Ong Bak 2 : The Beginning (Single-Disc Widescreen Collectors Edition) DVD
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Tony Jaa (Actor), Panna Rittikrai;Tony Jaa (Director) | Rated: R | Format: DVD
Product Details
• Actors: Tony Jaa
• Directors: Panna Rittikrai;Tony Jaa
• Format: AC-3, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: February 2, 2010
• Run Time: 98 minutes
Special Features
HDNet: A Look at Ong Bak 2
Behind-the-Scenes: Capturing a Warrior
Ong Bak 3 Exclusive Footage
Bonus Alternate Cut of Ong Bak 2
Making of Ong Bak 2: The Story and Character of an Epic
Making of Ong Bak 2: Revealing the Majesty
Making of Ong Bak 2: The Art of War
Behind-the-Scenes: The Kingdom
Behind-the-Scenes: The Community
Interviews with Cast and Crew including Co-Director/Actor Tony Jaa
International Trailer
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
From the moment the crocodile leaps out of the muddy water, you know you’re in for some dynamic entertainment. What will surprise you is just how sweeping, inventive, and even beautiful this Thai martial arts movie can be. The plot of Ong Bak 2 is basic: A young prince sees his parents murdered by a usurping tyrant. Under the tutelage of a bandit chief, the boy grows up to be an astonishing fighter who sets out to take revenge. (There’s no need to see Ong Bak before seeing this film; the only thing they have in common is their star.) What lifts it above the ordinary are aggressive camera-work, acrobatic action sequences, and moments of dazzling, hypnotic loveliness (such as the Thai dance scene, shot with a stunning visual symmetry that falls somewhere between Busby Berkeley and Stanley Kubrick). And above all, there is Tony Jaa, who stars as the adult prince and co-directed. Jaa is one of those virtuosic physical performers--like Bruce Lee but also like Fred Astaire--who seem to channel some divine energy through human flesh. Not only is he is a peak athlete; he has a vulnerable, soulful charisma, which has nothing to do with acting ability but makes someone supremely watchable on film. Ong Bak 2 is not kitsch or camp; it has the over-the-top romanticism that Western audiences sometimes resist--but if you surrender to it, Ong Bak 2 is a rich, rewarding movie experience. --Bret Fetzer
Product Description
Tony Jaa, the martial arts master
who is as mesmerizing as ever
(Entertainment Weekly), stars in this epic tale of revenge set hundreds of years in the past. This prequel to Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior takes Jaa s skills to the next level, showcasing him as a master of a wide range of martial arts styles. THE BEATDOWNS ARE EPIC, with several jaw-dropping set pieces. The climactic scene qualifies as one of the BEST MARTIAL ARTS FIGHT SCENES EVER. (LA Daily News)
Customer Reviews
By Anticlimacus
As much as I enjoyed the original "Ong Bak" (2003), there were moments that felt like it was attempting to mimic big-budget action movies from other parts of the world (e.g., the motorbike chase, which was kinda lame). The script was also a bit bland in places. Still a great action flick, but it left some room for improvement.
Enter "Ong Bak 2", which improves upon its predecessor in every conceivable way. The most obvious enhancements are the cinematography and set designs, which are phenomenal. The highlight sequence in this regard must be the night time dance, which emphasizes golden architecture and beautiful clothing that reminds one of the striking visuals that are showcased in Zhang Yimou's films. All is not so clean, however, because the environments add a significant amount of authenticity with an unending assault of gritty, dirty, primal village imagery amidst the forests of Thailand. One simply cannot overstate the spectacular images presented herein, and many reviewers seem to have undervalued the amazing cultural contributions that "Ong Bak 2" has to offer, because non-Thai viewers will be transported to an unfamiliar world that not only exhibits rough geographical locations, but an equally rough (and incredibly diverse) band of bizarre, threatening characters that are attention-grabbing for virtually every second they're on screen (e.g., the white-haired mystic, the pirates, the dark-skinned wrestler, the crow man, etc.). When all is said and done, this film genuinely captures Thai culture from start to finish, with no pandering to foreign influence outside of some martial arts styles.
And that, my dear friends, is the crux of why "Ong Bak 2" so very easily surpasses its predecessor. Many of the non-action scenes are riveting and interesting to watch, which is something one cannot say about "Ong Bak" or even the brilliant "Tom Yum Goong" for that matter (which successfully used an absurd quantity of superbly executed action sequences to overpower any and all deficiencies that nest in-between the beatings). This is not to say that the script of "Ong Bak 2" is far better than Jaa's previous movies, because the conclusion is in desperate need for a direct sequel that wraps up the fates of the surviving antagonists as well as the lead protagonist. Nevertheless, the visuals, character interactions, and primary conflicts provide constant entertainment on a minute by minute basis. This movie doesn't even need action to sustain interest, and if that's not a glaring sign that Tony Jaa has already surpassed Bruce Lee as a cinematic entertainer, then nothing is.
