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58 out of 65 people found the following comment useful :- Jaa is Back in Fine Form, 6 December 2008 Author: broryf from Melbourne Australia
I saw this film last night here in Bangkok and I am pleased to relate that, despite all the alleged problems during production, Tony Jaa has delivered a very impressive film with a strong, mystical narrative; uniformly high production values; and, most importantly for a martial arts film, brilliantly conceived and choreographed action sequences. Despite its title, "Ong Bak 2" bears but a tenuous relationship to the earlier Jaa film, being an historical semi-epic set during the era of Ayutthayan imperial expansion (though, without wanting to give too much away, the closing sequence does suggest this new film can be regarded as a prequel of sorts, while also setting up the grounds for further entries to come), but it does explore similar thematic terrain as "Ong Bak" in terms of cultural identity and conflict, familial disintegration and revenge, and Buddhist spirituality. "Ong Bak 2" is a bigger film in every sense of the word, allegedly costing in excess of 300 million baht, and the money is easy to see on the screen with very impressive set design and costuming, and stunning cinematography. Jaa is terrific in the film: despite his incredible action scenes and lithe mobility, he projects a serene stillness through his character of Tien that gives the film a strong emotional anchor. As befits the type of mythic figure he is playing, he doesn't have a lot of dialogue but Jaa is essentially a physical performer, the Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire of contemporary action cinema, and he expresses himself with assured eloquence through his body and face. Indeed, in relation to the latter, while one expects corporeal proficiency and grace from Jaa, it's worth noting what extraordinary use he makes of his eyes in this film to convey a wide range of emotions. He really is a major talent and I do hope the producers at Sahamongkol realize what an asset he is to Thai cinema and start treating him with the artistic respect he deserves.My only slight criticism is that the film doesn't quite develop its central characters and plot lines fully enough. There's a certain cool distance about the film: it looks a visual treat and is a veritable masterwork in intricately choreographed martial arts film-making but, with the exception of one or two scenes, we never quite gain a sufficient handle on the main characters or come to identify with them and their plights all that deeply. It's clear that the producers are aiming to use this film as a base for further sequels and I can't help but wonder if they strategically held back some narrative material for use in the next film. Nevertheless, this is a minor qualification and doesn't detract from what really is a terrific film all round. Given the negative press surrounding its production, I had concerns that "Ong Bak 2" might not come together but Jaa and the team have pulled off a very impressive effort, indeed, that deserves to do well not only here in Thailand but in overseas markets as well.
48 out of 67 people found the following comment useful :- Epic Martial Arts, 6 December 2008 Author: swampfoxx-1 from United States
With a storyline reminiscent of Japanese video games and Samurai classics, it is nice to see this genre back on the big screens. The action sequences muscle out the storyline a bit, but they remain quite spectacular to watch. Tony Jaa clearly left a piece of his soul on the celluloid for the next generation to remember him by. The scenes are beautifully framed, full of color and contrast. All I felt that was missing was a control pad between my fingers and the freedom to take the character around the village to search for hidden treasure. If the movie leaves you scratching your head a little at the end, you are not alone. However I suspect that it implies that a sequel is in the works and I am in favor for that. It is great seeing the epic martial art films back on the big screen, with a devoted cast ensuring the audience that they will get their money's worth. It is the best film in this genre that I have seen in a good long while.
