Skin Trade is a 2014 American action thriller film directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham. It stars Dolph Lundgren and Tony Jaa, alongside Michael Jai White and Ron Perlman. Lundgren wrote the film with Gabriel Dowrick and Steven Elder, while John Hyams performed uncredited script revisions.
Development started in 2007 after Lundgren read a news report about a group of girls being smuggled into the United States from Mexico. The girls were left in a vehicle along the border and, trapped inside, they all died of heat stroke and suffocation.
Skin Trade had a $9 million production budget, and was shot over 50 days in Canada and Thailand. The film premiered at the American Film Market on November 7, 2014. This was followed by a limited theatrical release, starting on April 9, 2015, in the United Arab Emirates, and succeeded by Thailand (on April 23), Malaysia (on April 30), and the United States (on May 8). The film grossed $384,000 at the worldwide box office.
Plot Tony Vitayakul, a RTP detective in Thailand, subdues a group of human traffickers in pretext of "buying" a Thai girl. Tony collects information about the ship used to transport trafficked girls and its destination, where he learns that Viktor Dragovic, a Serbian mobster, will be there to receive the shipment.
Meanwhile, Nick Cassidy, a NPD detective in Newark, New Jersey, discovers that Dragovic is in New Jersey. Cassidy and his superior officer Captain Costello brief a group of cops on Dragovic, revealing that Dragovic is a major player in human trafficking worldwide. As the ship carrying Dragovic's container approaches the US, Cassidy and his men prepare to intercept it at the dock. When the ship arrives, Dragovic discovers the trafficked women have died during the transport. The ship's captain is held responsible, tortured and shot in the head. When the police move in, a shootout erupts in which Cassidy fatally shoots Dragovic's youngest son Andre in self-defense and Dragovic gets arrested.
While in custody, Dragovic arranges an attack on Cassidy's family in which Cassidy's wife and daughter Sofia are killed, but Cassidy survives. Costello and Reed, an FBI agent, visits Cassidy in the hospital and tell him that Dragovic has fled the US. After they leave, Cassidy steals clothing and an opiate drug before leaving the hospital. Cassidy gets his guns and goes to the restaurant of Dragovic's attorney. After forcing the attorney to reveal Dragovic's whereabouts, Cassidy shoots him and blows up the restaurant. In Cambodia, Senator Khat warns Dragovic that unless he leaves the country immediately, Dragovic will be arrested and extradited to the US. Dragovic blackmails the Senator into giving him two weeks to put his affairs in order and flee.
Cassidy travels to Thailand in pursuit of Dragovic. Believing that Cassidy has experienced a nervous breakdown, the US authorities have sent Reed to detain him. Vitayakul and his partner Nung are ordered to assist with the arrest. At Suvarnabhumi Airport, Cassidy escapes from the police. Reed, who has been bribed by Dragovic, kills Nung and blames Cassidy for the murder. Vitayakul pursues Cassidy through the streets, but is unable to capture him. Cassidy reaches a nightclub in Poipet. After torturing one of Dragovic's men, Cassidy discovers the location of Dragovic's current operations. Vitayakul and Reed arrive at the nightclub to arrest Cassidy. After fighting with Vitayakul, an injured Cassidy escapes again. Reed uses the timing of a call on Vitayakul's cell phone to discover an informant: Vitayakul's girlfriend Min.
While Cassidy is attempting to locate Dragovic's illegitimate son Janko, who oversees Dragovic's human trafficking business in Southeast Asia, a shootout erupts between Cassidy and Janko's men. Janko flees the warehouse, but he is killed by his half-brothers Ivan and Goran Dragovic. Vitayakul learns the truth about his partner's death, where he kills Reed instead. Janko reveals his father's location before dying. The next day, Cassidy and Vitayakul team up and storm Dragovic's compound. Ivan is holding Min at gunpoint, but Vitayakul shoots him. Cassidy destroys a vehicle with a rocket launcher. As a result, Dragovic's helicopter leaves without him. During a shootout between the two detectives and Dragovic's men, Goran is killed in a fight with Vitayakul. After that, Cassidy fights with Dragovic, ultimately stabbing him in the chest, despite Dragovic commandeering a second helicopter. Dragovic tells Cassidy that Sofia is alive and was sold into the human trafficking trade. Dragovic dies from his injuries, while Cassidy gets distraught about not learning Sofia's whereabouts.
In the aftermath, Cassidy bids farewell to Vitayakul and Min, where he gives them a picture of Sofia and asks them to keep it until he finds Sofia. Cassidy sets out in search Sofia on his own.
Cast
Dolph Lundgren as Detective Nick Cassidy, a New Jersey police detective seeking to avenge the murder of his family Tony Jaa as Detective Tony Vitayakul, a Thailand police detective tasked with arresting Cassidy Michael Jai White as Agent Reed, a corrupt FBI agent working for Dragovic Ron Perlman as Viktor Dragović, a Serbian war criminal also a mobster running an international human trafficking ring Mike Dopud as Goran Dragovic, Viktor's eldest son, who oversees his father's operations in the Middle-East David Westerman as Ivan Dragovic, Viktor's other son, who oversees his father's operations in South-East Asia Leo Rano as Janko Dragovic, Viktor's son from another relationship, who manages a chain of nightclubs in Thailand Michael G. Selby as Andre Dragovic, Viktor's youngest son Celina Jade as Min, Tony's girlfriend Peter Weller as Captain Costello, the captain of Cassidy's police department in Newark, New Jersey Tasya Teles as Rosa Cassidy, Nick's wife Chloe Babcook as Sofia Cassidy, Nick's teenage daughter
The film also stars Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Khat, a member of the Cambodian Senate; Maethi Thapthimthong as Nung, Vitayakul's partner on the Thai police force; and Bryce Hodgson as Dex, a petty criminal from New Jersey. The film's co-writer, Steven Elder, appears in a minor role as Dragovic's attorney.
