We only have two and this online sweepstakes only goes for a week
Enter to win an AUTOGRAPHED ONG BAK 2 POSTER. Contest ends 6:00 p.m. PST on 10/21/09. Good luck everyone! ONG BAK 2 is available on VOD, XBOX Live and Amazon on 9/25 and released theatrically on 10/23.
heres to hoping i win and stiff everyone else!
Saw in ad in the paper for this yesterday.
Ong Bak 2 is part of Magnet’s Six Shooter series
Magnet Announces Six Shooter Film Series 2.0: Bronson, Ong Bak 2 and More
Posted on Thursday, September 24th, 2009 by Russ Fischer
When you’ve got a slate of niche films, sometimes coming up with an umbrella label to market them all as one package is the best way to go. Magnolia / Magnet tried this to good effect last year with the Six Shooter Film Series, which packaged international genre films like Let the Right One In, Big Man Japan and Timecrimes for release On Demand and in theatres. The idea is that if viewers like one film in the series, they’re more likely to check out the others. Now the second ’season’ of films is all packaged up, and Magnet has sent out a tidy press release to announce them.
What you’ll see below are the first five films in this year’s series; the sixth is being kept secret for now. All the films but one are getting an Ultra VOD release before their theatrical run, which basically means the films will be available On Demand for a month before hitting theatres. The one holdout is Bronson, which like Let the Right One In last year, will just hit theatres.
Here’s the rundown, from the press release:
ONG BAK 2: THE BEGINNING, Tony Jaa’s highly anticipated sequel to Ong Bak is #1, which opens theatrically in select markets on Friday, October 23rd, after debuting today on VOD platforms as part of Magnolia/Magnet’s Ultra VOD program.
BRONSON, the Sundance favorite from director Nicolas Winding Refn (director of the PUSHER trilogy) is #2, is about to make an appearance at this year’s Fantastic Fest prior to its opening in NY on Friday, October 9th and expansion through the month of October. Called A Clockwork Orange for the 21st century, BRONSON features what many are calling the performance of the year from Tom Hardy as notorious British inmate Charles Bronson. The film is being given the same kind of release in the same position in the series as last year’s Let The Right One In, which proved to be one of the year’s best foreign film success stories.
RED CLIFF is #3—a monumental epic and return to form for action maestro John Woo, reuniting him with international superstar Toney Leung for the first time since 1991’s Hard Boiled. The most expensive and most successful Asian film of all time, RED CLIFF is a period war film depicting China’s legendary Battle of Red Cliff from 208 AD. Available on VOD beginning October 22nd, the film will open in select theaters on Friday, November 20th.
DISTRICT 13: ULTIMATUM, another anticipated sequel is #4, and is making its North American Premiere in Austin at Fantastic Fest. Like its predecessor, District B13, which introduced the world to the jaw dropping martial art, parkour, ULTIMATUM is written by French action master Luc Besson, and stars parkour phenoms David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli. It will debut in January 2010 on VOD with a February theatrical release.
THE WARLORDS, starring Jet Li, Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro is #5. Another historical action epic, it was a huge critical and commercial hit in China much like RED CLIFF. THE WARLORDS will debut on VOD in February 2010, with a theatrical release in March.
Finally, OB2 hits the U.S.
And in come the reviews…
“Ong Bak 2” a treat for martial arts fans
Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:42am EDT
By Daniel Eagan
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - A hit throughout Southeast Asia when it was released last year, “Ong Bak 2” is a throwback to the kung fu flicks of a previous generation. First-rate action scenes alternate with florid melodrama, and jaw-dropping stunts try to compensate for saccharine plot twists. An excellent vehicle for martial-arts champ Tony Jaa (the screen name for Panom Yeerum), “Ong Bak 2,” opening Friday (October 23) from Magnet Releasing, will please action fans while drawing barely a glance from mainstream viewers.