37 out of 49 people found the following comment useful :- A Nutshell Review: Ong Bak 2, 3 January 2009 Author: DICK STEEL from Singapore
There's no doubt I've been a fan of movies starring Tony Jaa with the likes of Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong being showcases for the Muay Thai brand of martial arts, and I fondly remember those hard hitting action sequences that left me gaping, as well as the numerous replays just to drum it through to you that it's all Jaa and it's all as incredible as can be. And who can forget the latter film with that amazing single take where Jaa had to pound his way from the bottom of a building right to the top? Ong Bak 2 is a film fans like myself have been waiting for, despite it being marred by some really strange controversy, which also included Jaa walking off the set and disappearing from production. But everything's been sorted I guess, for the film to be completed and finally released.While it's rocking the box office in Thailand, I wonder whether it's because of the controversies that had piqued everyone's interest, or it's because the long break of 3 years had made everyone salivate at Jaa's long awaited return to the big screen. I wonder because while there are numerous moments in the film that I thoroughly enjoyed, I felt that it fell short too on other areas that had left me shifting in my seat, especially during the first hour. And the biggest culprit of it all, would be the ending. Tony Jaa wrote this story, and credit to him too in trying to weave together some semblance of a worthy story instead of the more obvious and easier whack-fest end to end. But the ending was somewhat of a cop out, and a disappointment, as it leads potentially and very directly to a third movie to resolve the issues the storyline had left hanging. It could have easily stretched it to say, 20 minutes more to get everything settled, but I guess there were grander plans to the tale that needed another movie to tell. One only wishes that it does get made sooner rather than later, and without the production woes that plagued this one.So Ong Bak 2 is actually half a movie, and given that it's a totally new story to begin with, I thought it would make better sense in retitling it, rather than to have a misnomer that it's a sequel. After all, the setting is now back in 15th century Thailand with totally new characters, with Jaa playing Tien, a man of royal lineage who's trying to avenge the death of his parents and entire household under the hands of rival warlords, and a masked man who delivered the killing blow to his dad. The first half of the movie had him learn from a band of bandits called the Garuda Wing Cliff, where a number of highly skilled exponents teach him all there is to know about their respective fields. I remembered having read somewhere that there's supposed to be some fusion of dance and martial arts, which didn't transpire in this film as far as I can tell (the dance/action sequence here doesn't make the cut), so it might be left for the next movie instead.Compared to the other Tony Jaa movies, you can see that the production values here have been ramped up tremendously.Techniques have also matured, and gone are the repetitive playbacks. But that doesn't mean you're going to lose out, because like any self-respecting martial arts film, the camera stays still when it should be and at a sane distance away to capture all the action comfortably, and the editing doesn't cut in and mess up the sequence. While the filmmaker in Tony Jaa would have matured with this outing (he co-directed this), his maturity as a martial artist on film is now without a doubt. We only get flashes of his Muay Thai when it calls for some close combat involving elbows and knees right smack in the kisser, otherwise we see Jaa as a more complete martial arts practitioner with the employment of a vast array of weapons, from swords to three-section-staffs, and a host of recognizable kung-fu moves, one which also pays homage to the Drunken Fists, and I applaud Jaa's rendition of it too. As for the revered elephant, you know it's never far behind, and there's one thrilling battle atop the large mammal, with Dan(ce) Chupong no less, albeit hidden behind a mask.Ong Bak 2 picked up very slowly, and spent significant time developing the back story of Jaa's Tien. And unfortunately, I do admit unabashedly that I was waiting for action sequence one after another, and those in the same boat will have to be patient. For action junkies, your appetite will only be satiated in the last act of the film, where it's vintage Jaa as he dishes out punishment, and receives much of the same in return. I detested the ending which wrapped everything up so conveniently (I don't buy the Karma bit), or left subplots such as the romantic angle as something to be dwelled upon later (though I believe romance never really was an issue at all in Jaa's movies), leaving doors wide open for another film.Perhaps I should reserve my judgement of it until the next movie completes the story? So at this moment, we can still enjoy what Tony Jaa has prepared for action fans worldwide – a showcase that he's not just all about Muay Thai, but a bona fide action hero who's the real deal, crafting a myriad of incredible fight sequences that would still leave your mouth gaping wide open.
27 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :- gut wrenching intensity, tight editing and entertaining to the last detail, 28 March 2009 Author: san_iom from Nepal
This followup to the hit Ong Bak has nothing to do with the original Ong Bak, and it seems like the producers were simply trying to cash in on the name, but boy- why did they have to? This movie stands upto itself on its own. Tight editing, lots of superb fight sequences, lots of innovative battle techniques, minimal storyline meaning minimal time wasted on anything but the raw action that we are there to see; all makes it a great movie impossible to miss. You get glued to your seat and wont even blink. Somebody wrote he was bored, which I tried hard to understand- but couldn't. Man, action movies don't get bigger or better than this. Its like Gladiator meets Apocalypto meets Rambo, only better. Raw gut wrenching intensity makes it a pleasure to watch. Don't miss this.
