Film: Ong Bak Trilogy
Release date: 11th October 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 312 mins
Director: Prachya Pinkaew, Tony Jaa, Panom Yeerum & Panna Rittikrai
Starring: Tony Jaa, Supakorn Kitsuwon, Dan Chupong, Sarunyu Wongkrachang, Petchtai Wongkamlao
Genre: Action/Adventure/Crime/Fantasy/Martial Arts/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: Thailand
Not since 1991 and Jet Li’s Once Upon A Time In China has a martial artist broke through with the sort of critical and public appreciation that Panom Yeerum enjoyed with his debut Ong-Bak. Although now known as Tony Jaa, to better associate himself with international audiences, the Muay Thai and Tae Kwon Do specialist went on to produce two more Ong Bak features. No-nonsense, action films that attempted to make his name synonymous with the likes of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan - the influential kung fu stars he grew up admiring.
Ong-Bak (2003)
As Ting (Tony Jaa) proves himself as the best athlete and martial artist in the reclusive village of Ban Nong Pradu, Thailand, a gang from Bangkok arrive wishing to purchase the sacred Buddha icon (named Ong-Bak) that the village has possession of. When the villagers refuse, claiming the statue is worth more to them than any monetary value, the gang steal the artefact in the dead of night, leaving Ting as the best possible means of reclaiming it.
Sent into the country’s capital, Ting finds himself awed by the concrete jungle and the attitude of the cities inhabitants, in particular that of his cousin Humlae. Humlae, once belonging to the village has dyed his hair blonde and, with his female friend Muay Lek, has fallen in with a bad crowd of drug dealers, street gangs and illegal betting dens.
Upon discovering that the Ong-Bak statue is now in possession of a crime lord, Ting and his two new friends must enter the dangerous realm of the kingpin’s underground fighting den to earn the chance to win back the village’s prize possession…
An unabashed action fest, director Prachya Pinkaew shoots a grim, sepia-toned tale that while not necessarily unique in the plot - designed to set up the action, and aimed specifically to impress the viewer with the style and prowess of Jaa’s Muay Thai skills. The direction is impressive and belies the relative cinematic inexperience of Pinkaew as he smoothly cuts the high-octane carnage together. Doing so in an immensely slick manner, without over loading the viewer with strobe-like interchanges of camera angles, Pinkaew always manages to keep choreographic perspective, meaning the audience can follow and enjoy the martial arts sequences, which is paramount in a film of this genre.
However, the competent direction and actually engaging storyline aside, it would be naïve not to think of this an immense juggernaut of a vehicle for Jaa’s ability, who co-choreographed the action. Tony Jaa undertakes all the stunt work himself throughout the film, as all self-respecting martial artists do, but what sets Ong-Bak apart from its contemporaries is the wireless ‘high wire’ acts. That is to say Tony Jaa pulls off some remarkable moments, from flying knees to the face to running across the shoulders of countless henchmen, without any assistance - putting his body on the line with every stunt.
It is this raw unadulterated feeling of danger and authenticity that makes Ong-Bak such an entertaining rollercoaster ride. Not simply this, but with other prominent martial artists like Jet Li and Jackie Chan having migrated to Hollywood, Jaa gives this genre’s enthusiasts a new hero to champion.
Ong Bak 2: The Beginning (2008)
Initially suspected as being a sequel, it was announced Ong Bak 2 was not simply a prequel to Ong-Bak, but to be set five centuries previous. Set as an historical epic with an injection of fantasy, Tony Jaa plays Tien, the energetic and enthusiastic son of a noble lord and warrior.
Despite desperately wishing to emulate his father, he finds his natural unyielding spirit curbed - instead of being taught martial arts, he is unwillingly forced to learn dance. However, his life is thrown into ruins as a treacherous warlord, who is seeking to enthral all of Asia under his tyrannical rule, sends assassins to massacre his rivals.
Escaping the bloodshed with a desire for revenge burning deep in his heart, Tien, while searching for his persecutors, is captured by slave traders. After punishment from his captors, which includes an encounter with an oversized crocodile, Tien is rescued by a group of outlaws who promise to train him in the ways of various martial arts from across the Asian continent so that he may exact his revenge on the despotic lord…
Unlike with the initial instalment, the story reneges on its gritty realism for a showy troupe into the annals of Thai history. Tony Jaa, not content with being the film’s acting protagonist takes the helm behind the camera, and perhaps this can be attributed to some of the misgivings the viewer may have while watching this peculiar numerical sequel and historical prequel.
