Ong-Bak - The Thai Warrior
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Movie Reviews of Ong-Bak - The Thai Warrior
Movie Review: Jaa has got the skillz to pay tha billz!
Summary: 5 Stars
Just watched ONG BAK! (aka Thai Warrior) Starring Tony Jaa as a simple country boy who leaves his village on a quest to the big city where he must hunt down the evil drug lord who stole the head of his village' s sacred Buddha statue.
The impressive thing about this movie is that the blazingly brutal yet lighter than air martial arts action is all done without the benefit of wires or CG. That fact probably does not mean much until you actually see how Tony Jaa essentially walks on air to escape or defeat his foes.
Jaa trained in the ancient form of Muay Boran for four years in preparation for this film. Muay Boran is a predecessor to Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) that focuses on powerful Elbow and Knee strikes designed to be efficient and deadly. It is not a tournament sport learned for entertainment. In this way, Jaa seems to follow in the footsteps of legendary Bruce Lee by primarily using moves that are based on real fighting techniques in order to bring innovation to the genre.
Of course, in the interest of entertainment, the moves and fights are all highly stylized, choreographed, edited and played out to enhance the excitement to an unreal level. But one thing is clear though, these guys are taking these hits for real. When Jaa plants a knee into someone's face, that someone is really getting smacked in the face. Wurd. Though I am sure the kicks and punches are being pulled, they are making solid contact... no camera angle tricks here. Many of these shots are played out repeatedly from different angles in slow-mo just to underscore that fact.
A welcome added ingredient to this film, are a couple of awesome Jackie Chan-esque chase scenes in which Jaa seemingly defies gravity in ways that would make Spider-Man jealous!
Unfortunately, Jaa's Character, Ting, lacks the charisma and personality that make Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and even Spider-Man much easier to empathize with and root for. The script is probably to blame for that though. The story plays out as cliché and predictable as any Steven Seagall actioner. But we all know that story is a secondary element in this genre. Jaa's skills are so impressive that he carries this film all the way through, so overall it's pretty entertaining stuff and I guarantee you will make shouts of thrilled astonishment at some of the stunts and fight scenes. I shouted, "OH JEEZE THAT"S GOTTA HURT!"
Movie Review: Watch out for tut-tuts!!
Summary: 5 Stars
One night I was wandering around in the DVD section on Amazon and discovered this movie. Since I had been to Thailand and the reviews were great, I was curious enough to order "Ong-Bak." Now mind you, I am a retired English teacher, female, and not given to violence. However, I give this movie five stars for several reasons.
First, of course, is Tony Jaa, an amazing Muay Thai martial artist. Other reviewers compare him with the greats, but I say he is unique, in a class of his own and still young, thus has opportunity to develop his art further. Let me repeat, Tony Jaa is amazing!
However, in addition to Tony Jaa's talents, the movie itself is absolutely worth whatever you spend to get it. The action sequences, not including the martial arts fights, are so cleverly put together. The very first action is an rush by young men in a village to climb a huge tree to retrieve a scarf from its top. Because it is a Thai contest, a cultural thing, American audiences had to be agape at this action. I know I was. Ting (Jaa) wins.
Here is a progression of other action scenes so entertaining:
*Ting and Humlae running through the side streets of Bangkok, trying to escape bullies out to harm them. Hilarious and amazing.
*The race of the tut-tuts. Those little three-wheeled carts are like horse and buggies in New Orleans, a tourist thing. To see them in a "car chase" and how they crash and tumble is also hilarious.
*The fights: Some of the early fights are so funny. Big Bear (Australian?) with his Howard Stern hair, the quick-legged Japanese(?) fighter, and the incredible fighter(?) who uses accoutrements to attack Ting: picture frames, broken bottles, tables, chairs, a neon sign, an electric cord, a small refrigerator, a knife--and still loses.
From this point the fights become progressively more dangerous. It is about mid-point in the movie when the serious stuff begins and all fights intensify. The viewer sees Muay Thai in life-threatening action.
This is an incredible film with incredible action, humor, "car chases" unlike any you have ever seen, and a satisfactory ending. Highly recommended for its uniqueness all around!! Be sure to watch the Special Features section. It is worth the price of the video! And watch out for more of Tony Jaa!
Movie Review: To give this movie less than five stars is a sin!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Jet Li announced a few months ago that after he completes his upcoming film FEARLESS, he intends to retire from martial arts movies. If he is indeed firmly invested into this decision, he just might have a successor. A succssor named Tony Jaa. After seing ONG BAK, if I had been a movie producer, I would been ready to sign Tony Jaa to a twenty-picture deal.
