Ong Bak 2 (2008)

48% of critics liked it
(65 reviews)
57% of users liked it
(19,973 ratings)

Muay Thai martial arts master Tony Jaa returns to deliver a bone-breaking barrage of knees and elbows in this action opus that finds the star not only delivering blows in front of the camera, but calling the shots behind it as well. Despite the title's indication of this film as a sequel to 2003's… More Muay Thai martial arts master Tony Jaa returns to deliver a bone-breaking barrage of knees and elbows in this action opus that finds the star not only delivering blows in front of the camera, but calling the shots behind it as well. Despite the title's indication of this film as a sequel to 2003's Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior, this movie has no narrative connection to the events of the earlier work, despite the fact that both films star Jaa. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By: Tony Jaa
Written By: Panna Rittikrai
Genres: Art House & International, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Oct 23, 2009 Wide
On DVD: Feb 2, 2010
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

Critic Reviews

Cary Darling, Dallas Morning News
Ong Bak 2 is really just an excuse for several jaw-dropping set pieces that show off Jaa's killing skills.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Jaa, who co-directs, has only one thing in mind: a series of increasingly complex fight scenes in his characteristically wide-ranging style. If movie theaters allowed you to fast-forward past the filler, your life just might be complete.
Mike Hale, New York Times
Bears virtually no connection to the original.
Jan Stuart, Washington Post
Taking co-directorial reins with Panna Rittikrai, Jaa has erected a portentous platform for his high-flying athleticism, bearing none of the freewheeling spirit or humor that made his feature debut a guiltless pleasure.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
There isn't much of a plot, although Jaa's fans won't mind a bit. All they want is lots of bloody, muddy action in the Thai jungles, which they get.
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
Tony Jaa is a lot of fun to watch, but Ong Bak 2: The Beginning is not only a step back in time -- to 1431 -- but a step back in this martial artist's international film career.
Annlee Ellingson, Moving Pictures Magazine
A mix of martial arts, which includes Muay Thai, kung fu and Samurai swordplay, that was Jaa's inspiration for making the movie in the first place.
Jeffrey Chen, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
The 'sequel' to Jaa's stunning international debut, Ong-Bak, and his third international outing after the entertaining The Protector, but it contains only a fraction of the previous two's joyful invention.
Sean Axmaker, Seanax.com
... the lack of any dramatic center leaves the action, for all its bloody carnage and brutality, emotionally untethered: all spectacle and no character.
Mark Pollard, Kung Fu Cinema
Delivers Jaa's most intense and impressive fighting action yet but a complex and underdeveloped plot and fractured, non-engaging direction leaves much to be desired.
William Goss, Cinematical
We knew Jaa could bust heads; now he's just busting our balls.
Peter Sobczynski, eFilmCritic.com
Stretched to nearly two full hours and deploying a seemingly endless array of flashbacks sequences, it becomes almost impossible to follow for more than a few minutes at a time and Jaa's utterly charm-free performance doesn't make things any easier.
Mike Russell, Oregonian
You can only get so mad at a movie in which a large crowd cheers and the lone subtitle reads "Hooray." With a period.
Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
Lovely to look at by small degrees, but a mud-spattered mess of a movie overall.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
It's an incoherent, would-be martial-arts epic with only a handful of action sequences in its favor.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
The action bits make you feel like you've had pure adrenaline pumped into you, but the attention to artistic detail... is like something you'd expect from a Hollywood epic...
Diva Velez, TheDivaReview.com
Moaning about the overlong, sloppily told story seems petty nitpicking when all I really want to see is Tony Jaa doing what he does best - beating the tar out of people, and we get that in spades in Ong Bak 2.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
I could have enjoyed the film if it didn't present itself as some kind of self-important epic, which only makes the ridiculous dialogue and hackneyed plot stand out.
Adam Tobias, Watertown Daily Times
Boring and insipid are words I never planned on hearing myself say when describing a Tony Jaa film, but I guess there's a first for everything.
Tom Keogh, Seattle Times
Features a far more soulful and charismatic Jaa immersed in a ceaseless whoosh of extraordinary fight scenes involving everything from pebbles to elephants.

