Jam-packed with crazy stunts & insane action choreography, and introducing Tony Jaa as the next major martial arts star after Bruce Lee & Jackie Chan, Ong-bak (also known as Ong-bak: Muay Thai Warrior or simply The Thai Warrior) is more an exhibition of the famous combat style than anything else, for the story it packs in is barely serviceable.The story of Ong-bak follows a young martial artist who journeys to Bangkok to retrieve an artefact that was stolen from his village by some thieves. Enlisting the help of his cousin who already lives in the big city, he attempts to track down the thieves but finds himself delving deeper into the Thai underworld and has to rely on his combat skills to defeat his adversaries.Co-written & directed by Prachya Pinkaew, the plot is paper thin yet many of the storytelling shortcomings are brushed away by the acrobatics & martial arts on display here as every action scene is violent yet fascinating to watch. However, it is also overdone, as evident in the different angles employed to capture the same stunt multiple times throughout the movie.The absence of CGI & wire fu is a welcome element, providing its practical stunts & action choreography an authentic & realistic touch that most martial arts films tend to lack. It isn't just the face-offs that's thrilling to watch but also the chases that the film has in store. The plot outline is a simple one, dialogues aren't good at all, and yet it is a mostly entertaining ride.Tony Jaa is what makes Ong-bak so refreshing on so many levels. His acting may not be up to the mark but watching him destroy his opponents with the combat skills, speed & athleticism he has in his arsenal is an absolute delight. There are a few moments the story could've done without but majority of its action segments carry zero complaints. The background score however is a total letdown.On an overall scale, Ong-bak brings ancient Muay Thai to mainstream cinema in a truly memorable fashion and is one of the finest martial arts films in existence. Its shortcomings are plenty yet for every action aficionado, it is going to be a mostly satisfying cinematic experience. Announcing the arrival of a new martial arts star in grand style and keeping its combat style well within the realms of physics, this Thai classic is a must for every action film fanatic out there.

Martial arts films don't come with more action than Ong Bak. Tony Jaa is by no doubt an astonishing fighter, and Prachya Pinkaew (director) & his cinematographer Nattawut Kittikhun do well in milking his talents for all their worth. The pair stun us with astonishingly detailed fight sequences, choreographed to perfection by Tony Jaa - the leading man himself. Cinematography is pin sharp, and the Thanat Sunsin-Thanapat Taweesuk editing team fly the banner of their craft high with jaw dropping cuts and manipulations - foremost being ingenious use of instant replays.All that being considered, Ong Bak falls far too short in an area arguably more important than technical mastery of filmmaking: the script is terrible. Gaps in the fighting sequences and landscape fills play out like a painful Jackie Chan overdub without the Chan. Kittikhun manages to stun us with majestic landscape cinematography - which does somewhat make up for the shocking script; though cannot ever restore the potential destroyed by the shoddy framework.Technically speaking, Ong Bak is convincing - it certainly lives up to its expectation as martial arts eye candy; though if story and depth are what you seek, then you can give it a miss. But if mindless thrills portrayed with majestic technical mastery are what you seek, then Ong Bak is for you.

This movie appealed to me because of the fight scenes, but even that wasn't enough to keep me interested.I was dragged through tiresome clichés and a plot that was unbearably predictable and dull. Amateur film-makers tried to stick to a formula, but they failed to execute it properly.The bloke in the wheelchair had breathing problems because he's the boss of the bad guys; there was a girl because there has to be a girl (she had no reason to be involved in any of the story); bad guys make poor decisions just so they can be evil; and the good guy doesn't use guns because good guys don't use guns :/There's no CGI in the fight scenes, but that doesn't stop them from looking frustratingly staged, especially when we get to review each big move three times.

First of i wan't to say that Ong-Bak had some very good fight scenes, and great action written all over it. But i found the story to be a bit boring and there was not much to hang on to or however i should put it, you don't feel much compassion for him is what i mean. For instance in "Ip man", we learnt to have great respect for Donnie Yen, he didn't wan't to fight but has to do it in order to protect his family and fellow man, that is in my opinion the perfect blend. However in this movie Tony Jaa is told right at the start: "Now that you have learnt all these fancy Martial arts moves, you must never use it!" and he of course says yes, just like in one of Bruce Lee's earlier movies when he swears to his master not to fight, just in self-defence. So Tony (or Ting) as he's called in the movie, goes against his father's wish the first chance he gets and beats the living crap out of everyone.But if that's all you're looking for, then i'd say this is the movie for you, and also keep in mind this is his first exhibition film, so in that sense it's alright. Just don't expect any deep scenes or over- meaningful dialog.