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Timeline

The Rocket (2014) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2014 · 96 min · Lao
JustWatch #29,131 1
Directed by
Kim Mordaunt
Starring
Alice Keohavong, Bunsri Yindi, Loungnam Kaosainam, Sitthiphon Disamoe, Sumrit Warin, Suthep Po-ngam

In a society rapidly changing with technological advancements, a young boy named Ahlo struggles to find his place. Determined to earn the respect of his peers, he embarks on a journey to build a rocket at a lively local festival. His quest is more than just construction; it's a search for purpose and validation in a world that seems to have left tradition behind.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Rocket
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Rocket (2014)

Where can you watch The Rocket? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Kino Film Collection, Hoopla and Kanopy: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

The Rocket Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Rocket (2014) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Twin birth and the blessing/curse prophecy

    During the birth, Taitok declares that one twin is cursed and must die. Mali refuses to kill the surviving child, believing him blessed. The truth is kept secret from Toma.

    When
    birth
    Where
    Laos mountains, Mali's village
  2. Revelation of the curse and the secret

    Seven years later, Ahlo learns that a dam project will flood his valley. Taitok reveals to Toma that Ahlo is a twin and that 'he should have died', confirming the curse. The family keeps this truth hidden from Toma.

    When
    seven years later
    Where
    Village and dam area
  3. Displacement plan and relocation

    The dam project is announced and villagers will be relocated as the valley floods. They begin moving through the woods with their boat, but the ropes snap and the boat crashes into Mali, killing her.

    When
    during relocation
    Where
    On the hillside above the dam site
  4. Mali's death and Ahlo's status

    Mali dies in the boating accident that marks the family's first great tragedy. Taitok then reveals that Ahlo is a twin and that he should have died, labeling him cursed.

    When
    immediately after the crash
    Where
    The relocation route near the hill
  5. Burial and new journey to the next village

    After Mali's burial, the family boards a bus toward a new village where they hope to start anew. Taitok despises the new village's running water and electricity, which she sees as erasing their traditions.

    When
    days after death
    Where
    Bus to a new village
  6. Meeting Kia and Purple

    Ahlo meets Kia, a girl who has lost her entire family to malaria, and Purple, her uncle who loves James Brown. Kia offers Ahlo a place to grow mangoes, a gesture he hopes will honor his mother.

    When
    shortly after arriving
    Where
    Paradise (Purple's village area)
  7. Destruction of the model house and growing tension

    Ahlo's anger leads him to destroy Toma's model house, symbolizing his family's tension and broken dreams. He bonds with Kia and Purple and learns that the hydro bosses control the village's promised electricity.

    When
    soon after meeting them
    Where
    Paradise
  8. Electricity attempt and blackout

    That night, Ahlo sneaks out to hook up electricity for the people, hoping to relieve their hardship. The plan backfires and causes a blackout for most of the village, sparing Kia and Purple's home.

    When
    the following night
    Where
    Paradise
  9. Sacred shrine desecration and fire

    In a moment of defiance, Ahlo desecrates a sacred shrine. In retaliation, the village burns their house and belongings.

    When
    the following day
    Where
    Paradise
  10. Escape with UXO toward Paradise

    The family, Kia, and Purple flee in a cart loaded with undetonated bombs from the war, traveling for days through dangerous terrain. They join a parade of travelers as they seek a new home.

    When
    days after the fire
    Where
    Through the countryside toward Paradise
  11. Arrival at Paradise and new hope

    They reach Purple's village, which they call Paradise, and find it seems empty. Ahlo and Kia sneak into the woods to play; a near mishap with a bomb underscores the danger surrounding them.

    When
    upon arrival
    Where
    Paradise
  12. Rocket contest and Ahlo's resolve

    A parade of travelers mentions a rocket competition with a cash prize. Believing it could end their displacement, Ahlo decides to build a rocket despite his family’s skepticism.

