Year: 2009
Running Time: 98 Minutes
Rated: R
SRP: $ 39.95
Studio(s): Magnolia Pictures / Magnet
Release Date: February 2, 2010

Film/Feature: A-
I don’t know if I’m ready to believe that Tony Jaa is the “baddest mofo” martial arts actor on the planet but in his age bracket, he doesn’t have many peers. After breaking onto the scene with Ong Bak, he starred in Tom-Yum-Goong (AKA The Protector), a cookie-cutter chop-saki films that instead felt like a continuation of Ong Bak, switching out Buddha statues for pet elephants as the driving motivation. I love watching Muay Thai or “Elephant Boxing” as much as the next guy, but I feared Jaa would be a one-trick pony. So when Tony Jaa decided to go back to the Ong Bak franchise to do two sequels, I didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t this.

No connection can be made between Ong Bak 1 and 2 other than they star Tony Jaa, elephants and buddha statues. I know what you’re thinking, Jungle Book is in this kid’s future. The story is set in ancient Thailand and Jaa’s character, Tien, is the son of nobleman Lord Sihadecho (Santisuk Promsiri). Lord Rajasena (Sarunyoo Wongkrachang), an unruly tyrant is trying to take control of Asia and plans to take over Sihadecho’s provinces. Rajasena orders for Sihadecho, his family, and army to be wiped out. Young Tien (Natdanai Kongthong) escapes and is captured by slave traders. For entertainment they then throw the young Tien into a crocodile pit and is saved by the Pha Beek Krut, a gang of guerillas who are well-versed in all forms of martial arts. Pha Beek Krut’s leader, Cher Nung (Sorapong Chatree) takes Tien under his wing to tap his destiny and make him the greatest warrior Thailand has ever seen. Vengeance motivates a now adult Tien (Jaa) to eventually confront Rajasena and his army in an all-out barefoot brawl.

The climax takes place at the Raiders’ Village, and is an awesome sequence that features several more fighting styles than Muay Thai boxing (Ninjitsu, Indonesian Harimau Silat, Wing Chun, Hung Ga to name a few) and that’s a nice change. Credit must be given to Jaa (who serves as co-director and producer) and company to provide a fresh experience that celebrates a variety of different fighting style and more jaw-dropping moments where you have to take an extra breath–as if throwing a young boy into a muddy pool with a live crocodile isn’t thrilling enough.

One fight scene involves Jaa jumping on and all around a stationary elephant that left my mouth open the entire time. There’s also an earlier scene where Jaa is running on the backs on a moving pack of elephants with no safety. This film is all about the variety of weapons in each style from the three-segment staff, staff fighting, kaili, swords, Thai boxing, Chinese boxing, samurai swords and that’s a bit of a deviation away from contemporary kung fu films with are hand-to-hand battles or some sword play. The story, while a bit too convoluted, even for a martial arts film, does require Jaa to find his emotional side which really only a slight change from the man-of-action Jaa. But if you can keep it all straight, it’s a much stronger attempt at a real story than in any of Jaa’s previous films. Not previously-knowing there would be sequel, I was stunned by the abrupt ending which offers no closure except that Tien is not successful in his attack and is sent to endure a torturous ending. Don’t let that scare you away, Ong Bak 2 is easily Jaa’s most exciting film to this date and it’s only halfway done.

Video: A
After watching Ong Bak on blu-ray and its disappointing video transfer, Ong Bak 2 leaps far beyond with a fine looking1080p VC-1 encoded transfer in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Colors are flushed with more than adequate saturation, blacks are nice and heavy, deep and ink black. I do however think some of the night scenes offer not enough contrast or are lit sufficiently because it’s hard to distinguish what’s going on, but that’s the only complaint in an otherwise sharp looking film. Each frame of action is full of depth and detail and clarity. This shows the improvement in equipment and high definition transfer that Sahamongkol Film International Co. Ltd. has done with their films.

Audio: A
From the very beginning Ong Bak 2 proudly shows off its highly active and perhaps a little over-aggressive 5.1 Thai DTS-HD Master Audio track. Thankfully the main effort is the original Thai track, dialogue is clear and surround sound effects are plentiful. Action scenes and music are given a lot of attention, and I admire the effort to give the film a real dynamic push, even if it’s not always accurate. I don’t ever recommend English dub tracks but it’s there for those who refuse to hear it in its original format. Other audio selections include: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track and subtitles are available in English, English SDH, and Spanish.

Extras: C+
The extras that accompany the film are in high def, but have that promotional, EPK feel to them which usually means that they’re lazy, uncreative, repetitive or are too short. In this batch, there’s a little of all of the above.

Alternate Cut HD (88 Minutes) is ten minutes less than the theatrical cut. It’s been edited more, some scenes taken out. One is particularly stronger than the other but I think I like the pacing and flow of the shorter cut, personally.

The Making of Ong Bak 2 Featurettes HD (21:07) has three chapters, The Story and Character of an Epic, Revealing the Majesty and The Art of War, go into the films themes, characters and influences of who and what Ong Bak is striving for. It’s solid “Making of” affair but nothing to really write home about.