Read all 20 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Phil H

What can I say about this sequel, its actually very good surprisingly, nice idea and well made. Lets just get this straight, this sequel has nothing to do with the original film a tall but its just as good if not a little better than the original film. This film is set in feudal Siam… More
What can I say about this sequel, its actually very good surprisingly, nice idea and well made. Lets just get this straight, this sequel has nothing to do with the original film a tall but its just as good if not a little better than the original film. This film is set in feudal Siam with a young boy (Jaa) being raised by a group of elite warrior bandits after his parents have been killed and he was captured by slave traders. So again the plot is very basic and revolves around revenge as usual, the film also tends to show Jaa doing his thing all over again accept this time set in ancient times and this time it looks even better. The various forms of martial arts on display whilst a young Jaa trains and throughout the film is superb, a real MMA film straight out of the wild East. The action sequences are a joy to watch with flashes of colour, blood, fantasy and legend fused with various forms of combat, this film really does put some major Hollywood action films to shame. Everyone and everything looks highly realistic from sets, hair styles and costumes to weapons and the beautiful locations in native Thailand. Really strong start to the film with a good intro of the warrior assassins but admittedly the film does lose its powerful grip near the end with its rather odd ending due to problems on set during the making. A glorious mystical feel runs through this film combining genuine history with a lovely dash of artistic license :)
Al S

A brilliant and spectacular martial arts epic that totally blows you away. Tony Jaa tears up the screen once again in the leading role and behind the camera crafting a bold, ferocious and earth-shattering adventure. It's packed with some the most amazing and depth-defying action… More
A brilliant and spectacular martial arts epic that totally blows you away. Tony Jaa tears up the screen once again in the leading role and behind the camera crafting a bold, ferocious and earth-shattering adventure. It's packed with some the most amazing and depth-defying action sequences ever put on film and has one of the greatest final martial arts sequences ever put on film. An incredible and near perfect film. A dazzling and pule-pounding action-packed extravaganza that roars across the screen.
xGary X

The young son of a general assassinated during a coup is taken in by a band of warrior thieves and learns the way of martial arts to seek his revenge. The original Ong Bak was a frenetic martial arts fest with little plot to back it up but shored up by the impressive athletic skill of… More
The young son of a general assassinated during a coup is taken in by a band of warrior thieves and learns the way of martial arts to seek his revenge. The original Ong Bak was a frenetic martial arts fest with little plot to back it up but shored up by the impressive athletic skill of its star Tony Jaa, and this sequel doesn't stray too far from that formula. The medieval setting means that some equally impressive swordplay can be thrown into the mix and both the opening and final action sequences are very impressive indeed. Unfortunately the only filling to this flurry of limbs and blades is the usual "you killed my mum and dad and have taken a fancy to my bird" flashback and the plot and characterisation goes literally no further than that. It's a very pretty film having some attractive costume design, beautiful locations and pleasing cinematography and I'm sure that it looks superb for the trailers; but that's all it is. A 90 minute long trailer. Add the fact that the "ending" is basically a two line voice over featuring the most feeble and tenuous link to the original film I have EVER witnessed in a sequel it's only entertaining on the most superficial of levels.
danny d

considerably better than the first. the action was solid, this film stayed away from the contrived stunts that we saw in the first, and the story, direction, editing, and atmosphere of the film was a huge step up. knowing that jaa, a supremely gifted martial artist, has been making… More
considerably better than the first. the action was solid, this film stayed away from the contrived stunts that we saw in the first, and the story, direction, editing, and atmosphere of the film was a huge step up. knowing that jaa, a supremely gifted martial artist, has been making better and better films so far with each effort is very encouraging. the period piece option was a solid choice for this film, and it was great to see jaa branch out into other forms of martial arts.
Cynthia S

