don't understand why it apparently was not released in the US?
jfmcspreading
An excellent mini series - very realistic and quite chilling as well. Most other reviewers have covered the plot very well, so no need for me to comment further in that regard.I did spot one curious (very small) error in the series and was wondering if anybody else had noticed this. There is a scene in episode 1 where Hal is driving to Guardbridge to visit Catherine - just after his true identity has been discovered, and the repercussions are serious for him. When he pulls up at the house in the white HR Holden, look carefully and you will see that the interior of the car is red. He goes into the house, speaks to the housekeeper and then leaves. Yet when he gets back into the white HR Holden, its interior colour has magically changed to Blue. You'd think that if they were going to use two cars, they'd get them with the same interior colour!!!
Keith F. Hatcher
I have just had the luck to see this TV mini again recently. The second viewing just reinforced my impressions from my first viewing a few years ago.This is Nicole Kidman playing an extraordinary rôle in a great film, before she became another one for the Hollywood heap. Since this film, I have only ever seen her in two better rôles: "The Portrait of a Lady" (qv) and Robert Daldry's astounding masterpiece "The Hours" (qv).A two-part mini of 90 minutes each, I had to watch the whole three hours in one go: but was not at all tired on either experience. "Bangkok Hilton" does not mess about with unnecessary details, but gets you right into the story from the beginning, especially in the second half which includes those tremendous prison scenes in Thailand's capital, from whence logically the film's title.Yes, one of Nicole Kidman's earlier works, but one in which you know she was on the road to great things. A few stupidities got in the way - like "Moulin Rouge!" (qv) - but even so, one can now see where she did her spade-work, and "Bangkok Hilton" is one of the best examples.