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Dir. Prachya Pinkaew
Rating: 6.5 | 0 User Reviews | Send to Friend
By Lance Duroni
In an age when any actor’s form can be digitally twisted, spun and levitated to bestow instant kung-fu skills on their character, Ong Bak reminds us that “real” stunts and true martial arts talent still have their place in cinema. Tony Jaa, aka Bruce Lee incarnate, dazzles with acrobatic skill and brutal muay thai physicality in this instant classic from 2003, a triumphant counterpoint to another 2003 film that represents the nadir of CGI kung fu foolery: Charlie’s Angels 2 – Full Throttle.
Tony Jaa plays Ting, a decidedly reluctant warrior whose boyish good looks belie his supreme ass-kicking skills. When Bangkok thugs sever and steal the head of a Buddha statue sacred to his village, the unassuming Ting travels to the big city to reclaim the sacred dome-piece and end the drought that has descended on his village. A pretty thin plot, but you can’t help but root for the grizzled, sun-beaten and authentic-looking Thai villagers with their honest values and cheerful tonal language. Ting hooks up with his compulsive gambling cousin in Bangkok and proceeds to unleash supersonic muay thai beat-downs on all comers, his monk-like reluctance making him all the more likable amidst all the skull-shattering atomic elbow drops. There is a good balance to the action: some slapstick, but not as much as a standard Jackie Chan flick; the fights are well-choreographed, but don’t cross the line into West Side Story aerial dance-fighting; and the violence will induce flinches, or maybe fist-pumping, but doesn’t overwhelm with gore.
Director Prachya Pinkaew takes special delight in thrashing arrogant Western caricatures wearing stupid wigs -- which are pretty hilarious, even to a Western viewer. Overall, however, the street fighters that Ting squares off against throughout the film are pretty generic and uninspired. If a little more thought was put into details like this, the film would not rest entirely on Tony Jaa’s singular talents and might be one for the ages. As it stands, though, it’s worth seeing, especially for anyone who’s taste for marital arts has been soured after witnessing Drew Barrymore’s zero-G, Jenny Craig crane kick in Charlie’s Angels 2.
This Blu-Ray edition offers two notable extras: a short documentary on the movements of muay thai and a totally priceless Tony Jaa rap music video.
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