It's a decent martial arts movie. The action and fight scenes are fantastic, although there isn't much of a story line..or romance for that matter. If your looking for ONLY action and adventure, well this is the movie. However, to really enjoy a movie it has to be… More
It's a decent martial arts movie. The action and fight scenes are fantastic, although there isn't much of a story line..or romance for that matter. If your looking for ONLY action and adventure, well this is the movie. However, to really enjoy a movie it has to be believable, and for that you need to develop a story. And, sad to say, this one didn't do that. I definitely didn't enjoy the ending, if you want to call that an ending. I guess it was a set-up for the sequel?? If so, then I can't really say that it made me crave for the next one.
A.D. V

Beautful set design, costumes and photography but the film falls short because of a less than inspired plot that has been seen way too many times before and while the choreography is a sight to behold it goes too far and you're left quite numb by the time of the final battle..… More
Beautful set design, costumes and photography but the film falls short because of a less than inspired plot that has been seen way too many times before and while the choreography is a sight to behold it goes too far and you're left quite numb by the time of the final battle.. And then there's the really annoying abrupt ending that leaves plot threads unresolved and a cliffhanger as to what happens to Tien (Tony Jaa's character). Only after did I find out this was intentional as to not only make a sequel but bridge this with the original film.
Justin Y

Tony Jaa directs, with the help of Panna Rittikrai, and dishes out the pain in Ong Bak 2.Although this picture is seen and labeled as a sequel, the first Ong Bak is a separate and stand alone movie. Therefore, watching the first film… More
Tony Jaa directs, with the help of Panna Rittikrai, and dishes out the pain in Ong Bak 2.Although this picture is seen and labeled as a sequel, the first Ong Bak is a separate and stand alone movie. Therefore, watching the first film beforehand isn't necessary. Just be aware that Tony Jaa kicks butt in both.The plot may not be overly impressive, but there is enough going on, thanks to the flashback segments, to make it decently interesting.The fights come in bunches. Many bunches. Every portion of this movie makes room for the action and it doesn't disappoint. Even with the good amount of slow motion shots, there is more than enough real time martial arts to get the adrenaline flowing.Tony Jaa's acting isn't to die for, but his martial arts is. He gets a chance to display many styles in various settings. The rest of the cast's performances are tolerable, as there isn't much in the way of annoying characters. On a side note, the beautiful Primorata Dejudom deserves more airtime.Ong Bak 2 is all about the fights and there is enough of it, especially in the final 15 minutes, to go around.
Alexander W

flawless. Nothing this entertaining since Enter the Dragon
Steve K

Jaa's latest suffers greatly from feeling overly familiar. You've seen it all before, and you've seen it more exciting.
Aaron N

Chernang: That's what I'm talking about, my son. Tony Jaa returns to helm the sequel of his breakout feature. Although this film is called Ong Bak 2, it is in fact set hundreds of years before the first feature, and no Jaa is not immortal, he is playing a different… More
Chernang: That's what I'm talking about, my son. Tony Jaa returns to helm the sequel of his breakout feature. Although this film is called Ong Bak 2, it is in fact set hundreds of years before the first feature, and no Jaa is not immortal, he is playing a different character. The film is solidly made, with less focus on the parkour action, and more on intense fights, with opponents equipped with all sorts of weapons. But Tony Jaa will do fine as long as he has an elephant at his side. Jaa stars as Tien, a man who was born into nobility but had it stripped from him after his parents were brutally murdered. Lost and nearly captured by slave traders, Tien is soon rescued and trained to become a martial arts master, eventually working for those who have taken him in, looking to take down the lords who are taking over his homeland. For a movie like this, the plot is actually much stronger than its predecessor and Tony Jaa seems to have realized that he isn't the greatest of actors when delivering dialogue, because he is much more restrained, barely uttering a word throughout. Of course, the real star is the choreography present this time around, and while I mentioned the parkour aspect is not present here, the fights are fantastic and amazing (that's right, both). Jaa and his opponents are marvelously captured on screen, showcasing their abilities, which includes fighting with and on top of an elephant. The budget on screen certainly takes some of the low-fi quality away from the first film, and some added CG is very apparent in comparison as well, however the fights look great, and Jaa's direction works well to make sure we can see exactly what's happening, with some visual camera tricks to boot. By the way, the film ends on a cliffhanger, so look out for Ong Bak 3, because I know I'll be wanting to see Jaa kick more ass. "What did the elbow say to the face?" "Slap."
Dean M

