 The Thai movie Ong Bak : The Thai Warrior is out now in theaters around the USA, and if you are interested in getting a look at MODERN Tahi culture, you can see where it is playing if you click the following link: Ong Bak the Movie and then click on the Screenings link.
Ong Bak is a Thai action / adventure movie, similar to many of the Jackie Chan movies of the early 1990s (like Rumble in the Bronx or Supercop) where there is as much an emphasis on humor, character development, and social commentary as there is on martial arts and action. While Ong Bak is an action / adventure movie, it is certainly not one-dimensional.
The movie is about a sacred Buddha statue called Ong Bak, which is stolen from a quiet, peaceful (some would say backwards) village in the Thai countryside. Unfortunately for the villagers, this statue is the main focal point of a rain-making ceremony, something the villagers desperately want to complete since they are suffering from a drought. Adding insult to injury is that all Buddha statues are highly venerated in Thailand, so any act against a Buddha statue really gets the people's blood boiling.
The Ong Bak staute has been taken by a money-hungry ganster to be sold in the antiques markets in Bangkok, so the local villagers decide that a young man named Boonting (played by Phanom Yeeram), should track down the thief and reclaim the religious treasure. It becomes a Fish Out of Water tale, since Boonting has never been away from his tiny village, and now he must navigate the mean streets of Bangkok, a city with over 15 million people and 30 million vices.
But it hardly is a case of throwing the sheep to the lions. You see, Boonting happens to be an expert at Muay Thai (the art of Thai Kickboxing), since he had been raised by monks who trained him in the art. Unfortunately the monks also forbade him from using it in combat. Now Boonting must decide whether his fighting skills should be unleashed in his religious quest to return Ong Bak, this most spiritual of items, to its rightful place at the temple.
As the movie unfolds, you realize that it is more than just an action flick; all sorts of Thai cultural aspects are examined by the director, including the struggles the poorer villages face in making ends meet, how many people are getting rich by plundering the nation's rich cultural heritage, how urban dwellers look down upon the farmers and country folk. Ong Bak does illuminate many of the social problems and challenges that modern Thailand is facing, which helps keep it above the general martial arts flicks churned out in Asia and America alike.
And speaking of martial arts, if you are a fan of fighting, then you are really going to like Ong Bak no matter what. It has some of the best Muay Thai on film, and the star, Phanom Yeeram, shows off skill, grace and talent in his fight scenes. Plus, the director has studied those Jackie Chan films well, and his fight scenes all have an element of humor and surprises that keep this action movie a notch above the rest.
So do I receommend Ong Bak to viewers? Yes and No! If you have ever seen a Jackie Chan film that you liked, then you will probably LOVE Ong Bak. If you don't know who Jackie Chan is, but you don't mind seeing an action film that is well thought out and original, and distinctly Thai, then you will probably like Ong Bak.
However, if you absolutely hate action movies, and don't think the movie will be redeemed because it is also a microscope on some of the social problems that a modern Asian country must face, then you will probably hate Ong Bak, sorry to say.
And for those of you who will hate it, I suggest renting other Thai movies that you can find at your local video store, such as Suriyothai (also called the Legend of Suriyothai) and Iron Ladies, both of which can be rented from better video rental places.
I hope you have enjoyed this review of Ong Bak and that you will let us know what you thought of the movie after you see it. You should also Visit the Ong Bak Web Site and you can see images from the movie, watch a trailer, and download screen savers as well.
Till next time,
Ms. Jay
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