2003. It’s an period of motion films the place we’re dwelling in a post-Matrix, post-Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon world. These movies’ main success and notoriety prompted Hollywood to strive bringing Kung Fu wire work to extra of their motion movies (Daredevil, Charlie’s Angels, The Musketeer, Bulletproof Monk). In the meantime, two of the largest names within the style – Jackie Chan and Jet Li – had been making an attempt to increase their model into the American market — with movies that lots of their followers thought of to be watered-down variations of their earlier works. Across the identical time, Doug Liman debuted a more recent visceral type of motion in his movie, The Bourne Identification, which might make its personal mark on motion movies to return. Nonetheless, considerably hidden in all that exercise was a budding star in Thailand who had taken his superb bodily expertise and known as again to among the traditional, acrobatic motion that outlined Hong Kong’s most beloved interval of martial arts films. That star was Phanom Yeerum, however he would quickly undertake the stage identify Tony Jaa, and his film Ong Bak would give motion movies the kick within the pants that it wanted.
Enable me to backtrack to the place I mentioned Ong Bak threw again to the sort of motion that outlined Hong Kong cinema. Quite a lot of the motion in Ong Bak strongly resembles the sort of daredevil stunts and hardcore preventing that Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan would turn out to be well-known for. Nonetheless, within the late 70s and early 80s, Thai motion cinema had their very own champion in Panna Rittikrai. Though Jaa and Ong Bak would solely take affect from traditional Hong Kong films, Panna had really been doing comparable motion when he broke out round that very same period. He had began his personal stunt group whereas he was in faculty and in 1978, they might exhibit their expertise in a film Panna directed and starred in known as Born to Combat. And in Born to Combat, you may see the seeds being planted for what would ultimately be the sort of type that Tony Jaa’s films would undertake – just like the sluggish movement take which emphasizes full contact made by the fighters or the moment replay of a harmful stunt so the viewers can soak it in and rewatch in amazement. It’s exhausting to say if it was affect or maybe it was the overall type of motion films on the time, however Panna’s gritty show of combat scenes applied comparable ways that had been integrated in Sammo and Jackie’s films. Nonetheless, the extra restricted attain of Thailand’s cinema would preserve Panna and his group in shadow for some time. Add to that, Sammo and Jackie had the good thing about their Peking Opera coaching to provide them a extra showy show of their motion, thus giving them an entertaining edge with their weapons play and the acrobatic capability to sensationalize actions. Having mentioned that, Panna might go toe-to-toe with their brutality and insane stunt dedication.
Panna would ultimately take a younger Tony Jaa beneath his wing as one in every of his stuntmen and occasional actor. Jaa was an enormous asset on the stunt group as his athleticism and expertise made him a stand out expertise. This could really lead Jaa into breaking out in Hollywood early on with an uncredited function as Robin Shou’s stuntman within the 1997 movie Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. There are even some moments of foreshadowing his signature dynamic strikes. In Ong Bak, whereas Jaa would take the highlight because the lead star, Panna nonetheless performed an integral half in shaping the motion scenes.
The plot of the movie is an easy, however an efficient one. It’s very fairytale-like in nature. The title Ong Bak refers back to the sacred Buddha statue that resides in a small, humble Thai village. The folks of the village have thrived for years on the crops and luck that the statue has introduced upon them. Then, sooner or later, a customer from town steals the pinnacle of the statue as a way to promote it. The residents are devastated and the crops start to die out, so a younger villager, who has been proficiently educated in Muay Thai, volunteers for the duty of touring into Bangkok and getting the pinnacle of the statue again. This younger warrior is Ting, who’s performed by Jaa. Ting was an orphaned baby who was discovered and raised by a monk who has the guilt of as soon as killing a person utilizing his Muay Thai. Ting, himself, has turn out to be fairly the preventing specimen and is on the journey to additionally turning into a monk since he’s been uncorrupted by outdoors forces. Though now, he should face a trial by fireplace with this mission.