No pain, no gain - seem like Tony Jaa, one of the great wonders of the action world, is only human after all. Claiming his own Coppola-style Heart of Darkness meltdown in the murky Thai jungle, the pressure of directing, starring and fighting in this amazingly… More
No pain, no gain - seem like Tony Jaa, one of the great wonders of the action world, is only human after all. Claiming his own Coppola-style Heart of Darkness meltdown in the murky Thai jungle, the pressure of directing, starring and fighting in this amazingly action-martial arts film nearly crushed Jaa, who abandoned set for two months. Shooting the movie sounded like one long brawl. At nearly 25 minuts, the climactic chopsocky blow-out allows Jaa to unleash a multitude of moves and weapons, shot in a thrillingly no-nonsense, Shaw Brothers style. It's by some distance the year's best fight sequence I ever seen.
Cassandra M

Normally I would open with a plot summary when I write a review ? not always but a lot of the time. With Ong Bak 2 I'm not sure I can be bothered or even that I should be because the plot here is so thin and so uninvolving that it is hardly worth the text. Essentially a child is… More
Normally I would open with a plot summary when I write a review ? not always but a lot of the time. With Ong Bak 2 I'm not sure I can be bothered or even that I should be because the plot here is so thin and so uninvolving that it is hardly worth the text. Essentially a child is rescued by pirates and grows up to be a great fighter, robbing and killing as they do. However when memories are triggered of his past he sets out for revenge , bringing secrets out into the open. In fairness, in those last two sentences I have made it sound more interesting than it actually is because I have suggested there is a flow to the narrative whereas in actuality the film is two of three "stages" that just suddenly move between one and the other. It is remarkably basic and, in terms of plot, remarkably poor. It isn't helped either by the fact that the entire film has a very serious dark tone to it ? making it almost a weighty revenge tragedy. Now, I have no problem with that in theory but the problem here is that it doesn't do anything to justify that tone, nor does it do much to make it fit. It really needed the characters to be engaging and real for the audience to care but there are no characters to talk about. Amazingly even the main character of Tiang is poorly developed. A massive part of this is the small amount of dialogue in the film ? indeed by the time you have read to the bottom of this review you will have read more words than are spoken in this film. Of course silent films could still make a plot a character so it is not the end of the world but it does hurt the film because with a weak plot and weak characters the lack of dialogue is even more telling. Fortunately the one saving grace of the film fills the vast majority of the running time ? the action. Aside from the "sombre" moments between scenes there are plenty of great action sequences involving weapons of all types. They are impressive and quite exciting at times and the only rider I would put on that is that they are not as much "fun" as the action has been in some of Jaa's other films. That said, it is worth seeing the film for the action alone ? which, when you think about it, is just as well. In terms of Jaa himself one really has to wonder what he is doing with his career because if films are to be his thing moving forward, then why does he appear to be going backwards in all of the aspects this involves excepting the action? In his previous films I have noted he is not very comfortable with lines and that any comic moment escapes him. Here it feels like those working with him have just given up totally and have allowed him to do little other than fight ? he barely has a line in the film and any "plot/character development" stuff is done by the child playing his character while Jaa himself looks into a fire in a "remembering" pose. It is weird but it is part of the reason the film doesn't engage as much as I had hoped ? because the main character is little other than a stunt man, albeit a very good stunt man. I'm sure fans will hate me for that and not see my point but the thing is, if he is going to continue making films in Thailand (far less films that can perform abroad) then he needs more than the impressive martial arts skills he has. He needs good vehicles, he needs to work on his many weaknesses as an actor and he needs to have a supporting cast that can fill the gaps that he cannot (such as in Ong Bak). At the moment Ong Bak 2 just looks like they are happy to film him fighting and leave it at that, which I think is a real shame because this only makes for great action ? not a great film. Although he did a good job directing the film in some regards, this is probably a mistake because he cannot do anything about his own failings as a performer. Ong Bak 2 is a technically brilliant martial arts film with plenty for the weapons fan to love. However as a film it is really quite poor thanks to a thin plot, little dialogue and even less in the way of characters. The action makes it worth seeing but even fans will be hoping for a bit of a better product built around this. I continue to pay out to import Jaa's films because he is great at what he does but I hope that he can improve in other areas to make better total films rather than this type of thing again.
Khris N