The original “Ong Bak,” which also starred Jaa, was a thriller set in present-day Bangkok and dealt with smuggling, poaching, drugs and slavery. While it hits on many of the same topics, “Ong Bak 2” takes place in the 15th century and is built around a political feud between decadent rulers and their opponents.
Jaa plays Tien, forced on the run as a child after his parents are murdered, and then raised in a rebel gang led by Chernung (Sorapong Chatree). Headquartered in a majestic jungle hideout, the Garuda Wing Cliff rebels operate much like Robin Hood’s men, staging raids on local despots and liberating enslaved peasants. Tien works his way up to leader of the gang, then sets out on his own quest for vengeance.
It takes almost a half-hour for Jaa to appear on screen, and for large stretches his acting, including his fighting, feels a bit perfunctory. Kung fu aficionados will appreciate the sequences showing Tien’s martial arts training, captured in loving detail.
The action is surrounded by impressive filmmaking. Jaa jumps across a herd of elephants, leads attacks on enormous castles and takes part in elaborate ethnic dances, supported all the while by strong production design, wonderful costumes and assured editing.
Like the original, “Ong Bak 2” leads up to a slam-bang finale in which Jaa takes on dozens of opponents in a fight to the finish. Here’s where his skill and dedication come into focus. Even the most jaded viewer can’t help but be astonished at Jaa’s athleticism as he leaps, spins, flips and at one point takes a three-story fall.
You are not likely to see a better display of martial arts combat on screen for some time, even if you have to put up with some excruciating contrivances to get to it.
Ong Bak 2: The Beginning’
* Originally published October 19, 2009 at 1:16 p.m., updated October 19, 2009 at 2:21 p.m.
Friday 10-23 release () —
ByCary Darling
McClatchy Newspapers
(MCT)
The climactic scene in “Ong Bak 2: The Beginning,” a fierce battle between the put-upon Tien (played by actor/director Tony Jaa) and an ever-expanding hive of willing yet incompetent ninjas, is such a brutal and beautiful explosion of choreography and kung-fu craziness that it qualifies as one of the best martial-arts fight scenes ever.
Apparently, Jaa and co-director/writer Panna Rittikrai thought so, too, because they really didn’t come up with much of a movie to go with it. A sequel in name only to “Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior,” the global hit from a few years back that made Jaa a star among action-film enthusiasts, Ong Bak 2 is really just an excuse for several jaw-dropping set pieces that show off Jaa’s killin’ skills.
Set in medieval Thailand, when warring clans fought for power, the film attempts to tell the story of Tien, a man who is torn from his family, raised to be a warrior, and then sets out for revenge. But it’s all so muddled, convoluted, and needlessly self-important, it’s hard to tell what’s going on and why.
But when push comes to shove, which it does early and often in “Ong Bak 2,” none of that really matters. It’s all about the fighting, which is the only thing Jaa fans care about anyway. (Although some might also be enthralled by the handsome cinematography.) And the beatdowns — sometimes involving elephants who just happen to be friends of Tien’s — are epic.
Still, if there’s an “Ong Bak 3,” Jaa might take a cue from the year’s other knockout kung-fu film, “Chocolate” (incidentally, directed by original “Ong-Bak” director Prachya Pinkaew), and come up with a simple yet engaging story viewers might actually care about. Until then, get ready to rumble
You can actually see OB2 in an American theater starting today
Check out our coverage, just posted today: ONG BAK 2: THE BEGINNING by Dr. Craig Reid
wow a three story fall. thats a must see stunt
[QUOTE=The Willow Sword;868256]The Thai People have Long since revered Elephants as part of their mysticism and as a means of travel like the horse was to the Mongols and later the Native Americans. I havent been to Thailand yet but i have friends who have gone there and they tell me that you have to go on the jungle safari trips on the backs of Elephants. The trailer is way cool, although i think trailers of foreign movies sometimes turn out to be better than the movie itself. Especially when the movie is english dubbed. id rather go see it with english subtitles. translating any foreign movie to english can be a bit tiresome and quite frankly, stupid.