Behind the Scenes Featurettes HD (17:50) There are three featurettes Capturing a Warrior, The Kingdom, and The Community each showing that everyone is in fact doing their own stunts and a lot of cameras behind cameras type of footage.

Interviews with Cast and Crew HD (25:21) Eight interviews with different members of the cast and production teams including Jaa, Prachya Pinkaew (Producer), Panna Rittikrai (Co-Director/Producer), Sorapong Chatree (Chernang), Santisuk Phromsiri (Lord Shadecho), Sarunyu Wongkrajang (Lord Rajasena), Niruth Sirijunya (Master Bua), Primrata Det-Udom (Pim). These are a bit more meatier but also very dry. One camera on the subjects doing typical question and answers. If you watch the Making of, then you’ve also seen some of this material, so a bit too much repetition for my taste.

HD Net a Look at Ong Bak 2 HD (2:53) Village Voice’s Robert Wilonsky gives an introduction for the film for On Demand, and is a nice intro for an American audience.

Ong Bak 3 Exclusive Footage HD (1:34) is an unofficial trailer of sorts showing the next installment in the Ong Bak trilogy which picks up right where that ambiguous ending left off which is scheduled to be released later this year.

International Trailer SD (3:50) seems to be a bit more clearer on what the story is about than the US trailer and breaks down some of the various styles of martial arts that are showcased in the film. It’s a long trailer, but unfortunately, this is in standard definition.

US Trailer HD (1:39) is a much more ambiguous trailer that just shows all of the highlights of the action sequences and doesn’t offer much else. I’ve always cried out to trailer makers to keep them shorter

Trailers HD Included are previews for John Woo’s Red Cliff, District 13 Ultimatum, Bronson, Warlords, and HD Net.

No this is not the Jungle Book, just another Tony Jaa film.

Overall Shock Value: B+
Ong Bak was a novelty, a great showcase of Tony Jaa as a newcomer in the martial arts movie genre, but outside of the action it was pretty putrid. By embracing that, and having that room for comedy, Ong Bak’s appeal still outweighed the negatives. In the sequel, which begins a new two-film epic, Tony Jaa and his fellow filmmakers do elevate the action to a new level with a variety of fighting styles and broke the trend of predictable Muay Thai action scripts. I can’t say that this is the cup of tea for every movie viewer, but if you appreciate the martial arts genre and all of its warts, you can’t walk past this film. The choreography and action is a buffet of thrills, with hair-raising stunts, non-stop weapon-fu and noticeable nods to the greats that will leave that grin on your face, ear-to-ear. Even though the plot is a tad convoluted, its an ambitious attempt by Tony Jaa to do something that requires more thought and emotion. The extras aren’t necessary and at times repetitive, but they are in high definition and validates that Tony Jaa can run on top a stampede of elephants. Add that with a lovely video transfer, Ong Bak 2 on blu-ray is a definite Buy It recommendation for Jaa and martial arts fans alike.

Year: 2003
Running Time: 105 Minutes
Rated: R
SRP: $24.99
Studio(s): Magnolia Pictures
Release Date: February 2, 2010

Film/Feature: A–
When Ong Bak opens, around two dozen villagers run up a gigantic tree, maybe three or four stories high. All of them caked with mud, shirtless or wearing very thin clothing. It’s a race to the top where the fastest up the tree to retrieve a flag and down is crowned the village prideful champion warrior. Using martial arts and acrobatics, each man tries his best to leaping limbs, fending off other aggressors, and kicking and clawing their way to the top. Most didn’t make it falling anywhere from 10-20 feet to the ground, clipping a giant branch on the way down. No safety nets, no padded clothes, and no wires. These poor bastards experienced real pain. Stuntmen can’t act that good. From the opening scene, I knew this was going to be a film I’d talk about for years.

Ong Bak is the story of a Nong Pradu village hero/warrior, Ting (introducing Tony Jaa) who is sent to Bangkok to locate and return the head of their stolen sacred Ong Bak statue which is believed by the tribe to keep balance. Rain, food, and livestock were all plentiful until their statue was defaced. A city crime lord in a wheelchair, sporting a talk box, is stealing ancient Buddah statues for gobs of money and selling drugs in exchange for the country’s sacred culture. No this is not starring Roger Troutman. Ting sets his relentless pursuit to the city and seeks out the help of a former Nong Pradu villager and cousin, Humlae (Petchai Wongkamlao) who now goes by the name of George and has since renounced his country life. He along with his lady friend, Muay Lek (Pumwaree Yodkamol) have been running street scams and have piled up a large debt by the time Ting runs into them. George refuses to help his countryman at first, looking out for only himself, until he realizes that Ting is an amazing Muay Thai fighter. Trying to exploit his cousin and half-heartedly helping him find his beloved Ong Bak, George forces Ting to fight against his will to make money, knowing the fighting will lead Ting to his man.