ONG BAK is about Ting (Tony Jaa), a master of the art of Muay Thai, who volunteers to travel to Bangkok for his village to retrieve a Budhha's, which the villagers believe gives the town good blessings. Sort of a martial arts version of INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM.
ONG BAK is Tony Jaa's first starring role, but you can bet your last nickel it won't be his last. While the movie is pretty lacking in martial arts for the first half hour or so, the on foot chase through the streets of Bankok more than make up for it, with Tony leaping over and under moving cars, through a wreath of Barbed wire, and literally running over the heads of his pursuers.
Whenthe movie does get into the martial arts, it does not disappoint. At one point Tony is forced to fight three matches in an underground fight cicuit, all of which he wins.
But the best is saved for the finale, when Tony crushes some thugs in a cave, has to fight his way past some more thugs to retrieve the Buddha's head (and keep them from stealing an even bigger Buddha's head), and face-off against the number two bad guy.
I must say, that being a martial artist myself, practicing Shaolin Ch'uan fa, Tae Kwon Do (which Tony also is an expert in),Krav Maga, and Aikido, ONG BAK has given me a completely different view of Muay Thai. I used to think it was nothing but low round-house kicks, knes, and elbows by skinny Thai guys. I sure am glad I've never had to fight Tony Jaa. He'd have sure proved to me that Muay Thai isn't necesarily superior to Ch'uan fa or Tae Kwon Do, but a Muay Thai fighter is nevertheless, a force to be reckoned with.
ONG BAK has set a new standard for martial arts movies, and it's one that Tony Jaa will clearly be able to live up to.
Movie Review: Tony Jaa is here to stay!
Summary: 5 Stars
The most successful movie in Thai cinematic history is also the best "real world" martial artist film in the past decade. With all the fantastic wire work in Iron Monkey, Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon it's nice to swing the pendulum back the other way toward what I grew up with, Bruce Lee style raw and powerful, full contact fight scenes. Tony Jaa is the next Bruce Lee and will surpass his predecessors Jackie Chan and Jet Li. He has Li's Technical skill and speed, Chan's stunt work and acrobatics and Lee's brutal style with no wires. Jaa is the real deal
This is his first film (staring role at lease, Jaa was a stuntman before this) and this movie rocks the entire way though. There are only four main fight scenes but they are so well done and with so much intensity it feels like a Bruce lee film or early Jackie Chan (serious Chan, not buster Kenton Chan). Jaa does all his own stunts, no CGI, no wires. Jaa incorporated Thai Boxing (Muay Thai) which is not well know but is jaw dropping and painfully brutal. You can see every bone crushing blow and truly believe it could inflict some real damage. The music is great and really ups the pace in these hard core action scenes. Like any good Jackie Chan movie this one also features Jaa is various, seemingly unbelievable stunts that are truly unique to Jaa. You just have to see it to believe he can do what he can do.
The finally to this movie is amazing, the scene in the cave, raw and so brutal and is shot beautifully with just the right amount of diffused lighting that gives the dark yet visible fight scene and lets you get the mood and still see every blow, crisp and clear.
Everyone likes to rag on the plots of these films; if you're watching this for the plot then you're an idiot. Sit back and enjoy seeing the beginning of the new king of movie martial arts, Tony Jaa.
Movie Review: Tony Jaa is my hero
Summary: 5 Stars
I was in karate for 9 years and a 3rd degree black belt before my dojo closed down, so it might come as no surprise that everytime I watch this film I can't help but throw a kick or two in front of the mirror. Ong Bak is without a doubt one of the best martial arts films period. Like most in this genre, the story and dialogue are not the best (it's not terrible either), but boy do the fight scenes make up for it. I guarantee you have never seen stuff like this.
As much as I love Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, Tony Jaa makes them look much less impressive. Okay, I'll give Bruce Lee a pass since he did his thing in the 70's and made martial arts films a household name. We all know Jackie Chan does all his own stunts (at least when he was younger), but so does Jaa, and without the help of any wires or CGI.
If you are like me and sick of seeing people flying around through the treetops and fighting, you will get nothing less than amazingly realistic and brutal fight scenes, complete with more knee and elbow strikes than you can count. Not only can this man kick some booty, he easily glides over cars, runs on top of people's shoulders, jumps through a tight gap made of barbed wire, flips, rolls and jumps in every possible direction.
I own his other two movies, The Protector and Ong Bak 2, and both have some great action as well, but Ong Bak is his best film overall. Whether you are a fan of martial arts or action movies, this is a must buy.
The DVD quality could be better, but from what I read, the Blu-ray isn't a huge improvement.