Opapatike: Intriguing Karmic Horror Film From Prachya Pinkaew's Baa Ram Ewe.

He's best known on these shores as the director of Ong Bak but Thailand's Prachya Pinkaew is also one of the country's busiest producers through his Baa Ram Ewe imprint and Opapatika looks to be one of their more intriguing coming projects. The flyer I've got for it is all dark inks on glossy black paper, so it doesn't lend itself to scanning, but I'll give you the character photos plus the synopsis ...

"According to Buddhist belief the evolution of birth can be divided into four seperate forms including:

- Sangsethaca: To be born amongst rot and decay, as a worm or maggot.
- Anthaca: To be born from an egg, in the various forms of birds.
- Chalaphucha: To be conceived in the womb as a human or other mammal.

There is, however, another form of birth unknown to Buddhist beliefs. This form is known only as Opapatika.

Opapatika are born fully formed as spirits, demons, angels, and some as humans."

Read on for the pics and more on the film ...

"Due to a tragic mistake in his past the young, handsome Jirat has become one of the Opapatika. Though immortal he finds his endless life to be a burden and longs for a release from it. He finally comes to terms with his fate and realizes what he needs to do to transcend it.

Sadok, Jirat's fellow Opapatika, feels that the action Jirat contemplates is a terrible mistake. Unlike Jirat whenever Sadok uses his powers he deteriorates little by little ... he can only survive by eating the flesh of other Opapatika. Sadok decides that the only way to ensure his own survival is to consume Jirat ..."

It's a fantastic concept ... each of the Opapatika have some sort of supernatural power but, karma being what it is, using them has a cost. One can see the exact point he needs to strike opponents to kill them, but doing so leaves him scarred in the same place. Another is telepathic at the cost of his natural senses slowly degrading away ... done well this could be really fantastic.