Garuda

Our friend Dhiti Chantravekin provided The Lost Kaiju with a history of the mythical creature Garuda and a review of the 2004 Thai film of the same name. Here's the scoop.


Garuda is a movie picture produced by a Thai Production House named RS Film. It was shown in theaters in 2004 and was greeted with a widely accepted Thai audience, since it is the first ever made Thai Sci-Fi movie that can meet the world class standard. The computer graphic is superb, the storyline, the plot, the thrill, the cast are great. No wonder why its DVDs are sold to Sci-Fi fans worldwide.
Garuda or “Krutha” in Thai word is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that exists in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Its sculptures can be seen on the rooftop of a Buddhist temple. In addition to that it’s a national symbol of Thailand representing the King. Legend has it that long time ago Garuda had a quarrel with Naka, a mystical giant snake in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Naka could not fight Garuda, so he asked for help from a Hindu God, Vishnu. Both Vishnu and Garuda fought for days with no winner. So finally Garuda and Vishnu made an agreement that Garuda would serve Vishnu as his mounting animal during his travel. And that’s why there are pictures and sculptures of Vishnu riding on Garuda's back at all Buddhist temples.
The movie, however, has little to do with Garuda in the legend, because Garuda in the movie is a giant bird-like monster roaming the earth 80,000 years ago. During the construction of an underground tunnel phase II for Bangkok subway. A small fossil of Garuda was found, so Leena Pierre, a young and beautiful half French half Thai archaeologist with a promising future, and her friend Tim were called in to study the remain. They were accompanied by a special elite force to go into the tunnel. There, they discovered a secret cave where the giant Garuda was in hibernation for 80,000 years. Their intrusion into the cave has awaken Garuda and it went on rampage killing many members of the elite force. As a scientist, Leena wanted to save Garuda as it is a living evidence of an ancient animal, so she came into conflict with Tan, leader of the team, who wanted to stop the creature from going to the surface and killing innocent people. Can the powerful Garuda be stopped? What the story will end? Well, you have to watch the movie to find out.

Our dvd store will be carrying Garuda in a few short weeks.