Ting ventures into Bangkok and the viewers is sort of instantly hit with all of the evils of town. There’s unlawful avenue racing, playing, prostitution, drug use, gangs who’ve affinity for American films like Serpico…and…um, Spy Recreation? As soon as Ting arrives, he runs into George, a hapless conman who will get by from working scams all around the metropolis. He additionally occurs to be an outcast from Tings village. Nonetheless, he denies the connection when Ting tries to latch onto him for any semblance of an ally. George is performed by Phetthai Vongkumlao (pʰét.tʰāːj wōŋ.kʰām.lǎw). And I do apologize if I mispronounce any of those Thai names. George is the comedian reduction of the movie. He tries and principally fails to run scams together with his companion Muay, performed right here by Pumwaree Yodkamol (Phum-wari Yotkamon). Once more, I apologize. George makes an attempt to evade Ting, however in an effort to earn money in an underground combat membership, Ting unknowingly turns into a money cow. He’s additionally properly outfitted to guard George from any reprisals from his cons, so when George realizes he can use Ting, he agrees to return the favor by serving to him search for these accountable for taking the Ong Bak head. And that’s your fundamental plot proper there — Thief steals factor, Jaa fights to get it again. What else do you want?
The film is unapologetically a thinly veiled showcase for Jaa’s expertise. Whereas there are vainness tasks that may get fairly egregious when it’s clearly plagued with narcissism, Jaa takes a cue from stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li by not enjoying the badass, however a easy, peaceable man who solely fights when he has to. This makes it simpler for us to cheer for him. Ong Bak fortunately flaunts not solely his preventing prowess, however his physicality for parkour-type motion in a time that hardly predates Parkour. The film kicks off with a cool seize the flag sequence on a grand tree within the village. Right here, we get a glimpse of Ting’s athleticism as his climbs and navigates by the difficult sample of branches all whereas attempting to evade and combat off challengers attempting to take the flag. We’re proven proper off the bat that the stuntmen will take some exhausting falls for the sake of the motion. It’s a loopy madcap sequence and there’s really an identical scene in one in every of Jackie Chan’s earlier films known as Dragon Lord the place hordes of fighters attempt to get to a golden egg on prime of a bamboo pyramid.
Jaa would intention to hold on the custom of Jackie’s type of interacting together with his setting in a foot chase scene that was specifically designed to point out off his comparable skills. Ting helps out George when some guys attempt to tough him up, once they present up with extra guys, the chase is on and George and Ting attempt to weave their approach by the busy streets of Bangkok. There are various obstacles in Tings approach together with meals markets with some dishes being cooked, a bevy of things being loaded onto vans, and automobiles making their approach by the streets. Within the making of Ong Bak, you may see how the obstacles had been designed round Jaa’s capability to move by with varied acrobatic methods.
The film isn’t only a popping out occasion for its star. Ong Bak additionally proudly aimed to showcase to the world among the extra genuine practices of Muay Thai. In Van Damme’s 1989 film, Kickboxer, a whole lot of consideration was paid towards the artwork. Whereas there are traditions proven, the motion itself was kind of of what could be present in his different films. In an early scene in Ong Bak, there’s a pleasant introduction to the type when Ting performs a kata utilizing a listing of offensive and defensive strikes. He shouts the identify of the strikes as he performs, which makes this scene a “Muay Thai 101” for viewers. You’ll be able to see the key emphasis the type locations on elbows and knees for max harm. What makes this half much more impactful is that later within the film, he makes use of all these distinctive strikes throughout among the combat sequences.
The combat design doesn’t have too many difficult hand-to-hand choreography like a whole lot of Hong Kong martial arts movies. The fight scenes are an attention-grabbing mixture of grit and spectacular strikes. This consists of Jaa displaying his superb leaping capability to soar throughout the room for large hits or pulling off some actually showy kicks. In between all that, the choreography can get surprisingly grounded. There are occasions the place the hits maintain much more weight since they aren’t movie swish and so they don’t immediately put down the opponent. The sound design even holds again on typical bombastic film sound results for some sensible impression sounds. The ultimate combat between Ting and one other Muay Thai fighter significantly has some spectacular moments of sensible exchanges that emulate the spontaneity and chaos of an actual combat in a approach that doesn’t appear choreographed.