14 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :- 95 minutes of terrific action, 5 April 2009 Author: rajeshnaidu_tony from United States
The movie is wonderful, to the point and did not mess-up up with too much story and dialogs. The movie shows tony ja's wish to cover the major martial art skills such as Chinese kung fu, Japanese Samurai, Ninja, Muay Thai, Drunken kungfu etc.,The fight sequences are brilliant, rough and the art of Drunken fighting is shown perfectly as you will see the real essence unlike that of older movies which have portrayed it as a funny martial art. tony ja's love for elephants is obvious(Thailand's national animal).overall 9/10 (-1 if there is no sequel) one can obviously see that even though the movie is tony ja's first direction it is very maturely taken and it's sure that it makes you feel like there should be some more at the end but The movie is unfinished as tony and the producers had some unknown clashes behind the scenes.Yet the movie is full of brilliant fights and you will surely be satisfied while expecting for a sequel.
12 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :- A completely different beast than Jaa's earlier work, 10 January 2009 Author: udar55 from Williamsburg, VA
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Anyone going in expecting action at the same level of ONG BAK or TOM YUM GOONG (aka THE PROTECTOR) will be somewhat disappointed. This is a whole different kind of movie really. Rarely does Tony Jaa show off the flips that made him famous. The first hour has a few fights here and there, but for the most part they are short but very brutal. Tony does do lots of different styles in here and my favorite part from this first hour is when he tests himself against three different guys (a swordsman, a kung fu man and a muay thai brawler).The last 20 minutes is where a majority of the action is and it is pretty insane. Jaa takes on about 30 ninjas and whoops some major ass here. The scenes are very, very bloody as well. And, of course, they have to have the scene where an elephant saves the day. Dan Chupong's role is very small, but a great part. He is dressed like a crow and kaws just like one. He has a very impressive stunt where he flips onto Tony (who is laid out on the elephant's tusks) and hits him right in the chest with his knees.All that said, I think it is a very well made film. It has incredible production values and the level of detail is fantastic. Jaa is 20 times more talented as a director than Prachya Pinkaew. He knows how to build the mood and shoots everything in an almost sinister light. As a film, it is much more accomplished than ONG BAK and TOM YUM GOONG. But I know people will definitely be disappointed in the amount of action, especially after a 3 year wait. Oh, also, it does end with a cliffhanger that sets up a third film. I hope we don't have to wait another 3 years!
12 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :- Extremely Authentic and Superbly Entertaining, 15 May 2009 Author: ebossert from United States
As much as I enjoyed the original "Ong Bak" (2003), there were moments that felt like it was attempting to mimic big-budget action movies from other parts of the world (e.g., the motorbike chase, which was kinda lame). The script was also a bit bland in places. Still a great action flick, but it left some room for improvement.Enter "Ong Bak 2", which improves upon its predecessor in every conceivable way. The most obvious enhancements are the cinematography and set designs, which are phenomenal. The highlight sequence in this regard must be the night time dance, which emphasizes golden architecture and beautiful clothing that reminds one of the striking visuals that are showcased in Zhang Yimou's films. All is not so clean, however, because the environments add a significant amount of authenticity with an unending assault of gritty, dirty, primal village imagery amidst the forests of Thailand. One simply cannot overstate the spectacular images presented herein, and many reviewers seem to have undervalued the amazing cultural contributions that "Ong Bak 2" has to offer, because non-Thai viewers will be transported to an unfamiliar world that not only exhibits rough geographical locations, but an equally rough (and incredibly diverse) band of bizarre, threatening characters that are attention-grabbing for virtually every second they're on screen (e.g., the white-haired mystic, the pirates, the dark-skinned wrestler, the crow man, etc.). When all is said and done, this film genuinely captures Thai culture from start to finish, with no pandering to foreign influence outside of some martial arts styles.And that, my dear