For all his capabilities as a martial artist, his qualities as an actor are still questionable, and it seems as if the director is aware of this fact. The dialogue in Ong Bak 2 is notably absent, and, as a result, it makes it a difficult task to further the plot, but, more importantly, difficult to associate with what little development Tien goes through. It is also worth noting that any ‘development’ is undertaken by the actor playing Tien’s younger self, as opposed to Mr. Jaa himself. With such limited dedication to character, it makes the revenge saga seem unfortunately contrived, leaving the viewer mentally tuning out, simply awaiting the next action sequence.
Accompanying Tony Jaa in the co-directors chair is the co-choreographer from the first Ong-Bak film, so it is unsurprising that a film with such little verbal communication finds its efforts focused on some impressive martial arts sequences. As always, Tony Jaa is exceptional in his leading role as a glorified stunt actor, and the addition of more varied fighting styles and weaponry from across Asia creates more diversity and, in places, more excitement than its predecessor.
While Ong Bak 2 is a technically superb in its fighting creativity, undoubtedly from the co-directors’ dedication to their martially artistic passion, it suffers from a severe lack of attention and disregard to something as integral as character development. Ong Bak 2, unfortunately, proves to be less of a film than its forerunner, and more of an exercise in ‘showing off’ Tony Jaa’s undeniable talent.
Ong Bak 3 (2010)
Following immediately from the conclusion of the previous instalment, Ong Bak 3 starts with a captured Tien being tortured and beaten by his captives. The imprisonment is brutal as he is struck repeatedly with kendo sticks and choked with bamboo, on top of a plethora of human physical abuse.
To prevent any further attempts at escape, the bones in his arms and legs are broken, and he is prepared for execution by Lord Rajasena, the man responsible for his family’s death. However, Rajasena is experiencing his own problems, and disposing of Tien is proving to be the least of his worries. It transpires a curse has been placed upon the king, and he must call upon the dark powers of the shaman Crow Ghost to aid him.
However, the Crow Ghost himself has his own motives for abetting the king, while Tien, in his continuing goal to seek revenge for the death of his father, finds his fate increasingly linked to the carved sculpture of an Ong-Bak head…
The issues from which the second film suffered are only exacerbated in the concluding instalment. While it would be amusing to entertain the prospect that individuals watched Tony Jaa films for award-winning scriptwriting, the increasingly disconnected nature of the story, and undeniable lack of cohesion and conclusion in the plot’s progression is alarming. The introduction of irrelevant characters and some questionable plot devices, which are highly ill designed, can only be endemic of the increasingly isolated control of the film’s production, directing and writing Tony Jaa and Panna Rittikrai are enjoying.
What proves to be the film’s downfall is that which you normally expect to be the saving grace of a Tony Jaa film: the action is bizarrely lacking. Jaa himself doesn’t feature in any combative form until deep into the film, leaving the action burden to be entirely shouldered by an amicable Dan Chupong, who does well to cover in Jaa’s absence - but his is not the name that headlines the poster.
Tony Jaa was reported as having severe mental and financial issues during and after the filming of Ong Bak 2, and the problems seem to have affected him in quite a noticeable way. His usual trademark death-defying, highflying sequences are disappointingly absent, and it wouldn’t be overly critical to state that there isn’t a single jaw-dropping exchange in the entire film. The choreography in the wider scheme of things isn’t terrible, but in the context of it being a Tony Jaa film, it comes across as being simple, repetitive and lamentably mediocre.
Ong Bak 3 just about concludes this two-part saga in a way that is befitting with the overall vibe of Tony Jaa’s work, even if there is a slight disturbing feeling that this was created to recoup previous costs, more than create a climax.
Given Tony Jaa has recently joined a Buddhist Temple to live the life of monkhood, this film may be the last, for a while, in which you’ll be able to view his martial artistry – unfortunately, it doesn’t leave viewers eager for a possible return to filmmaking.
The Ong Bak Trilogy is less a collection of winding plot twists and intense character relations and more of a rollicking compilation of Muay Thai, weaponry and moments of wireless breathtaking. While the quality of the cinematic work decreases the further into the trilogy we venture, there are still plenty of thrills, spills, bone-crunching and blood-spilling to intrigue the most ardent martial artist aficionado. When Jaa fails it only infuriates because he is so talented. BL
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