The "official" Prequel to Ong Bak, this is a story set in ancient fuedal Thailand. A nobleman's son witnesses his father's murder and swears revenge for life. After being rescued by a group of pirates, the pirate chief, seeing the boy's fury and potential,… More
The "official" Prequel to Ong Bak, this is a story set in ancient fuedal Thailand. A nobleman's son witnesses his father's murder and swears revenge for life. After being rescued by a group of pirates, the pirate chief, seeing the boy's fury and potential, decides to adopt him and train him in the martial arts. After years of training, the young man has now become the most powerful fighter and becomes second in command. But the lust of revenge is too powerful, so he sets out to kill the King responsible for his father's dead by taking on his entire army and the King's personal assassins. This is much more brutal, bloody and vicious than the Original Ong Bak, but the action and stunts is no less spectacular. The movie does show Tony Jaa's amatuerish film making style, but at least he doesn't skimp on the action scenes, which are top notch and directed near perfectly. The story is nothing new, but the ancient feudal setting and the thai jungle is awesome to watch on screen, its so authentic and genuine you would forget that you are in the 21st century. There is a lo of mythical and spirutal themes in this movie, but nothing overboard - like the assassin who looks like a vulture... cool beans!! But its important to remember that the movies are not meant to tie in yet... what connects Ong Bak 1 to Ong Bak 2 is the meaning of the "spiritual warrior" - maybe the connection will be explained in the final movie. Anyways, for the martial arts fans out there, don't be surprised by the open ending... Ong Bak 3 is coming!! ^___^
Lorenzo v

"You stole my elephant...again!" A young Thai boxer learns the skills and inner meaning of martial arts. <center>REVIEW</center> Tony Jaa… More
"You stole my elephant...again!" A young Thai boxer learns the skills and inner meaning of martial arts. <center>REVIEW</center> Tony Jaa still impresses with his action skills. It would not be a stretch to say he is the best action star who can really do the action around right now. If it's watching people who can really move and fly around the screen (or run on top of a herd of moving elephants) that floats your boat, this film is not going to disappoint. A shell of a story is about the son of a Thai general on the run from a murderous leader after the slaughter of his family. The boy is adopted by a band of "pirates" and grows up to be their second in command as well as an unstoppable martial artist. Of course he's set on revenge. Beautiful photography, set design and production values make this an entertaining film despite the fact that it's really a set of impressive action scenes strung together. Tony Jaa's character speaks very, very little in the film and most of the other characters are visually interesting but emotionally very sketchy. Occasionally the film veers into strange places, the elephant herd scene and another scene with what seems to be a fanged beast woman. Jaa likes to have his characters roar with animal sounds at times. He also is clearly paying homage to other great martial art films but with all his talents I would really like Jaa to forge his own style instead of constantly imitating the past. This was also a problem with his previous film. The times he sticks with Thai martial arts are some of the best in the film. With a cliffhanger ending, there seems a sequel in the works. Jaa's direction is assured and the film has a good style but I hope he works on the story for the next one. Recommended.
Tsubaki S

