Ong-Bak: the Beginning

Tony Jaa demonstrates more than just his fighting skills in this adventure set in medieval Thailand. For the first time he also receives credits as co-director and co-writer in a story about a warrior prince looking for revenge on the evil usurper who killed his family. Famously eschewing a body double or wire-hoisting assistance, Jaa is quite frankly a phenomenon. His lightning Muay Thai moves (his knees and elbows are just as lethal as his fists and feet) make Jet Li and Jackie Chan look like they're wading through treacle. Unfortunately, the film spends far too much time burying a simple story of vengeance under layers of flashbacks, and just doesn't leave enough room for what we really want to see - Jaa unleashed on the bad guys. The sequences here involving ferocious swordplay, tussles with live crocodiles and punch-ups using elephants clearly see him expanding his repertoire, but overall this is a far less effective showcase for his talents than the original Ong-Bak or his previous movie, Warrior King.