Ong Bak - 2003 * * * * *

'There are times for fight but by the same measure, there are times for flight.'

I'll be honest, I'd never been particularly bothered about watching this film. I'd bought it, and stuck it at the back of my DVD shelf, promptly forgetting about it. I took it out last night and decided to watch it.
I have never seen such fantastic and powerful martial arts in my life. Tony Jaa does all his own stunts, none of that pathetic 'give me a stunt double to film a scene crossing the road' stuff that American actors seem to do these days. There were no special effects either. Nothing except this man and his incredible body. This man can bend himself and move himself in ways that are almost unbelievable to watch. One memorable scene that sticks out in my mind features Jaa being chased through the streets by a gang of thugs. With effortless ease he runs over cars, under lorries and throws himself through a mound of barbed wire, the gap inside only measuring about the same size as a car tire. Watching him actually makes you believe he is on drugs, or at least some heavy steroids that enable him to use his body with such vigour and fearlessness. Fair enough, I'm sure any martial arts film fan would tell you that this story isn't up to much, but it really doesn't matter when you see this man perform his craft. It makes Hollywood actors look pathetic.