Ong Bak 3
Encyclopedia
Ong-Bak 3 is a 2010 Thai martial arts film
directed, produced and written by Tony Jaa
and Panna Rittikrai
. The film's story is a follow-up to Ong Bak 2
, where Tien (Tony Jaa) is brutally beaten before being put to death by Lord Rajasena (Sarunyu Wongkrajang)'s men. His body is recovered by his Master Bua (Nirutti Sirijanya) who revives him. When Tien returns to his village, he finds it taken over by Bhuti Sangkha (Dan Chupong
).
) is held captive being beaten with wooden staves
. On the orders of Lord Rajasena (Sarunyu Wongkrajang), his elbows and knees are snapped. As Lord Rajasena sleeps, Tien's guerilla fighters attempt to free Tien, but Bhuti Sangkha (Dan Chupong
) appears and kills them. Lord Rajasena offers to hire Bhuti, but he refuses and gives the offer to remove the curse which has been placed on Rajasena before leaving. Rajasena orders his men to kill Tien, but before this can be carried out, a man arrives with a pardon from the king, indicating that he will take Tien's corpse, much to Rajasena's ire. The messenger returns Tien's body to the Kana Khone villagers. After fending off the village from invaders who are after Tien's body, Master Bua (Nirutti Sirijanya) feels guilty over Tien's imprisonment and becomes a Buddhist monk
. Pim (Primrata Det-Udom) revives Tien to life, but finds that Tien is still crippled from his beatings. Tien then embarks on a rehabilitation regimen with the help of Master Bua.
Rajasena visits Bhuti at his temple to remove his curse, but Bhuti reveals his true motive of usurping Rajasena and becoming the new king. After a battle, Bhuti decapitates Rajasena, but his severed head curses Bhuti. After meditating, Tien returns to his village to find it in ruins, and the surviving villagers kidnapped and enslaved by Bhuti. Bhuti uses his magic to summon an eclipse. When Pim (Primrata Det-Udom) reveals herself as Tien's companion, she is taken to Bhuti's palace, where she is killed. Tien witnesses this killing from a statue and fights his way through the guards before confronting Bhuti, who launches a spear at Tien's chest. As he falls to his knees, defeated, he remembers Bua's words, and finds himself again atop the statue. Overcoming Bhuti's illusion, lightning strikes and Bhuti's eclipse magic is dispelled. Bhuti attempts to escape but is confronted by Tien. Bhuti attempts again to throw a spear at Tien, who catches and throws it aside. He then attacks Bhuti, impaling him on an elephant tusk. Tien and Pim return to the village, where they pray before the statue of Ong Bak.
theatrical release, the president of Sahamongkol Film announced their intention of a sequel. Filming of new footage for the follow-up was to begin before the end of the year and was to incorporate unused footage from Ong Bak 2.
This was less successful than Ong Bak 2
, which had made $8,936,663 in total. Ong Bak 3 had its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest
on September 23, 2010.
The film was released on DVD
and Blu-ray
in Australia on November 8, 2010, and in the United States on February 8, 2011.
and Film Business Asia praised the action scenes but pointed out the weak story. Film Business Asia gave the film a five out of ten rating praising the action sequences but finding that it made Ong Bak 2 "look like a masterpiece of character development." Variety
and Total Film
found the film spent too much focus on Buddhist philosophy that left not enough time for the action scenes. Total Film awarded the film two stars out of five, stating that "a greater focus on Buddhist philosophy...leaves little room for the sort of bone-crunching, no-frills set-pieces that first brought Jaa to our attention." Slant Magazine
gave the film three stars out of four praising it as "easily the most brutal of all the contemporary Thai martial arts films that have come to the U.S. thus far. But that's what characterizes the Thai style of fighting films: inspired excess and decadence."
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
directed, produced and written by Tony Jaa
Tony Jaa
Tatchakorn Yeerum , formerly Panom Yeerum , better known in the West as Tony Jaa, in Thailand as Jaa Panom, is a Thai martial artist, actor, choreographer, stuntman, director, and monk...
and Panna Rittikrai
Panna Rittikrai
Panna Rittikrai is a Thai martial arts action choreographer, film director, screenwriter and actor...
