Ong Bak 2
2.5/4
Starring: Tony Jaa, Sorapong Chatree, Sarunyoo Wongkrachang
Rated R for Sequences of Violence
The first "Ong Bak" advertised itself with this tagline: "No Computer Graphics. No Stunt Doubles. No Wires." In that film, I saw no reason to doubt such claims, which made Tony Jaa's ability to utterly destroy any opponent all the more impressive. Here, I'm not so sure. There are a lot of camera tricks and fast cuts that it allows Jaa to cheat (or seem to). And by cheating, it robs him of the credibility he needs and deserves for pulling off such impressive moves.
Don't even ask about the plot. It doesn't make any sense and isn't all that interesting. There's something about a war, a coup, and associated violence and betrayal. I dunno. The story only took a few minutes to lose me, which is a double-edged sword (no pun intended). On the one hand, it leaves more time for the spectacular action scenes. On the other, it makes the stuff in-between them filler, and for the most part, it's not good filler. A thin plot is fine for a movie like this, but we should at least be able to follow it. But there's too much going on. There needed to be more or less of it.
Tony Jaa doesn't do much of acting in this movie. Come to think of it, he doesn't do much talking either. He's on screen to do what he does best: show off his impressive fighting skills. And that he does very well. The term "fists of fury" might as well have been coined to describe him. He's fast. He's lethal. And he doesn't take prisoners. At the same time, he shows that he has some dramatic chops, which are used effectively on occasion. I wouldn't go so far as to call him Ryan Gosling, but he can pull off a heavy scene if needed.
As you can imagine, the film's real draw isn't the plot or Tony Jaa's acting ability. It's the action scenes, and this one has some good ones when the camera plays fair. The first raid is impressive in its invention and choreography. Very cool. The final climax is also a lot of fun. It's just a pity that there is so much filler between them. Unlike the first film, Jaa uses weapons a lot in this film. While his abilities to use them are never in doubt, it also robs him of what makes him unique. How many other times have we seen a lone hero mow down swarms of enemies with swords and spears? Instead of the athletic force of nature that he is, Tony Jaa is frequently turned into a generic swashbuckler. Kinda misses the point.
One of my biggest complaints with "Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior" was that it had a dark and fuzzy look, which was doubtlessly because of its low budget ($1.1 million US, which is dirt cheap for a martial arts extravaganza). That's changed here. With a budget of $8 million US, Tony Jaa and his production team (he's credited as a co-writer, co-director and co-producer) have the ability to invest in good technology. Not to mention some lavish costumes and sets. When the overused camera trickery doesn't get in the way, it's great to look at.
"Ong Bak 2" has some good qualities to it. Some are even praise worthy. But Jaa and his team are too in love with the tech and don't get the balance right to tell a silly story with sensational action. I don't demand an intricate plot (or even one worth caring about) here. In a movie like this, a complicated plot can be an albatross. But I do ask for something to carry me from beginning to end. And for the film not to cheat its star out of his best quality.
Starring: Tony Jaa, Sorapong Chatree, Sarunyoo Wongkrachang
Rated R for Sequences of Violence
The first "Ong Bak" advertised itself with this tagline: "No Computer Graphics. No Stunt Doubles. No Wires." In that film, I saw no reason to doubt such claims, which made Tony Jaa's ability to utterly destroy any opponent all the more impressive. Here, I'm not so sure. There are a lot of camera tricks and fast cuts that it allows Jaa to cheat (or seem to). And by cheating, it robs him of the credibility he needs and deserves for pulling off such impressive moves.
Don't even ask about the plot. It doesn't make any sense and isn't all that interesting. There's something about a war, a coup, and associated violence and betrayal. I dunno. The story only took a few minutes to lose me, which is a double-edged sword (no pun intended). On the one hand, it leaves more time for the spectacular action scenes. On the other, it makes the stuff in-between them filler, and for the most part, it's not good filler. A thin plot is fine for a movie like this, but we should at least be able to follow it. But there's too much going on. There needed to be more or less of it.
Tony Jaa doesn't do much of acting in this movie. Come to think of it, he doesn't do much talking either. He's on screen to do what he does best: show off his impressive fighting skills. And that he does very well. The term "fists of fury" might as well have been coined to describe him. He's fast. He's lethal. And he doesn't take prisoners. At the same time, he shows that he has some dramatic chops, which are used effectively on occasion. I wouldn't go so far as to call him Ryan Gosling, but he can pull off a heavy scene if needed.
As you can imagine, the film's real draw isn't the plot or Tony Jaa's acting ability. It's the action scenes, and this one has some good ones when the camera plays fair. The first raid is impressive in its invention and choreography. Very cool. The final climax is also a lot of fun. It's just a pity that there is so much filler between them. Unlike the first film, Jaa uses weapons a lot in this film. While his abilities to use them are never in doubt, it also robs him of what makes him unique. How many other times have we seen a lone hero mow down swarms of enemies with swords and spears? Instead of the athletic force of nature that he is, Tony Jaa is frequently turned into a generic swashbuckler. Kinda misses the point.
One of my biggest complaints with "Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior" was that it had a dark and fuzzy look, which was doubtlessly because of its low budget ($1.1 million US, which is dirt cheap for a martial arts extravaganza). That's changed here. With a budget of $8 million US, Tony Jaa and his production team (he's credited as a co-writer, co-director and co-producer) have the ability to invest in good technology. Not to mention some lavish costumes and sets. When the overused camera trickery doesn't get in the way, it's great to look at.
"Ong Bak 2" has some good qualities to it. Some are even praise worthy. But Jaa and his team are too in love with the tech and don't get the balance right to tell a silly story with sensational action. I don't demand an intricate plot (or even one worth caring about) here. In a movie like this, a complicated plot can be an albatross. But I do ask for something to carry me from beginning to end. And for the film not to cheat its star out of his best quality.
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