    When
    before the contest
    Where
    Paradise outskirts
  13. The Bat and the cave omen

    Purple helps Ahlo collect bat droppings in a cave to fuel the rocket, and Ahlo encounters a wary woman who fears he is evil. The exploration adds peril to the rocket-building journey.

    When
    during building
    Where
    Bat cave near Paradise
  14. Festival day begins; rival rockets launched

    The rocket festival begins and others launch their rockets, and Ahlo's family is skeptical about The Bat's chances. Toma launches his own rocket, Lucky, while the rival rocket The Million wins by reaching the clouds.

    When
    festival day
    Where
    Rocket festival field
  15. The Bat soars and rains; prize and blessing

    The Bat finally takes off, explodes inside a cloud, and rains down, bringing life to the valley. Ahlo wins the ten million kip prize and is no longer considered cursed, as rain answers his wish.

    When
    climax of the festival
    Where
    In the clouds above the festival

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:22

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Timeline questions answered

The Rocket Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Rocket (2014): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Ahlo considered cursed?

Ahlo was considered cursed because he was born a twin, and according to the village tradition declared by Taitok during birth, one twin is cursed and must die. When Ahlo's mother Mali refused to kill the surviving child, she kept the truth hidden, but Taitok later revealed to Ahlo that he 'should have died' and labeled him cursed.

Foreshadowing: The curse is foreshadowed from the opening birth scene where Taitok declares one twin cursed and must die.

  • Ahlo
  • curse
  • twin
  • Taitok
  • Mali
  • tradition
Q2

What happened to Ahlo's twin?

The details about Ahlo's twin are not fully explained in the story, but it is implied that the cursed twin died at birth. Mali saved the surviving child (Ahlo) and kept the twin status secret from Toma, Ahlo's father, until years later.

  • twin
  • Ahlo
  • birth
  • Mali
  • death
Q3

Why did Mali die in the boat accident?

Mali died when the family's boat crashed into her during the relocation process after the dam project was announced. As the villagers moved through the woods with their boat, the ropes snapped and the boat crashed into Mali, killing her.

Foreshadowing: The danger of the relocation journey is set up when the dam project forces the villagers from their valley.

  • Mali
  • death
  • boat
  • dam
  • relocation
Q4

Why does Ahlo want to build a rocket?

Ahlo wants to build a rocket to earn respect from his peers and find purpose in a world that seems to have left his traditional way of life behind. After losing his home and mother, and being labeled cursed, Ahlo sees the rocket competition with its cash prize as a way to prove himself and help his family.

Foreshadowing: Ahlo's desire for validation is established early through his struggles with being labeled cursed and displaced.

  • rocket
  • Ahlo
  • respect
  • purpose
  • festival
Q5

What does the rocket contest represent in the story?

The rocket contest represents hope for a new beginning and a chance for Ahlo to prove his worth. The ten million kip prize could end their displacement and show that Ahlo is not cursed but rather capable of something remarkable.

  • rocket contest
  • prize
  • hope
  • displacement
Q6

Why did The Bat rocket bring rain?

The Bat rocket exploded inside a cloud, causing it to rain down upon the valley. This rain was seen as a blessing, answering Ahlo's wish and proving that his rocket, despite being considered cursed, brought life-giving rain to the drought-affected area.

Foreshadowing: The importance of rain is established through the hardships the village faces, and Ahlo's wish for rain is answered by his rocket's explosion in the clouds.

  • The Bat
  • rocket
  • rain
  • cloud
  • blessing
  • valley
Q7

What does the ending mean when Ahlo is no longer considered cursed?

When Ahlo wins the rocket contest and rain falls from his rocket, the village views this as a blessing that counters the curse. His success at bringing rain proves he is not cursed but rather blessed, allowing him to gain the respect he sought and ending his status as an outcast.

Foreshadowing: The prophecy that one twin is cursed is challenged when Ahlo's rocket brings life-giving rain, suggesting the curse was wrong.

