What happens when two artists, known more for their work in music, acting, and design, step behind the camera to tell a story rooted in faith, greed, and blood? You get The Stone – a hypnotic, high-stakes thriller that pierces the surface of Thai spiritual subculture and delivers a cinematic experience rooted in Thai identity and tradition. It is Arak Amornsupasiri and Vuthipong Sukhanindr’s directorial debut. And without a doubt, The Stone possesses the confidence and visual flair of experienced filmmakers. Both have prior careers in the arts – Amornsupasiri as a well-known actor and musician, Sukhanindr as a graphic designer – and it shows. They quickly show strong control over the film’s tone, atmosphere, and style. Despite being first-time directors, they made a gritty, exciting, and entertaining film.

At the center of The Stone is a simple but powerful premise. Ake (played with stunning vulnerability and intensity by Jinjett Wattanasin) is a young man faced with rising medical bills for his ailing father. In desperation, he begins selling off his father’s collection of old amulets – insignificant objects to the untrained eye, but priceless to those who understand their history and spiritual potency. One in particular, a rare Somdej amulet, sets off a chain of events that plunges Ake into the perilous underworld of amulet trading, a shadowy world of collectors, con men, killers, and spiritualists.

What makes The Stone different from typical crime thrillers is the way it brings Thai culture to life as an active part of the story, not just a setting. The film shines a light on the centuries-old tradition of Thai amulets – small sacred objects believed to offer protection, healing, and luck to those who carry them. In Thai society, these objects carry weight far beyond superstition. They’re tied to Buddhist teachings, passed down through generations, and often become status symbols or moral anchors. In recent decades, the amulet trade has grown into a multi-million-dollar subculture, filled with both devout believers and opportunistic profiteers. The Stone captures this tension masterfully, using the amulets as both narrative engines and philosophical signposts.

Visually, the film is a triumph. Krissada Nakaket’s cinematography is moody and precise, rendering Bangkok as a city of contradictions – holy yet corrupt, serene yet simmering with danger. Every frame is rich in texture and detail, inviting the viewer to linger and absorb. Laksamee Endo’s production design adds even more to the world, filling holy and criminal spaces with religious symbols. You can almost feel the weight of history pressing in from the walls.

Theerawat Yailai’s editing is deliberate and sharp. Although the film initially feels a bit too long, on reflection, its length proves necessary to fully absorb the story. The film’s structure builds gradually but with purpose, concluding in a final sequence that lasts nearly 40 minutes in a single location – it is quite intense. It’s a daring choice – a chamber piece of tension and ideology – but it works. This extended climax develops like a spiritual showdown, not just between characters, but between worldviews: faith versus desperation, tradition versus modernity, belief versus exploitation.

Admittedly, the film’s length may test the patience of some viewers. Certain scenes could have been trimmed for tighter pacing, especially in the final act. But these moments of stillness are rarely wasted.

Central to the film’s success is Jinjett Wattanasin as Ake. In a performance that is both tender and magnetic, he carries the story with an intensity. The supporting cast – Korranid Laosubinprasert, Noppol Gomarachun, Chulachak Chakrabongse, Itkorn Pungkiatrussamee, and Sirakoop Medhanee – are all well cast, offering great performances that make even secondary characters feel essential. Each character reflects a different facet of how Thai society engages with faith, money, and identity.

What The Stone ultimately delivers is an entertaining thriller as well as a cultural statement. It introduces international audiences to a Thai life often overlooked or misunderstood, treating the amulet tradition not as exotic window dressing but as a window into the Thai soul.

It’s rare for a debut to strike such a fine balance between commercial appeal and cultural authenticity. But The Stone achieves it – visually rich and emotionally grounded. It may be slightly overlong, but that indulgence comes with intention and vision.

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Written by Maggie Gogler

Featured image courtesy of Far East Film Festival

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to films, music, and arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. With rich content already available to our readers, we aim to expand our reach and grow alongside our audience by delving deeper into emerging platforms such as K-pop and Asian music more broadly. At the same time, we remain committed to exploring the vibrant and ever-evolving global landscape of film, music, and the arts, celebrating the immense talent and creativity that define these industries worldwide.}

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