ONG-BAK: MUAY THAI WARRIOR d: Prachya Pinkaew
November 25th, 2004 by Andre Soares
Ong-Bak / Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (2003)
Direction: Prachya Pinkaew. Screenplay: Prachya Pinkaew and Panna Rittikrai. Cast: Tony Jaa, Perttary Wongkamlao
MR. BOONTING GOES TO TOWN
Fans of the martial’s arts genre should enjoy Ong-bak / Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, but the film will probably fail to win many converts to the genre. The script — all about a young man in search of ruthless art smugglers who have stolen the head of his village’s Buddha statue — is a pile of hoary clichés, e.g. country people = kindness, courage, honest labor, love, tree-climbing; city people = dishonesty, cowardice, easy money, sex, fight-clubbing. Compounding matters, Ong-bak is much too long, its humor is puerile (unless you find it hilarious to watch people being hit in the head, stomach, crotch, and other body parts), and most of the performers just go along for the ride.
On the positive side, Tony Jaa is not only an outstanding athlete-cum-fighter — he reportedly performed his own stunts without the help of wires or digital enhancements — but he is also what is often referred to as "star material." Now, all Jaa needs is a vehicle that will allow him to display both his astonishing athletic skills and his considerable charisma.
Reviewed at the AFI FEST.
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