  • curse
  • blessing
  • respect
  • Ahlo
  • ending
  • rain
Q8

Why did the hydro bosses control the village electricity?

The hydro bosses controlled the promised electricity in the village called Paradise, which created tension between the traditional villagers and the modern developers. This power imbalance contributed to Ahlo's decision to secretly try connecting electricity himself, which backfired.

  • hydro
  • electricity
  • village
  • Paradise
  • control
Q9

Why did Ahlo destroy Toma's model house?

Ahlo destroyed Toma's model house in a moment of anger, symbolizing his family's tension and broken dreams after being displaced. The model house represented their lost home and failed future, and his destructive act marked a turning point in his emotional struggle.

Foreshadowing: The tension between Ahlo and his family builds from the losses they have endured.

  • Ahlo
  • Toma
  • model house
  • anger
  • destruction
Q10

Why did Ahlo desecrate the sacred shrine?

Ahlo desecrated the sacred shrine in a moment of defiance against the traditions and beliefs that had labeled him cursed. This act of rebellion led to the village burning his family's house and belongings, forcing them to flee.

  • shrine
  • desecration
  • defiance
  • Ahlo
  • tradition
Q11

What is UXO and why does the family carry bombs?

UXO stands for Unexploded Ordnance - undetonated bombs from the war that remain dangerous. The family carries these bombs on their cart as they flee, using them as a means of transportation through dangerous terrain. This highlights the lingering dangers of war in the region.

  • UXO
  • bombs
  • war
  • escape
  • danger
Q12

Who is Kia and what happened to her family?

Kia is a girl Ahlo meets in Paradise who has lost her entire family to malaria. She offers Ahlo a place to grow mangoes, a gesture he hopes will honor his mother. Kia becomes a companion and friend during Ahlo's journey.

  • Kia
  • malaria
  • family
  • loss
  • mangoes

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Rocket, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Rocket tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Personal journey movies like The Rocket

Stories where characters undertake a tangible project to prove their worth. If you liked Ahlo's quest for respect in The Rocket, you'll enjoy these other movies about characters on a personal mission. These stories feature determined protagonists using a tangible goal to find their purpose, similar to the inspiring and hopeful vibe of The Rocket.

  • determined
  • hopeful
  • inspiring
  • searching
  • purposeful
  • earnest
  • Tone: hopeful, determined
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives follow a straightforward arc centered on a single character's goal. The conflict is often internal—a struggle with self-doubt—or societal—feeling out of place. The plot progresses steadily as the character works towards their objective, culminating in a resolution that brings personal growth and earned respect.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a focus on a relatable, personal struggle for purpose. They blend a hopeful tone with medium emotional weight, creating inspiring stories about ambition and self-discovery that feel authentic and rewarding.

Coming-of-age stories like The Rocket

Young protagonists finding their way as traditions collide with modernity. Discover more movies like The Rocket that explore a young person's journey of self-discovery. These films capture the hopeful yet searching feeling of youth set against a backdrop of change, perfect for fans of inspiring and nostalgic coming-of-age dramas.

  • coming of age
  • nostalgic
  • searching
  • inspiring
  • belonging
  • youthful
  • Tone: hopeful, nostalgic, searching
  • Pacing: steady, reflective
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a young protagonist feeling caught between old ways and new possibilities. Their journey is one of self-discovery, often symbolized by a specific goal. The story explores themes of belonging and validation, ultimately concluding with a sense of hopeful integration rather than outright rejection of the past.

Why they belong together: These movies share a specific mood blend: they are hopeful and inspiring yet carry a touch of nostalgia for a simpler time. The pacing is steady, allowing for character reflection, and the intensity is medium, focusing on the emotional weight of growing up without being overwhelming.

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Movies Like The Rocket

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Every angle

The Rocket (2014) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Rocket in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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