. The film's story is a follow-up to Ong Bak 2
Ong Bak 2
Ong Bak 2: The Beginning is a 2008 Thai martial arts film co-directed by and starring Tony Jaa. It is a follow-up to Jaa's 2003 breakout film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior. Initially claimed to be a sequel to Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, Ong Bak 2 was then announced to be a prequel to its predecessor...
, where Tien (Tony Jaa) is brutally beaten before being put to death by Lord Rajasena (Sarunyu Wongkrajang)'s men. His body is recovered by his Master Bua (Nirutti Sirijanya) who revives him. When Tien returns to his village, he finds it taken over by Bhuti Sangkha (Dan Chupong
Dan Chupong
Chupong Changprung is a Thai martial arts film actor. He is also known by his Westernized name, Dan Chupong...
).
Plot
In the year 1431 in Thailand, Tien /(Tony JaaTony Jaa
Tatchakorn Yeerum , formerly Panom Yeerum , better known in the West as Tony Jaa, in Thailand as Jaa Panom, is a Thai martial artist, actor, choreographer, stuntman, director, and monk...
) is held captive being beaten with wooden staves
Stick fighting
Stick fighting is a generic term for martial arts which use simple long slender, blunt, hand-held, generally wooden 'sticks' for fighting such as a staff, cane, walking stick, baton or similar....
. On the orders of Lord Rajasena (Sarunyu Wongkrajang), his elbows and knees are snapped. As Lord Rajasena sleeps, Tien's guerilla fighters attempt to free Tien, but Bhuti Sangkha (Dan Chupong
Dan Chupong
Chupong Changprung is a Thai martial arts film actor. He is also known by his Westernized name, Dan Chupong...
) appears and kills them. Lord Rajasena offers to hire Bhuti, but he refuses and gives the offer to remove the curse which has been placed on Rajasena before leaving. Rajasena orders his men to kill Tien, but before this can be carried out, a man arrives with a pardon from the king, indicating that he will take Tien's corpse, much to Rajasena's ire. The messenger returns Tien's body to the Kana Khone villagers. After fending off the village from invaders who are after Tien's body, Master Bua (Nirutti Sirijanya) feels guilty over Tien's imprisonment and becomes a Buddhist monk
Bhikkhu
A Bhikkhu or Bhikṣu is an ordained male Buddhist monastic. A female monastic is called a Bhikkhuni Nepali: ). The life of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis is governed by a set of rules called the patimokkha within the vinaya's framework of monastic discipline...
. Pim (Primrata Det-Udom) revives Tien to life, but finds that Tien is still crippled from his beatings. Tien then embarks on a rehabilitation regimen with the help of Master Bua.
Rajasena visits Bhuti at his temple to remove his curse, but Bhuti reveals his true motive of usurping Rajasena and becoming the new king. After a battle, Bhuti decapitates Rajasena, but his severed head curses Bhuti. After meditating, Tien returns to his village to find it in ruins, and the surviving villagers kidnapped and enslaved by Bhuti. Bhuti uses his magic to summon an eclipse. When Pim (Primrata Det-Udom) reveals herself as Tien's companion, she is taken to Bhuti's palace, where she is killed. Tien witnesses this killing from a statue and fights his way through the guards before confronting Bhuti, who launches a spear at Tien's chest. As he falls to his knees, defeated, he remembers Bua's words, and finds himself again atop the statue. Overcoming Bhuti's illusion, lightning strikes and Bhuti's eclipse magic is dispelled. Bhuti attempts to escape but is confronted by Tien. Bhuti attempts again to throw a spear at Tien, who catches and throws it aside. He then attacks Bhuti, impaling him on an elephant tusk. Tien and Pim return to the village, where they pray before the statue of Ong Bak.
