Thanks for dropping in for yet another journey across my Letterboxd Map! Climb aboard as this week we’re off to Laos for… The Rocket (2013).
Title: The Rocket
Director: Kim Mordaunt
Released: February 10, 2013 (Germany)
Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
Available to stream on: Kanopy
Deep in the mountains of Laos, Mali (Alice Keohavong) gives birth to twins. Unfortunately though, Ahlo’s (Sitthiphon Disamoe) sibling was stillborn. Mali’s mother-in-law, Taitok (Boonsri Yindee) is quick to bring up the Laotian tradition that calls for twins to be killed after birth.
The reasoning? Well, one twin is considered to be a blessing and the other a curse. Despite not knowing whether Ahlo is the blessed or curse sibling, Mali is against killing him and goes so far as to lie in order to protect him.
As we see Ahlo begin to grow up, his grandmother that knows his secret is always there ready to blame any unfortunate happenings on his existence. Yes, sometimes Ahlo is fully responsible for the trouble that finds him. Though there is also plenty outside of his control that he takes the blame for.
As one can imagine, that’s quite a lot for a child to carry around as they find their way through life.
But is there anything Ahlo can do to prove to his family that he isn’t cursed?
The Rocket (2013) is a film that looks absolutely beautiful. Director of Photography Andrew Commis beautifully captures the Laotian landscapes and fully immerses us in it.
Is the story formulaic in nature? Well, yes. Though I found myself fully invested and engaged and not once found myself just waiting for the next plot point to reveal itself.
A big reason for this is the performance from Sitthiphon Disamoe as Ahlo. He has an innocence about him that makes it nearly impossible to not want to see him succeed. Even when he’s being a little punk and causing some of his own problems, it’s pretty difficult to sit and root against him.
While The Rocket (2013) starts off rather dark, luckily it doesn’t stay that way. By the time we reach the final act, we have ourselves a heartfelt story that hits all the right notes.
If you’ve not yet seen The Rocket (2013), consider this your recommendation to correct that.
So, are there any of you who have seen The Rocket (2013)?
If so, leave a comment below or reach out on Bluesky and let me hear your thoughts on it!
As always, you can follow me over on Letterboxd to keep up with everything else that I’ve been watching lately.