friends, is the crux of why "Ong Bak 2" so very easily surpasses its predecessor. Many of the non-action scenes are riveting and interesting to watch, which is something one cannot say about "Ong Bak" or even the brilliant "Tom Yum Goong" for that matter (which successfully used an absurd quantity of superbly executed action sequences to overpower any and all deficiencies that nest in-between the beatings). This is not to say that the script of "Ong Bak 2" is far better than Jaa's previous movies, because the conclusion is in desperate need for a direct sequel that wraps up the fates of the surviving antagonists as well as the lead protagonist. Nevertheless, the visuals, character interactions, and primary conflicts provide constant entertainment on a minute by minute basis. This movie doesn't even need action to sustain interest, and if that's not a glaring sign that Tony Jaa has already surpassed Bruce Lee as a cinematic entertainer, then nothing is.It is somewhat surprising to read some of the negative reviews that bash the storyline to bits without resorting to any specific observations whatsoever. It might be useful to provide some details as to why you think the story is so atrociously bad, because I can't see all that much to complain about other than the imperfect ending. While true that "Ong Bak 2" is more concerned with portraying character interaction than a traditional storyline, the events depicted are coherent. Either way, there are a ton of memorable scenes. Take the opening segments in the alligator pit, where the pirate throws the young protagonist a knife to see if he can survive on his own (instead of the pirate simply saving him). It's a great scene that adequately establishes a mutual respect between the characters as well as the raw potential of the lead protagonist.I can't believe I've written this much without delving into the martial arts choreography, which is excellent. Is it as good as "Tom Yum Goong" in terms of quantity and precise movements? Probably not - but then again, "Tom Yum Goong" is virtually impossible to top in that regard. However, "Ong Bak 2" does provide an impressive assortment of styles that are seamlessly integrated into the action. Jaa's character doesn't randomly switch between attack styles like some other reviewers have erroneously asserted. On the contrary, his transition from one fighting technique to the next is triggered by the availability of particular weapons as well as the attack strategies of his opponents. For example, if you ever find yourself near a three-sectioned staff while fighting a number of enemies, it might make sense to use it to your advantage.It's really nice to see that Jaa so capably expands into new realms and implements modifications to his strengths as a physical performer to yield refreshing, non-repetitive movies that are easily distinguishable from one another. I'll take this guy's movies over a lot of the big budget garbage currently coming out of China (those historical epics are just awful), and I hope that he continues to make Thai films exclusively in the near future. Although I do admit that a project with a capable Hong Kong co-star like Wu Jing or Donnie Yen would definitely get my blood pumping.
15 out of 24 people found the following comment useful :- Tony Jaa, 31 March 2009 Author: randomstuff-5 from Ontario, Canada
Can't wait until this is on Blu-Ray.In this great sequel Tony Jaa uses so many weapons, gets in a lot of fights for the cause, is trained as he grows up! (This is very unlike the first, where he mostly used Fists, Elbows, Knees, Head)If Tony Jaa can be considered 'slow' in this movie I would think it would be in the interest of capturing his motions better on film. Just as Bruce Lee could move so much faster but had to slow down to show us just what he was doing! Also there are times when his is being trained in the movie and it is a test, that is why he his movements are more abrupt.Some people (who may be bored or easily distracted) might think the plot is weak. This is not so if you pay attention. Others might think that listening to the Thai language it annoying and so on. I disagree, it is a very unique sounding language and I tend to watch it with English Subtitles, although I'm sure you can just change the Audio to English or some other language which suits you better.This is a highly anticipated sequel to an AMAZING movie. But don't expect the plot to mesh or be in any way similar to the 1st.SEE ALSO: ONG BAK The Thai Warrior. One of the coolest films, be it the opening sequence or many fight scenes later in the movie...If this seems strange it's because I was trying not to spoil anything.P.S. Best movie in a while.