One attention-grabbing side to notice is typically in these fights, Ting appears seemingly invincible as he takes a number of hits however retains coming. Some could name this out as him being too unrealistically invulnerable. Nonetheless, the mentality of Muay Thai displayed right here is one which’s hardly ever depicted in movies, the place fighters are conditioned to be “hardened.” They won’t emphasize protection. They’ll simply eat punches and kicks in favor of trying “more durable” than the opponent. To these not acquainted, it could seem to be a cop out that our hero is simply unfazed and it makes him look much less of an underdog, however that is extra of a component that’s considerably misplaced in translation.
Ong Bak made Jaa a star in his native Thailand. He, Panna and the movie’s director, Prachya Pinkaew, needed this film to carry Muay Thai into the mainstream around the globe. So, they might insert little easter egg messages into the movie to shoutout to worldwide administrators. There’s a scene within the film that includes a chase by the streets with compact Thai automobiles known as Tuk Tuks. And it’s just like the filmmakers are making it their very own particular Thai model of a Blues Brothers chase with these Tuk Tuks. Throughout this sequence, there’s a shot that includes a message to French director Luc Besson that reads, “Hello, Luc Besson. We’re ready for you.” And within the footchase scene talked about earlier, there’s a shot the place some writing on the background shouts out to Steven Spielberg and reads, “Hello, Speilberg. Let’s do it collectively.” Not solely is the message hilariously translated, however they spell Spielberg’s identify incorrectly. Whereas Spielberg didn’t reply, Luc Besson, who dabbles in martial arts motion right here and there, even collaborating with Jet Li on a number of events, would turn out to be the one to assist distribute this film internationally because the “Besson minimize” grew to become out there all over the place. His model added new music and trimmed some scenes. The corporate Magnolia would distribute his model in America in 2005, and they might ship Jaa across the nation in a press tour to introduce himself to U.S. audiences. Even performing an illustration throughout halftime at a Dallas Mavericks sport.
Whereas I can’t say particularly if Ong Bak was thee main affect, however after the discharge of the movie worldwide, shortly, the recognition of Parkour and Muay Thai would skyrocket. Besson would even produce a French motion film known as that appeared to emulate Jaa’s type whereas it featured French martial artist, Cyril Raffaelli and Parkour founder, David Belle. It’s exhausting to not make the excellence, Tony Jaa does make each practices look superior, so it will be simple to see his film as being an enormous contributor to each actions. Ong Bak made it seem to be he might do something. It’s shocking they didn’t let him rap within the film.
Jaa would reunite with the dream group of Panna and Prachya for the following film, Tom Yum Goong, or The Protector. The success of their first film acquired them a a lot larger funds for this sophomore effort. The place Ong Bak had Jaa going to town to get again his statue head, The Protector had him touring to Australia to get again his stolen elephant. Yup, his stolen elephant. In that movie, he continuously shouts, “The place’s my elephant?” Which is a ache that solely Bart Simpson can relate to. The Protector would observe comparable story cues, even having Phetthaireturn as one other comedian reduction character. However the motion is turned up with extra elaborate and jaw dropping sequences. There’s even a bit the place Jaa bumps into Jackie Chan. Nonetheless, Chan is performed by a lookalike.
There can be two sequels made to Ong Bak that had been filmed considerably back-to-back in 2008. Right here, Jaa additionally took a seat within the director’s chair. These movies can be sequels in identify solely as Jaa performed a very totally different character in an unrelated story that came about within the yr 1431. The reception of each Ong Bak 2 and three wouldn’t be as heat as the primary movie (Ong Bak 2 was one of many first films JoBlo ever coated at TIFF).
Jaa would ultimately break into a number of Chinese language and Hollywood productions. These embody American movies just like the Vin Diesel films, Livid 7 and xXx: The Return of Xander Cage. He might additionally not too long ago be seen in The Expendables 4. And on the Chinese language facet, he would additionally co-star within the sequels to SPL aka Kill Zone and the Ip Man spinoff, Grasp Z.
Ong Bak appears crudely made by trendy requirements. It doesn’t have a whole lot of flash, nevertheless it doesn’t have to. It has an ace up its sleeve with Jaa. The boldness the movie has in its star and its native traditions makes this movie an entertaining watch, even when it will get foolish at instances. It’s easy. It’s uncooked. It’s hard-hitting. Very like the type of Muay Thai itself.
