Fireball

All the rage in the abandoned warehouses of Bangkok, fireball is a bit like basketball, except the first five-man team to put the ball through the hoop wins the match. Oh, and it’s okay to kill the opposing players. That’s a classic exploitation movie set-up, but unfortunately this Thai offering only fitfully delivers. After his twin brother is left brain-damaged by the underground sport, Tai (Preeti ‘Bank’ Barameeanant) returns in his stead, but can he survive long enough to take revenge? The mayhem has its moments, notably in an extended match where the evil rivals brandish iron bars, and there’s certainly a steely mean streak here. That said, the clunking storyline is a real drag, and the movie is essentially hobbled because the nominal lead is a rock performer not a martial artist, clearly outshone by fleet-footed teammate Zing (played by – yes – 9 Million Sam). The grand finale, staged in a massive dry dock, also proves less viscerally engaging than the preceding tightly choreographed encounters.