Imagine your dream vacation in Thailand turning into a nightmare... and that too on Koh Phangan! Hard to imagine, right? The film “Land of Smiles – Journey of No Return” takes place largely on Koh Phangan. You can read here what it's about and whether it actually creates a scary atmosphere!
Land auf Smilies - Journey without Return Film review
The low budget film produced in 2016 has received 20 international film and festival awards, including best film (Top Indie Film Awards), best horror film (Filmmatic Award) and best director (American Movie Awards). The main part of the film takes place on Koh Phangan.
What it's all about
The best friends Penny and Abby actually want to vacation together on Thailand's dream beaches, but Abby jumps off, they part in the dispute and Penny starts the journey alone. When Abby receives a most distressing call for help from her friend, she worries to Thailand to look for Penny. In her research, she meets a few American tourists and together they are entangled in the clutches of a sociopathic filmmaker with a clown mask. If you want to see Penny alive again, you must follow his instructions.
Land of Smiles: German Trailer
You can watch the movie here order on Amazon.
My Opinion
An interesting horror story that was implemented in a trashy, unusual and exciting way over long periods. With a few surprising twists and turns, the suspicion is repeatedly steered onto a different track. The moderately good actors act in front of the wonderful backdrops of Thailand's vacation paradises. Unfortunately, the German dubbing makes the dialogues a little worse than in the original. As a “Phangan” I was of course most interested in the recordings on the island. Anyone who has been here a little bit will recognize some well-known places. An incorrect location has crept in, or has been deliberately set: The group must follow a hint up to a waterfall ……… who will find the mistake?
Buy Land of Smiles
Data for the film:
Written / Directed by Bradley Stryker
Produced by Caitlin Cromwell, Bradley Stryker
Instrumentation
Alexandra Turshen Abby
Keenan Henson Ben
Bradley Stryker Dale
Amie Barsky Tabitha
Krista Donargo Penny
Did you already see the film? Write us your opinion in the comments!
So for the funds available, I don't think the film is that bad and the twist at the end was even unexpected ... I thought your buddy is the clown the whole time 😉 The German dubbing is really horrible, better to watch it in English !
Logic holes deluxxxxe 😀 Well, there really are some uncertainties in the film and the tension is unfortunately only limited. Where the FSK 18 approval should come from is completely beyond me. For phangan fans the whole thing is definitely fun because you can always guess where the whole thing is going on 😉