Ong Bak 2: The Beginning/องค์บาก 2 (2008) - Another energetic Thai revenge dish from Jaa and Co.

♥♥♥

 

+ Best Martial Arts Movie of the Year + Best Revenge Movie of the Year + Best Thai Movie of the Year 

 

Star Tony Jaa is perched incredibly upon the tusks and head of an elephant on this rad poster for Ton Jaa and Panna Rittikra's Ong Bak 2: The Beginning

Back in 15th century Thailand, a young man is intent on avenging his father's untimely death.

 

Ong Bak 2: The Beginning is written by Ek Iemchuen (Skin Trade (2014)) and Nontakorn Taweesuk (The Bodyguard (2004)), with debuting co-writer/co-producer/co-director/star Tony Jaa (Singh Siam (1992, star)) and co-writer/co-producer/co-director Panna Rittikrai (2 Nuk Soo Poo Ying Yai (1986)) contributing story elements. It is the sequel to Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003).

It is a visually resplendent, flashy follow-up with handsome scenes with exotic animals and protracted fight scenes. They are impressive, entertaining, - and a bit comical, as they can also seem like one long PR boost for the ever-present Jaa. There's also a very good-looking scene of traditional Thai dance.

The story plays second fiddle and is served with muddled precision in Ong Bak 2: The Beginning.

 

Related post:

 

Tony Jaa, star; Panna Rittikrai story contribution:  2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior/องค์บาก (2003) - The acrobatic martial arts breakthrough

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 8 mil. $

Box office: 8.9 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.11 times its cost)

[Ong Bak 2: The Beginning was released 4 December (Thailand) and runs 98 minutes. Mystery and scandal enshrouded the production of the film, the first Jaa was set to direct himself: Jaa was said to have disappeared from the set for 2 months, creating a major contract conflict with enormous damages as result; and Rittikrai was apparently involved to help finish the film, which has a budget that is more than 7 times the size of the original Ong-Bak. The film opened #62 to a 26k $ first weekend in 10 theaters in North America, where it expanded to 12 theaters the next week but failed to gain a higher rank, grossing 102k $ (1.1 % of the total gross). The biggest markets were Thailand with 2.9 mil. $ (32.6 % of the total gross), France with 2.1 mil. $ (23.6 %) and Spain with 1 mil. $ (11.2 %). Jaa and Rittikrai returned with Ong-Bak 3 (2010), which was also Jaa's next film as a star. Ong Bak 2: The Beginning is rotten at 49 % with a 5.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Ong Bak 2: The Beginning?