Ninjas, samurais, animal people (you'll understand when you see it) crocodiles, elephants, sword fights, kung fu fights, and so on. A surprisingly solid directorial debut from Jaa, the man shows that he knows how to move the camera. The gritty and crude style serves as a good… More
Ninjas, samurais, animal people (you'll understand when you see it) crocodiles, elephants, sword fights, kung fu fights, and so on. A surprisingly solid directorial debut from Jaa, the man shows that he knows how to move the camera. The gritty and crude style serves as a good contrast with most MA flicks been done these days. The fights are sharp and intense, Jaa pays a wise homage to it's influences, in this case old school Hong Kong flicks. The plot? Your usual MA 101 premise of guy taking revenge of fallen comrades/family/etc. He starts as a hopeless victim and then becomes a fighting machine. Nothing that any serious MA flicks aficionado haven't seen before, but it's done in the right way. If you can't love a movie where two guys fight while riding an elephant then it's time to go back to the mother ship, because your disguise no longer works.
Fascade F

The sequel to Ong Bak can never live up to the expectation of the first one...BUT this was unbelievable. This should have been marked as the PREQUEL not the sequel...The martial arts portrayed is top caliber....and undeniably incredible. As you watch Tony Jaa's rise to… More
The sequel to Ong Bak can never live up to the expectation of the first one...BUT this was unbelievable. This should have been marked as the PREQUEL not the sequel...The martial arts portrayed is top caliber....and undeniably incredible. As you watch Tony Jaa's rise to power...you also see his need to use what he has acquired for taking on the the revenge for the wrong doers.The ending in this one leaves you hungry for a third installment but you wonder if it is necessary.You have GOT to see this it is in a class by itself.
Jonny C

Tony Jaa's back kickin' some serious ass in his latest movie. A vast improvement to his first 2 movies, with a bit more thought behind the plot. The action of course is astonishing, with Jaa doing all the stunts himself. I was a little surprised with the ending, but I think… More
Tony Jaa's back kickin' some serious ass in his latest movie. A vast improvement to his first 2 movies, with a bit more thought behind the plot. The action of course is astonishing, with Jaa doing all the stunts himself. I was a little surprised with the ending, but I think it may have set itself up for a 3rd installment.
Marcus W

Let's face it, you don't watch films like this for the plot, you watch them for the hitting, kicking and jumping off elephants. On that score, this film is first-class. The fantastic fight scenes are editted so that you can SEE what's happening (a never-ending bugbear… More
Let's face it, you don't watch films like this for the plot, you watch them for the hitting, kicking and jumping off elephants. On that score, this film is first-class. The fantastic fight scenes are editted so that you can SEE what's happening (a never-ending bugbear of mine), and if it wasn't for the overuse of slo-mo, I'd have given it four stars. Should've got Jaa to play the lead in Prince Of Persia too...
ernest e

If you see it as a painting of foreign culture and history it is a piece of art. This is not hollywood!!!! Story line is not needed and there is plenty available to make up for that. It all depends on what your needs are. I loved this movie for a feeling of mystery and sense of… More
If you see it as a painting of foreign culture and history it is a piece of art. This is not hollywood!!!! Story line is not needed and there is plenty available to make up for that. It all depends on what your needs are. I loved this movie for a feeling of mystery and sense of humor with a good pace and a solid foreign culture foundation.
Anthony V

Ends rather abruptly (due to the set walk off of Tony Jaa), but one hell of a ride. Once again Tony Jaa (Thailand's answer to Jackie Chan) kicks some serious ass (and that really is him doing all the amazing stunt work). Jaa is one of the few martial arts who can convincingly… More
Ends rather abruptly (due to the set walk off of Tony Jaa), but one hell of a ride. Once again Tony Jaa (Thailand's answer to Jackie Chan) kicks some serious ass (and that really is him doing all the amazing stunt work). Jaa is one of the few martial arts who can convincingly take on 2 opponents at once. Bone crunching, throat slashing fun!