Ong-bak

Refreshing East-Asian action, spiced up with properly brutal fights. Tony Jaa definitely deserves recognition because his physical performance is fantastic, to say the least. The absence of digital effects is clearly a plus. Only the plot could be denser, you don’t often get to see such a naive and foolish story. The fact that they focused primarily on rough fights is undeniable, the plot here works only as a sort of second fiddle. Many scenes, however, are unnecessarily drawn out and in some parts, the film gets dangerously boring. Nevertheless, the overall impact is highlighted by a solid atmosphere, proper kicks, and some typically Asian chases. The occasional slight confusion in the editing can be fully accepted considering the country of origin. (04.09.2006)

Ong-Bak isn't an exceptional kung fu film at first glance, and its plot isn’t dazzling at all. We have villagers whose Buddha head is stolen. A young man from the village sets out to track down those who took the head. His task is, of course, to return the head to his village and possibly punish those who committed such a defamation. It seems like a simple story about a quest for a relic. Well, let’s be honest, that’s all it is. The difference between an ordinary kung fu film and Ong-Bak is that Ong-Bak has its central star, Tony Jaa. Tony Jaa is not Bruce Lee, nor is he Jackie Chan. While we're at it, he isn't even Chinese. Tony is Thai; he was born there and filmed his first movies here. Ong-Bak isn’t his first film, but it definitely contributed to making him a global star. Tony’s style is very different from Bruce Lee’s, and he has pushed choreography even further, taking a different path than Jackie Chan. Tony Jaa is a martial arts master, but it’s clear he wouldn’t have any problems with parkour either. His jumps are sometimes simply incredible. He’s an excellent acrobat, and he loves to show it off. His leap over children with bubble blowers is simply stunning, and that's just one short scene. In fact, the entire sequence of the escape through the city is unbelievable and perhaps the very best thing that happens in the entire film. The final battle with the villain is just a final battle with the villain; there’s nothing that spectacular about it. (01.03.2013)

It seems that not only shoes and shirts of questionable quality are hidden under the term Made in Thailand, but also films. I don't know about the others, but judging by this one, cinema in Thailand is the complete opposite of the textile industry. Although I wonder what's so special about Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior. The story of a poor village boy who ventures into the big world of Bangkok to find a lost sacred artifact is not groundbreaking, even for the local audience familiar with similar themes from regular fairy tales. What makes Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior so special is the form, which, although it overpowers the content in every way, does not kill it completely and leaves it some space. Both are mutually subordinate to the other, so the resulting symbiosis offends no one. To look for flaws in the form probably isn't worth it. The choreography of action scenes is packed with excitement, leaving the audience with nothing else to do but silently gaze in awe. Nevertheless, we must accept certain rules of the game that the film sets out. The most crucial aspect is the constant repetition of slowed-down shots, only from different camera angles. Repetition may be the mother of wisdom (even in postmodernity), but it requires a bit of patient tolerance from the audience. But action is not just about kicks and punches. I've seen many (very many) chases on everything from cars to bikes to boats. But I've never seen a three-wheeled rickshaw chase before. An original idea (certainly to my taste), but its inspiration lies elsewhere. Across the sea in hamburger nation. Slowing down and speeding up shots is in Tony Scott's job description. The inspiration from his films is quite evident here. The film itself doesn't deny it when a poster for Tony Scott's action thriller Spy Game appears on the door in one scene. Thanks to this gesture of gratitude before the film, I bow and acknowledge that it is merely inspiration and not plagiarism. Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior is definitely worth watching. For a viewer who is not actively interested in East Asian cinema (like myself), Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior is a very pleasant surprise and a highly interesting addition to an otherwise recently lackluster film menu presented by the hamburger nation. (13.04.2005)

I'm no martial arts connoisseur, but Tony Jaa's talent must be recognized by even a hardened retired pacifist. There are more reasons why this flying Thai man is such a discovery – first, he understands his craft and, unlike Europeans like Jean Claude van Damme, adds that unmatched Asian artistic impression to the technical design. Watching its relaxed dynamics of movements is an aesthetic experience comparable to an excellent dramatic performance. If we add the fact that it is full-contact, without wires and without major technical knick-knacks (the rawness of some shots is clearly visible!), it is difficult to catch your breath when watching the main actors do the stunts. Secondly: Tony Jaa is a very interesting visual type... mixture of Indian and Asian with boyish charm. Thirdly: Tony Jaa can't act, but he can't act in a way that isn't outrageous. Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior is entirely subordinate to the skills of the main persona, the story cheerfully rusts on the sidelines, and the screenwriter leans on the maximum of archetypes that have released the set for the main star. Who enjoys it indeed. There are all sorts of punches and kicks flying through the air, and it kind of doesn't matter that it's not going anywhere and that the point of the film is one big B the size of India. Ong-Bak is great action entertainment, relaxation that amazes with perfect action scenes, entertains with Prachya Pinkaew’s non-artificial attempts at modern direction and gives the viewer a door to the world of Thai pop music and hip hop. The result is 105 minutes of adrenaline fun and experiences that are not forgotten... (11.06.2005)

Tony Jaa is a cool dude who managed to improve on something that I thought couldn’t be made any better. And I was wrong. Each fight scene contains spectacular heroics and antics, and thanks to Tony being such a nice guy, you soon end up taking his side and crossing your fingers for him. For breathing a new lease of life into this genre, I give this a clear 5 stars. (04.10.2006)