7 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :- Technically brilliant action detracted from by poor plot and an overly serious tone that it doesn't justify, 26 July 2009 Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK
Normally I would open with a plot summary when I write a review – not always but a lot of the time. With Ong Bak 2 I'm not sure I can be bothered or even that I should be because the plot here is so thin and so uninvolving that it is hardly worth the text. Essentially a child is rescued by pirates and grows up to be a great fighter, robbing and killing as they do. However when memories are triggered of his past he sets out for revenge , bringing secrets out into the open. In fairness, in those last two sentences I have made it sound more interesting than it actually is because I have suggested there is a flow to the narrative whereas in actuality the film is two of three "stages" that just suddenly move between one and the other. It is remarkably basic and, in terms of plot, remarkably poor. It isn't helped either by the fact that the entire film has a very serious dark tone to it – making it almost a weighty revenge tragedy. Now, I have no problem with that in theory but the problem here is that it doesn't do anything to justify that tone, nor does it do much to make it fit.It really needed the characters to be engaging and real for the audience to care but there are no characters to talk about. Amazingly even the main character of Tiang is poorly developed. A massive part of this is the small amount of dialogue in the film – indeed by the time you have read to the bottom of this review you will have read more words than are spoken in this film. Of course silent films could still make a plot a character so it is not the end of the world but it does hurt the film because with a weak plot and weak characters the lack of dialogue is even more telling. Fortunately the one saving grace of the film fills the vast majority of the running time – the action. Aside from the "sombre" moments between scenes there are plenty of great action sequences involving weapons of all types. They are impressive and quite exciting at times and the only rider I would put on that is that they are not as much "fun" as the action has been in some of Jaa's other films. That said, it is worth seeing the film for the action alone – which, when you think about it, is just as well.In terms of Jaa himself one really has to wonder what he is doing with his career because if films are to be his thing moving forward, then why does he appear to be going backwards in all of the aspects this involves excepting the action? In his previous films I have noted he is not very comfortable with lines and that any comic moment escapes him. Here it feels like those working with him have just given up totally and have allowed him to do little other than fight – he barely has a line in the film and any "plot/character development" stuff is done by the child playing his character while Jaa himself looks into a fire in a "remembering" pose. It is weird but it is part of the reason the film doesn't engage as much as I had hoped – because the main character is little other than a stunt man, albeit a very good stunt man. I'm sure fans will hate me for that and not see my point but the thing is, if he is going to continue making films in Thailand (far less films that can perform abroad) then he needs more than the impressive martial arts skills he has. He needs good vehicles, he needs to work on his many weaknesses as an actor and he needs to have a supporting cast that can fill the gaps that he cannot (such as in Ong Bak). At the moment Ong Bak 2 just looks like they are happy to film him fighting and leave it at that, which I think is a real shame because this only makes for great action – not a great film. Although he did a good job directing the film in some regards, this is probably a mistake because he cannot do anything about his own failings as a performer.Ong Bak 2 is a technically brilliant martial arts film with plenty for the weapons fan to love. However as a film it is really quite poor thanks to a thin plot, little dialogue and even less in the way of characters. The action makes it worth seeing but even fans will be hoping for a bit of a better product built around this. I continue to pay out to import Jaa's films because he is great at what he does but I hope that he can improve in other areas to make better total films rather than this type of thing again.
5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :- Delivers the goods., 9 April 2009 Author: Dragon_Eye_Morrison from Mexico
Tony Jaa is back in his first directorial effort (co-directing to be more specific) and the man delivers everything you would expect from a solid martial arts flick, and then some more. The spiritual sequel to Ong Bak is quite an ambitious film, showing a wide diversity of fighting styles, using ancient thai history as the background. Jaa has certainly done his homework, because the movie has a strong old school HK vibe, but with a crude and gritty look. The plot is pretty much your standard martial arts/shaw bros 101 premise: hero takes revenge of his fallen comrades/family and so on, he begins as a weak victim to transform into a kick-ass machine. Nothing that any respectable MA movie aficionado haven't seen before, but the movie does it right and believable enough to engage the viewer. Character exposition and dialogues are limited, but do the work.The fight sequences are effective, never repetitive and quite intense. I mean, if you can't enjoy a movie that has everything from crocodile fights to ninjas, samurais, elephants, people fighting like crows and leopards, a guy that throws daggers and another guy that uses explosives then you might want to report back to mother ship, because the goods of this planet are just too much for you. Even the abrupt ending ends up being a sharp gut punch that wraps the final sequence in a fine way.So spread the word, after all the trouble that this movie had to endure in it's production the final result is way better than anyone could had expected. Jaa is certainly not going back behind the camera in a while, but he shows a good eye for the action and, with some polishing, would certainly be even better in that element. Count me more than ready for Ong Bak 3, and anything else featuring Jaa.
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