Forgotten Sequels: Ong Bak 2- The Beginning

 A work week feel like you got kicked in the head?  Well, here's a Film that is chock full of actual head kicking.

Tony Jaa was on top of the World after the original Ong Bak and The Protector.  After that, he got a big bidding war over this project.  Unfortunately, lots of stuff happened- a mix of stress, pressure and inexperience- to make this one what it should have been.

Is it bad though?
Well, I got it for $1.99, so let's find out...

A young Royal is being taken to safety by his Guard, but the latteri s killed.

The boy survives, but is taken by Slave Traders.

He is tortured and abused.

He is forced to fight in a Pit.

He is even forced to fight a Crocodile!

American Stunt People see this and go 'Not going to Thailand anytime soon!'

He's rescued by a disparate group of Bandits, which includes a Japanese Swordsman, an Indian Fighter and other foreign nationals.

The blind Sensei- since every group has one- feels that the boy is strong, so they train him in a Montage.

He proves his worth by beating a series of his Masters in a long fight Scene that involves sword fighting, a bit of aikido and, as you can see, a bit of Wrestling.

As a WWE fan, is it weird to see Tony Jaa do a headlock takedown?  Yes.

Throughout the Film, events cause Jaa- playing the grown up version of the Royal- to have flashbacks.

They involve a girl he befriends (who seems like she'll be more important), his family being in peril and, finally, his Parents' death before he flees.

He's made the second-in-command of the Gang and his first act involves taking out the large man that abused him.

Cue another long fight, this time with a bit of Drunken Boxing mixed in.  Why not?

He's offered the chance to run the gang, but his Mentor knows that he must finish his quest for revenge first.

He confronts the Ruler who had his family killed at a big event- which includes a long, filler Dance Number- before slashing the guy repeatedly with a sword and kicking him into a pit.

Revenge over.

He goes back to his old Village to reminisce and gets attacked.

The final 20 minutes or so are this- a long, violent fight between him and multiple opponents.

It's not an Ong Bak Film without Elephant stunts, so enjoy this run up, flip kick involving a pachyderm

Ohhh...

Shit!

However- Plot Twist!

The bad guy pulled a Bret Hart and put metal under his shirt to protect him earlier.

He finally gets Jaa down after a seemingly-magic Warrior and forcing Jaa to battle a surprise opponent.

He seems to die, whereupon the English Narrator tells us that we can 'wish hard enough' to get his spirit back to his body.

See what happens in Part 3- most likely later this week.  The End.

It's a Film that isn't quite sure what it wants to be.

Is it an Historical Epic?  Not really.  Despite the ancient Setting and backstory, it is too precise in focus.
Is it a full-on Action Film?  Yes and No.  The random breaks for backstory aren't bad, but they do take away from what certain viewers are expecting from this.

Yes, Ong Bak had a Plot.  Was it just an excuse to string together the Action Scenes?  Mostly.

I'm not saying that this is bad- it's not.  I'm just saying that they seemed to be going for something big, which we only get a taste of.  Was this due to the production issues?  Maybe.

In summary, it is a mixed bag.  It has lots of fighting, but also random plot interruptions and historical details that don't feel quite in sync with the vibe otherwise.

As a bonus, it weirdly credits 'Dan Chupong' as 'Dance Chupong.'  Huh?

To see the conclusion to this tale, see the next Tubi Thursday.  To see what I actually do next, check back soon.