Cast
- Tony JaaTony JaaTatchakorn Yeerum , formerly Panom Yeerum , better known in the West as Tony Jaa, in Thailand as Jaa Panom, is a Thai martial artist, actor, choreographer, stuntman, director, and monk...
as Tien - Primorata Dejudom as Pim
- Dan ChupongDan ChupongChupong Changprung is a Thai martial arts film actor. He is also known by his Westernized name, Dan Chupong...
as Bhuti Sangkha / Crow Ghost (as Chupong Chungpruk) - Sarunyu Wongkrajang as Lord Jom Rajasena (uncredited)
- Nirutti Sirijanya as Master Phra Bua
- Petchtai WongkamlaoPetchtai WongkamlaoPetchtai Wongkamlao, , is a Thai comedian, actor and film director. He is best known in Thailand by his stage name, Mum Jokmok ; and is a popular Thai television personality...
as Mhen (as Phetthai Wongkhamlao) - Chumphorn Thepphithak as Uncle Mao
- Supakorn KitsuwonSupakorn KitsuwonSupakorn Kitsuwon is a Thai film and stage actor. Among his starring roles are as Pan in Monrak Transistor and Khun Krabi in SARS Wars...
as Golden-Armoured King's Guard - Sorapong ChatreeSorapong ChatreeSorapong Chatree is a Thai film actor. He has frequently starred in the films of Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol, as well as in Cherd Songsri's classic romance, Plae Kao....
as Chernang - Santisuk Promsiri as Lord Sihadecho
Production
After the first two weeks of Ong Bak 2Ong Bak 2
Ong Bak 2: The Beginning is a 2008 Thai martial arts film co-directed by and starring Tony Jaa. It is a follow-up to Jaa's 2003 breakout film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior. Initially claimed to be a sequel to Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, Ong Bak 2 was then announced to be a prequel to its predecessor...
theatrical release, the president of Sahamongkol Film announced their intention of a sequel. Filming of new footage for the follow-up was to begin before the end of the year and was to incorporate unused footage from Ong Bak 2.
Release
Ong Bak 3 was released in Thailand on May 5, 2010. On its first week it played in 135 theaters in Thailand and was the second highest grossing film in the Thai box office, earning $555,823. Ong Bak 3 earned $1,335,646 during its theatrical run in Thailand and grossed a total of $2,325,473 with foreign markets.This was less successful than Ong Bak 2
Ong Bak 2
Ong Bak 2: The Beginning is a 2008 Thai martial arts film co-directed by and starring Tony Jaa. It is a follow-up to Jaa's 2003 breakout film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior. Initially claimed to be a sequel to Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, Ong Bak 2 was then announced to be a prequel to its predecessor...
, which had made $8,936,663 in total. Ong Bak 3 had its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest
Fantastic Fest
Fantastic Fest is an annual film festival in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 2005 by Tim League of Alamo Drafthouse, Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News, Paul Alvarado-Dykstra, and Tim McCanlies, writer of The Iron Giant and Secondhand Lions. The festival focuses on genre films such as horror,...
on September 23, 2010.
The film was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
in Australia on November 8, 2010, and in the United States on February 8, 2011.
Reception
The film has received generally negative reviews. Both EmpireEmpire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
and Film Business Asia praised the action scenes but pointed out the weak story. Film Business Asia gave the film a five out of ten rating praising the action sequences but finding that it made Ong Bak 2 "look like a masterpiece of character development." Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
and Total Film
Total Film
Total Film is a British film magazine published 13 times a year by Future Publishing. The magazine was launched in 1997 and offers film, DVD and Blu-ray news, reviews and features...
found the film spent too much focus on Buddhist philosophy that left not enough time for the action scenes. Total Film awarded the film two stars out of five, stating that "a greater focus on Buddhist philosophy...leaves little room for the sort of bone-crunching, no-frills set-pieces that first brought Jaa to our attention." Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
gave the film three stars out of four praising it as "easily the most brutal of all the contemporary Thai martial arts films that have come to the U.S. thus far. But that's what characterizes the Thai style of fighting films: inspired excess and decadence."