I’m not going to sugar coat Ong Bak for anyone. It’s a terribly weak story with one goal in mind: get Jaa in action. The melodrama with Ting in his home village could have been wiped out altogether and saved us all at least 15 to 20 minutes of time, and it would have been a much tighter film (see Jaa’s second film, Tom -Yum-Goong AKA The Protector). Everything else though, is pure jubilation. One fantastic fight scene follows another and stunt scenes will have you high-fiving with your boys. Jaa is so amazing that each acrobatic sequence is shot at multiple angles and repeated in slow motion to show that it is indeed Jaa, not a stuntman, and that no wires were used. When bodies go limp, it’s because they were really hit. The action is lightning fast, full of brutal blows, splitting skull caps, and jaw-dropping moments that will make you rise out of your seat. And credit must be given to Petchai Wongkamlao, who is equally good in the comedy department.

I’ve probably watched Ong Bak at least a dozen times and every time I do, it’s with a different set of friends who have never seen it before. They all experienced that same rush of excitement I got when I first saw it. It’s all about Jaa and there’s no shame here for loving it for that reason, but a fulfilling story, it’s not. I only hoped subsequent Jaa films would aim higher (which has… sort of happened in Ong Bak 2). Seriously? Who the hell watches martial arts films for story. Still, Ong Bak remains a classic that shines a spotlight on the fighting style of Muay Thai with dizzying display of fight choreography and introduces us all to Tony Jaa. A necessary film for any martial arts fan.

Video: D+
The disc has a special note to say that this “new, digital transfer was created from an original 35MM internegative of the film. Color correction, image stabilization and digital cleaning were facilitated at Deluxe Postproduction Toronto to restore the film and present it in high definition.” I can say though that the 1080p encoded transfer in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio really went to waste here. One would wonder what the buzz is all about high definition if this is the first blu-ray someone decides to purchase. Picture quality is just terrible, fuzzy, colors are dull and muddy. Speaking of mud, I expected that opening scene to be brilliantly clear and see the levels of dirt clay packed onto the stuntmen’s skin, but nope; all of that detail is lost somewhere in a blurry, non-distinct mess. There’s black crush, and some pixelation of the image in spots. If you’re eyes are used to seeing high def films, seeing this is an embarrassing step back into the dark ages. It’s a lazy transfer for sure, and not worth the upgrade if you already have the DVD.

Audio: C
Thankfully, the original dialogue can be heard through the 5.1 Thai DTS-HD audio track. I had hoped the taxi chase scene would be a more exciting since it had one of the only explosions in the film but it’s another disappointing effort that doesn’t really improve on the sound any more than what the DVD showed. I think the one stand out scene for me in terms of directional sound is when Ting defeats an onslaught of brawlers in an underground fight bar and patrons pay respect to him by raining down money at him. There’s not much of an immersive sound field that’s created and the sound suddenly wakes up whenever the soundtrack kicks in with hip-hop beats and tracks. Aside from the hip-hop, the music is real cheesy, almost laughable (see taxi chase) but is also the most consistent thing that’s sent to the surrounding channels. Other audio selections include a English 5.1 DTS-HD track (shudder) for those of you who can’t read and watch at the same time, and subtitles are available in English, English SDH, and Spanish.

Extras: D+

All of the extras from the original DVD release have been ported over, but there are no blu-ray exclusives. All of it’s fluff and continues the odd marriage of hip hop and modern martial arts. None of the extras have been transferred to high definition, so that’s another big disappointment.

Live Tony Jaa and Stuntmen Performance before French Auditorium Audience HD (2:34) See Jaa strut his stuff in front of a live audience.

The Movements of Muay Thai SD (1:43) is a demonstration of some of the basic attack and defense moves of the Thai martial art style

French Rap Music Video with Tony Jaa SD (4:03) It’s a rap video that starts out in English with Reed the Weed but shifts to the French rap duo of Tragedie. All of it happens in a boxing ring with footage of Jaa as if he was battling the french rap duo.

Making of Music Video HD (7:14) goes behind the scenes of the Tragedie music video to see the filming process and interviews the director.

Selected B-Roll HD (2:33) audiences get to go behind the scenes and see some additional three scenes Taxi Stunts, Legs Ablaze Fight Sequence, Arena Fight Sequence (Missing Audio at end)

Promo Video Featuring the RZA SD (1:00)

Trailers SD (:) Teaser (0:52), Thai Teaser French Teaser (0:58), French Trailer (2:07), Thai Teaser (1:31) Thai Trailer (1:31), Trailer featuring the RZA (1:44).

Overall Shock Value: C–
I have to say that this is one of the more disappointing high definition transfer of a catalog film. Ong Bak continues to have its special place in my large martial arts library, and so I was excited to really see what would be done to bring this film to blu-ray. Sadly, I was let down in every category, most importantly the technical aspects because it’s being presented as a blu-ray but is feels like an expensive DVD. If you don’t have this film already in your library, then I cannot recommend this release at all. But if you have never seen Tony Jaa in action and missed out on this Muay Thai classic, then it is a mandatory purchase, but wait for it to be on sale.