DVD: Ong Bak: The Beginning, For retail & rental (Sony)
As a fan of Ong Bak, I found this in-name-only prequel particularly disappointing. Tony Jaa, the indestructible star of both films, is also the director this time round, and he's taken the franchise a long way from the original's knockabout urban mayhem.
In its place is a grandiose, self-mythologising epic set 600 years ago, deep in the jungles of Thailand. The action takes fourth place to the dreary flashbacks, expensive period costumes and the slow-motion shots of rain falling.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies