Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior
Ong-Bak Trailer
Though recent martial arts films like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
and Hero have had much success with their new choreography techniques-mainly
centered on wireworks, there is still a market for real king-fu masters
on film without the new highly developed martial arts choreography, or is
there?
Pinkaew thinks there is, and is testing that market with his new film, Ong-Bak.
He relies on the talents of Thailand's equivalent of Bruce Lee, Phanna Rithikrai,
who not only does stunt's and choreography for the film, but also mentored
Tony Jaa aka Panom Yeerum in his kung-fu training.
Though the film is small in plot and relatively natural in choreography,
the film is attempting to attach its success to the success of the kung-fu
films of old; films like Shoalin And Wu-Tang, Fists Of The
White Lotus and Drunken Master. These films found great success
with small plots and had no necessity for high-tech choreography because
of the talent that encompassed them. These films were exciting because they
didn't cast movie stars, but actual masters of martial art styles. These
films didn't need the highly involved wireworks system that was popularized
by Crouching Tiger; fast-flying fists and hair-raising kicks proved
more than enough. In fact, many of these films are going digital and finding
market success as DVD releases.
Ong-Bak is a story following a highly skilled, though reluctant,
orphan, Thai boxer who has been called upon to track down the beheader of
his village's sacred statue. The statue has been said to hold mysterious
powers and through those powers the villagers feel protected; protected
against collapse and conquer. As Ting (Tony Jaa) tracks down the culprit…
well I will leave the rest of the film to you viewers. But don't think for
a second that this film will leave you hungry for more bone-breaking Kung
Fu, the mere fact that it does have a non-ambitious plot suggests that the
action will be intense.
Check out the Ong-Bak
Movie Trailer. |
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