The Film
Nothing ruins good kung fu fighting like too much plotline. That's the downfall of Ong Bak 2: The Beginning.
Of course, avenging family death typically means there's going to be a good ass-kicking. Co-writer/co-director/star Tony Jaa is the one issuing those in spades. He plays Tien, who witnesses the murder of his family, kills a crocodile with a knife, and goes into training to become Thailand's resident bad-ass.
While that all sounds fine and dandy, the film gets bogged down with the plot, which makes it move at a slow pace. Also, we have to wonder exactly how this film connects that the original Ong Bak. That's shrouded in more mystery than any of Jaa's acrobatic antics. This film does end with a cliffhanger, however, so we'd have to assume that Ong Bak 3 will pick up the pieces.
Ong Bak 2 looks best during its outdoor scenes. The elephant skin, the dirt on Jaa's face and the buildings show off some of the film's best detail during the daylight hours. Even the lush scenery provides the illusion that the film may have actually had a budget. In the dark, however, a lot of the magic is lost -- and some of it even looks sort of fake and fuzzy. Overall, the 2.35:1 transfer has some nice colors and detail, but the editing and many soft shots are downright disappointing for a Blu-ray release.
The Sound
Like the image, the DTS-HD Master Audio track has its ups and downs. First of all, the movie kicks off with the dubbed English track. Unless you really like bad voice acting, badly synchronized to the character's lips, you'll want to switch to the Thai version. The English almost plays off like a comedy, ruining any possibility for excitement.
In some ways, however, it really doesn't matter which language you choose. The dialogue seems really secondary. A lot of the effects sound decent. Those range from punches and bones crunching to arrows and elephants. However, even the groans and screams sounded muffled. Yes, we know it's all about the action. However, if you're going to act like your story has meaning, don't drown out the dialogue with a not-so-special soundtrack.
The Extras
This release features a surprising number of extras, although very few are worthy of your time. Although every release seems to have a making-of piece, this one is a real standout since it takes a close look at the choreography -- which is a major part of the movie. Also, take a peek at the behind-the-scenes featurette, which is actually three shorts lumped into one. The rest is sort of fluff. Even the sneak peek at Ong Bak 3, assuming you have any interest in that, is a disappointment. It's a blink-and-you-miss-it 1-minute short and it's not even in HD! Also, steer clear of the alternate version that's included. It really only shaves 10 minutes off the film's already short runtime.
Final Thoughts
Although the plotline seems a little pointless, Ong Bak 2 includes enough fists of fury to satisfy any martial-arts master. Still, the image and sound leave us wondering if Blu-ray is worth the extra cost. Unless you are a super-fan of Jaa or the genre, consider renting this one first.
Product Details
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