Watch Manta Ray

Manta Ray is a 2018 Thai film directed by Phuttiphong Aroonpheng. It tells the story of a mute man who finds a wounded stranger in the forest, takes him back to his small village, and nurses him back to health. As the two men spend time together, they develop a bond that transcends language and culture, and the stranger becomes a source of inspiration for the mute man.

The film opens with a stunning sequence of underwater footage, set to an eerie, otherworldly score. We see a group of men diving for pearls, and one of them discovers a manta ray caught in his net. As he tries to free the creature, he accidentally cuts its wing, and it sinks to the ocean floor. The man is clearly upset by this, and as he rises to the surface, we notice that he is missing his left ear.

Cut to a forest, where we meet our protagonist, a nameless man who lives in a small hut and makes a living by scavenging for items to sell at the local market. He is a quiet, solitary figure, and we get the sense that he is something of an outcast in his community. One day, while out in the forest, he comes across the wounded stranger, who is barely alive. Despite the stranger's foreign appearance and the fact that they cannot communicate, the mute man takes him back to his village and begins to care for him.

As the stranger recovers, he becomes a source of fascination for the villagers, who are both wary of and drawn to his foreignness. He is given the name Thongchai, and he and the mute man develop a bond that is based on shared experiences rather than language. Thongchai helps the mute man with his work, and they spend many hours together fishing, repairing the roof of the mute man's hut, and simply enjoying each other's company.

The film is visually stunning, with long, slow shots of the landscape and the creatures that inhabit it. The use of sound is also excellent, with a minimalist score that evokes both the beauty and the sadness of the film's setting. The acting is also superb, with Aphisit Hama giving a compelling performance as the mute man, and Wanlop Rungkumjad bringing a sense of vulnerability and mystery to his portrayal of Thongchai.

As the film progresses, we begin to learn more about Thongchai's past and the circumstances that led him to end up in the forest. We also see the mute man's community slowly turn against him, as they begin to suspect that he may have played a role in Thongchai's injury. Through it all, the bond between the two men remains strong, and it is clear that they have developed a deep connection that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers.

Overall, Manta Ray is a haunting and beautiful film that tells a story of friendship and connection in the face of isolation and adversity. It is a powerful meditation on the human condition, and a testament to the idea that sometimes, the most important bonds are the ones that cannot be put into words.

Manta Ray is a 2019 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8.