Ong Bak introduced Tony Jaa and to many the knees and elbows of Thai Muay Thai (Thai Kick boxing), and blew them away with a spectacular fighting technique that breathed new life into the martial arts genre. Only connected to the first through some of the same cast and writers Ong Bak 2 (Ong Bak 2: The Beginning) is much more. It is a cracking and slashing wondrous new world set in the dark grimy past. Panna Rittikrai (The Bodyguard), who also wrote and did stunts for Ong Bak, co-directs and writes this epic of stunts with his protégé Tony Jaa (born Panom Yeerum) whose power and inventiveness might even rival the great Bruce Lee.
In 15th century Thailand a young boy named Tien (Natdanai Kongthong), son of Lord Sihadecho (Santisuk Promsiri), is escaping from a raid upon his aristocratic family but is captured by a group of slave traders. He is about to be fed to the crocodiles when Cher Nung (Sorapong Chatree) rebel leader of the Garuda Wing Cliff bandits rescues him because he is so impressed with his spunk and the anger in his eyes. This leader raises Tien and trains him in all the rich martial arts from throughout Asia, even the philosophical kind with a lesson in a cave with the instruction “This place will test the power of your mind,” for to kill you must be merciless. As Tien (Tony Jaa) grows up, after a spell as a vicious raider himself, he eventually seeks to avenge the killing of his mother and father against the Garuda Deva Dynasty and the evil Lord Rajasena (Sarunyu Wongkrachang), as well as messing up real good the slave trader market.
As a medieval martial arts movie, not for a minute does it seem hokey, in fact, it’s all muddy and vivid, and bloody, and so Apocalypto-esque that it lacks humour completely. You’ll want to jump up out of your seat to avoid the punches or at least to breathe in the opium. It is a lush, steaming jungle, fascinating, tattooed world of violent baddies with bad teeth, and never the land of smiles except when the girls are forced to dance for the king. The film illustrates the richness and variety of the martial arts at this time in Asia, with great potential for the worst weapons and characters whose lives are mired in it. Tien, probably not far from reality at the time, learns from a variety of schools including Japanese swordsmanship. Running with elephants and mastering the art of the rope-dart and three-section nunchuck he becomes the ultimate warrior.
Who would have thought that setting a martial arts movie in the medieval world would work so well, but it makes perfect sense allowing all kinds of gruesome characters and weapons in a warring states period before firearms. The choreography is brutal and realistic, albeit exaggerated of course, but without the silly flying through the air of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The script is minimal but effective enough and subtitles need not concern you, you’ll be glued to the action. The cinematography by Nattawut Kittikhun (Ong Bak) slows down just enough to take in the colour of Thailand at this time. Some may lament the change from the Bangkok-ian Ong Bak, but ancient Thailand (or Siam as it was then referred to in the West) and Tony Jaa’s raw power are fertile ground for more. It’s a cliffhanger.
