Ong Bak (2003) poster
7.7
Your Rating: 0/10
Ratings: 7.7/10 from 809 users
# of Watchers: 1,368
Reviews: 4 users
Ranked #4151
Popularity #7410
Watchers 809

When the head of a statue sacred to a village is stolen, a young martial artist goes to the big city and finds himself taking on the underworld to retrieve it. Edit Translation

  • English
  • magyar / magyar nyelv
  • dansk
  • Norsk
  • Country: Thailand
  • Type: Movie
  • Release Date: Jan 21, 2003
  • Duration: 1 hr. 45 min.
  • Score: 7.7 (scored by 809 users)
  • Ranked: #4151
  • Popularity: #7410
  • Content Rating: R - Restricted Screening (nudity & violence)

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Ong Bak (2003) photo
Ong Bak (2003) photo
Ong Bak (2003) photo
Ong Bak (2003) photo

Reviews

Completed
The Butterfly
4 people found this review helpful
May 19, 2023
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Tony is on fire!

Tony Jaa showed the world the fierce beauty that is Muay Thai in Ong Bak. It helps when watching this movie to recognize that Tony worked without wires, without CGI, and without stunt doubles. Fast, acrobatic, and incredibly limber he did moves that will leave your jaw gaping.

Plot? The story scaffolding holding up the film was exceptionally thin. Tony's Ting goes to Bangkok after his village Buddha's head called Ong Bak is stolen by a drug dealer. He meets up with a cousin and his female friend/"sister"/girlfriend who spend their time gambling or fleecing gamblers. The Big Bad loses a ton of money on the fights in his fight club when Ting accidentally becomes involved in them and defeats all comers. Unlike his cousin, Ting doesn't fight for money or gamble, all he wants is the Ong Bak back.

From start to finish, whether it was the villagers racing to the top of a tree or Ting racing through Bangkok leaping over cars, sliding underneath a moving car or flying up a wall (no wires, remember) the action came fast and often. The fight scenes in the club were brutal. There were no holds barred and everything in the room could be used as a weapon. Ting was even hit with a refrigerator! At one point in a different setting, Ting continued to fight with his pants on fire! Most moments of glorious flight ended in an acrobatic dismount. Even the pickiest judge would have given him a 10 for form and style.

I pity the stuntmen who took the hits in this movie, because even with padding there were numerous hits and kicks that were going to leave a mark afterward. Some of the falls were Sammo Hung hitting the ground hard falls.

The director made use of slow-mo as well as showing impressive stunt scenes repeatedly from different angles just in case you missed something spectacular or your eyes refused to believe what they were seeing the first time. Tony trained for several years in Muay Boran, a predecessor to today's Muay Thai, for this movie. To say he was dedicated to his craft would be an understatement.

Grading this movie was tough. Story: C- Acting: C- Cinematography: C Fight scenes/fight choreography: A

Most people know going into a movie like this you aren't going to see great acting or be entertained with a compelling story. This is a pure smash mouth, elbow hitting, shin kicking, pants on fire, good time with one of the most energetic and acrobatically gifted fighters of his time. No wires, no CGI, no stunt doubles. No problem.


5/18/23

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Completed
Nico
3 people found this review helpful
Sep 28, 2018
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
First Thai movie I have watched after moving to Thailand in 2004.
My only exposure to these type movies was the kung-fu Bruce lee and Jacky chan movies so this was such a refreshing movie to watch!
The fight scenes are something I had never seen before and done in a really nice way.
I also thought the lead actor was phenomenal, the way he moved, his whole persona… Tony Jaa I am a fan for life.
Highly entertaining, I recommend this to all action movie fans. It packs a real punch (Pun intended)
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Details

  • Movie: Ong Bak
  • Country: Thailand
  • Release Date: Jan 21, 2003
  • Duration: 1 hr. 45 min.
  • Content Rating: R - Restricted Screening (nudity & violence)

Statistics

  • Score: 7.7 (scored by 809 users)
  • Ranked: #4151
  • Popularity: #7410
  • Watchers: 1,368

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