Production
Development and writing
Lundgren started researching human trafficking in 2005.Rader, Dotson. "30 Years After 'Rocky IV', Dolph Lundgren Turns New Page in Skin Trade" , www.parade.com, published May 15, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2015. He claimed there were "20 million slaves in the world", and that human trafficking was a "$20 billion industry"; the world's "second largest" illegal trafficking enterprise (as of 2015).Lundgren's presentation and speech at the 'TEDxFulbright' charity event in Santa Monica, California. Saturday, September 26, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2015. He started developing Skin Trade in 2007, after reading a news report about a group of girls being smuggled into the United States from Mexico. The girls were left in a vehicle along the border; trapped inside and with no means of escape, they all died of heat stroke and suffocation. Lundgren, who had two young daughters at the time, felt the story of human trafficking "had to be told"."EX3 character bios, Dolph Lundgren Skin Trade interview, Jackie Chan turns 60" , www.expendablespremiere.com, published August 4, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2015. He empathized with the victims, saying: "these people are physically humiliated [and] psychologically abused to have no self worth, sort of like [how] I used to feel".
Lundgren wrote the screenplay with Gabriel Dowrick and Steven Elder,Nix. "More on Dolph Lundgren and Tony Jaa's Ass-Kicking Team-Up 'Skin Trade'" , www.beyondhollywood.com, published February 6, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.Brown, Todd. "Dolph Lundgren Confirms Tony Jaa Aboard For 'Skin Trade'" , Twitch Film, published June 18, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2014. while John Hyams performed uncredited script revisions, seven in total, frequently regarding the setting as Lundgren sought financing.McKittrick, Christopher. "It's a lonely job, you know?" Dolph Lundgren on Screenwriting" , www.creativescreenwriting.com, published June 5, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015. The original script was set in Russia. Lundgren even went as far as to personally scout for locations and actors, and to seek financing in Moscow, but it "didn't work out". He changed the setting to Southeast Asia after meeting "someone" interested in financing the film.
Casting Originally, Lundgren planned on playing a supporting role, with a more famous actor in the lead.Paul, Alex. "Dolph Lundgren Interview" , www.theactionelite.com, published April 14, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2015.Rugaard, Jason. "Interview: Dolph Lundgren" , www.moviemavericks.com, published March 16, 2011. Retrieved February 18, 2015.Kit, Borys. "Expendables star a Fulbright scholar?" , The Hollywood Reporter, published August 16, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2014. He also considered directing the film,Kenber, Ben. "Exclusive Video Interview: Dolph Lundgren And Tony Jaa Talk Skin Trade" , www.wegotthiscovered.com, published May 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2015. but decided against it, as he desired to learn more about producing.Pappademas, Alex. "Drago Bleeds: An Emotional, Career-Spanning Conversation With Dolph Lundgren" , www.grantland.com, published May 13, 2015. Retrieved August 30, 2015. In 2013, Lundgren announced the casting of Tony Jaa, in the role of Tony Vitayakul; and Ekachai Uekrongtham as the director.Brown, Todd. "Dolph Lundgren Taps Beautiful Boxer director for Skin Trade" , Twitch Film, published June 21, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2014. Lundgren chose Uekrongtham after being impressed with his film, Beautiful Boxer.Bunnag, Tatat. "Uekrongtham/Jaa/Jade Interview" , www.student-weekly.com, published 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2015. He contacted him through a mutual friend in Los Angeles, and in mid-2013, they arranged to meet in the city. While he had previously turned down scripts offered to him for international markets, Uekrongtham found Skin Trade "riveting". He said the script "[had] the potential to work as a character-driven piece while saying something about how we deal with scars, literal and otherwise". Jaa, on the other hand, met with Lundgren through his manager and film agent.Golden, Lee. "THE BIG LEAP: My Interview With Martial Arts Action Cinema Superstar TONY JAA" , www.filmcombatsyndicate.blogspot.co.uk, published September 23, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2015. He couldn't speak any English when cast, but claimed to have taken "intensive" lessons in preparation for his role; stating he is now "reasonably fluent" in "conversational" English.Friel, Eoin. "Tony Jaa Interview" , www.theactionelite.com, published March 19, 2014. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
Tasya Teles was cast as Rosa Cassidy on Christmas Day, 2013. She was heading to Thailand for a holiday "after a year of hard work", and her agent phoned to tell her about the "perfect role"; even insisting on her having a "quick look" at the script. Once Teles realized Skin Trade was about human trafficking, she was "instantly hooked".Golden, Lee. "Skin Trade Co-Star, Actress Tasya Teles Talks To Film Combat Syndicate" , www.filmcombatsyndicate.blogspot.co.uk, published May 15, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2015.