A Review by Phil Calabro
2005, Magnolia Pictures, Dir. Prachya Pinkaew - Starring Tony Jaa, Petchtai Wongkamlao, Pumwaree Yodkamol, Suchao Pongwilai, Wannakit Sirioput, Chatthapong Pantanaunkul, Chatewut Watcharakhun, Rungrawee Barijindakul, Nudhapol Asavabhakhin, Boonsri Yindee, Sawang Rodnuch, David Ismalone, Nick Kara, Erik Markus Schuetz, Somjaj Junmoonree, Don Ferguson
"No stunt doubles. No computer graphics. No strings attached," reads the 'Ong-Bak' poster tagline. This is quite a promise that American distributor Magnolia Pictures is holding the audience to, making me the more intrigued. We live in an age of mechanically-cranked SFX festivals, feasting off Dolby Surround Sound and ugly detailed creatures that only a computer nerd could fathom. So when you're offered all the same fare in an action film - explosions, car chases, and wild fight scenes - without the wires and CGI, who wouldn't be more interested? Filmed in 2003, 'Ong-Bak' finally has trudged its way into the States with some great critical appeal, as well as the winning element himself. Our star, Tony Jaa, has the charisma and personality of a new 'Terminator', but with some of the best martial arts skills I've ever seen. He should, and hopefully will, be placed with the greats Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Jackie Chan - because he is the sole reason that makes a little Thai flick like 'Ong-Bak' such an amazing spectacle. It slices, dices, and chops every recent marital arts movie to little bits.
In a small Thai village, the community worships a traditional and priceless statue of Buddha, also known as the Ong-Bak. When a zealous conman named Don (Sirioput) tries to swindle the statue's owner into buying it, and fails, he decides to execute Plan B. He and his cronies, who work for the evil crime lord Khom Tuan (Pongwilai), drill the head off of the icon and decide to sell it for profit. When the small town is distraught with peril since their Ong-Bak has been stolen, they recruit a young man named Ting (Jaa) to seek out its purloiners and bring them to justice, as well as the statuehead. Ting is also asked by a family to seek their son Humlae (Wongkamlao), who lives in Hong Kong and plans to be a priest. When Ting encounters Humlae, who has changed his name to George and partners with a college student Muay (Yodkamol), he also learns that he has some clues on how to find their enemy. Ting uses his very dangerous skills of Muay Thai to combat his enemy, also known as 'Nine Body Weapons'.
It gives me pleasure to say that Tony Jaa is going places - big places that he may never have dreamed of. At the age of 27, he has the skills of a sensei master and the vigilante persona to top it all off. He has said before at many press conferences that he was very inspired by the old kung fu films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, citing that 'Drunken Master' is one of his all-time favorites. It's no surprise to me, he uses his love for the vintage Asian fight films to create a pseudo-homage to the genre. He can described best by the old phrase, 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee'. In an almost balletic fashion, Jaa kicks and sucker punches each of his foes with subtle grace. He fastidiously dodges each enemy, not giving the audience any head rush, but letting them enjoy the aftertaste of his treasured moves. To Jaa, the movie is his dance floor, and he's Tony Manero. Also notable at Petchtai Wongkamlao, who plays Humlae - he provides some decent comic relief and also has great team chemistry with Jaa, despite being polar opposites. Suchao Pongwilai gives a cool performance as Khom Tuan, the stereotypical Thai don who resembles a mixture of characters by Sonny Chiba and Feng Lui.
Just so you know, this isn't your average action movie. In the ordinary mainstream film, we have about a handful of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' - and here you're going to have dozens. This is primarily due to the tempo at which director Pinkaew either speeds or slows to give a more impounding effect. However, he does leave the tempo too fast at points, ruining the power of the fight scenes, but really slows it down in Jaa's glory kicks. Some of the audiences might cringe at some the fight scenes, but the film as a whole is never really too graphic, just powerful. Also, much like Zhang Yimou has accomplished with 2004's 'House of Flying Daggers', Pinkaew uses several exotic locales for his fight scenes - one takes place in an alley, another in a mountain, and the crowning fight takes place entirely in a tree.
I had the honor in meeting Tony Jaa earlier this week, and he is living a success story in itself. After receiving a long standing ovation, he willingly kicked a popcorn bucket across the theater after signing it. He is an example of an actor with a special gift, who performs not because he has the gift, but because he wants to share it with everyone. 'Ong-Bak' is a personified can of genuine whoop-ass, a kick in the gut, and the answer to any action fanatic this movie season.
