What more can I say really? It’s been over a years since I last saw Ong Bak and I was recently given a DVD screener for review purposes. I forgot just how amazing this film is.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the story is very good… because it’s not. I’m not saying the acting is very good… because it’s not. I’m not saying the plot is very interesting… because it’s not. But what I am saying is that this film is a HUGE feast for the eyes. Any human being with even an ounce of appreciation for action and martial arts is going to have mental orgasms through 90% of this movie.
As mentioned before here on The Movie Blog, Ong Bak features Tony Jaa, a man who will probably rule the world soon enough. The catch? There are NO special effects, computer animation or wires used in this movie. All the action and stunts you see on the screen is actually being done by Jaa himself. Trust me folks… you just have to see it to believe it.
Here’s an official synopsis of the film… like you really care:
One dark night a former native of a rural Thai village has his men steal the head of the town’s ONG BAK (Buddha statue) to win favor with ruthless Bangkok crime boss Khom Tuan. The locals regard the theft as a catastrophe, and seek a champion to retrieve their lost treasure. They find their man in Ting (Tony Jaa), an orphaned youngster raised at the local temple, and schooled by Pra Kru, a kindly monk, in an ancient system of Muay Thai: ‘Nine Body Weapons’. Ting travels to the mean streets of Bangkok, where he’s forced to compete in illegal street fights, taking on both local and foreign opponents to win the head of ONG BAK from the pitiless underworld kingpin.
Blah Blah Blah… to be honest, take out the action and this movie blows. However, keep the non-stop action (after the first 15 minutes that is) in the film (which thankfully they did) and you’re going to have a damn fine time watching this flick.
Words can’t do it justice. Just see it! You can catch the new North American trailer here.