Peace,TWS[/QUOTE]
I spent almost a month in Thailand and never saw one Elephant but then again I was in Bangkok and the Islands not the jungle:D
I loved ong bak 3. The story had some holes, but I just used my imagination. The fight scenes were incredible! Tony jaa is a truly gifted athlete. My favorite scene was when he used drunken style.
[QUOTE=bodhi warrior;966628]I loved ong bak 3. The story had some holes, but I just used my imagination. The fight scenes were incredible! Tony jaa is a truly gifted athlete. My favorite scene was when he used drunken style.[/QUOTE]
Don’t you mean Ong Bak 2. Three doesn’t come out until December.
[QUOTE=ghostexorcist;966634]Don’t you mean Ong Bak 2. Three doesn’t come out until December.[/QUOTE]
Yea, sorry. Typo.
I saw it earlier today and have mixed feelings about it. Story-wise, IMO it’s a step back from his last film (Tom Yum Goong) and a big step back from the first Ong Bak. Which isn’t saying much, since none of them have a great story. But at least the first Ong Bak had good continuity. OB2 seems like a bit of a mess.
The good things include, of course, the fights. I think Tony Jaa really does show something new here over his previous films. The use of several different weapons, as well as southern Hung Gar-type hand techniques and some stance work. Plus, I actually liked his rendition of the cinematic drunken style better than I’ve seen in most films featuring the ‘drunken’ style. The cinematography is good as well, except when showing too many close-ups of ugly villains with bad teeth (which is probably how it was with most people back then, though).
In terms of a pure physical talent, IMO Tony Jaa is by far the best in movies right now, but he really needs to start making better films that are more than an excuse for the next fight scene. Jeeja’s first film, Chocolate, had a better storyline, better characters, and even better acting than any of Jaa’s films. Pure physical talent in MA fight scenes can only take you so far.
***spoiler alert***
The biggest disappointment is the ending. It’s one of the worst that I’ve seen, and I left feeling cheated out of the whole reason for the storyline in the first place. I got the feeling that Tony Jaa felt so overwhelmed by his directorial duties that he simply decided to end it the way he did. It was as if everything was for naught.
[QUOTE=Jimbo;968291]
***spoiler alert***
The biggest disappointment is the ending. It’s one of the worst that I’ve seen, and I left feeling cheated out of the whole reason for the storyline in the first place. I got the feeling that Tony Jaa felt so overwhelmed by his directorial duties that he simply decided to end it the way he did. It was as if everything was for naught.[/QUOTE]
That’s because he left it open for Ong Bak 3, which is supposedly coming out this December in Thailand.
Dang, I wanted see it!
one word for this movie…Garbage…two words for tony jaa over-rated..
Winners announced
The two winners for our Tony Jaa autographed Ong Bak 2 posters have been announced.
Saw it and really enjoyed it! Some great fight scenes, interesting variety of styles…well done! Pleasantly surprised! Not much in the way of dialogue but great action scenes.
I’d have to say that although the movie is entertaining to a degree, it is nowhere near as good as the first one.
Ninjas in the middle of an old Thai jungle…hung gar…etc..
from kungfucinma.com via bangkok post.
Remember Tony Jaa’s directing meltdown back in July where he walked off the set of ONG BAK 2? It looks like there is still fallout from that episode. The Bangkok Post reports that a Korean woman has filed a civil lawsuit against Thai martial arts star Tony Jaa for allegedly breach of a loan contract worth one million bhat ($30,000).
The lawsuit, filed by Park Aun-hee through her lawyer, claims that Jaa signed a contract to borrow the sum from her on July 4 and that Jaa promised to repay the loan after ONG BAK 2, the movie he was working on at the time, was completed and screened.
Park claims Jaa never made the payment as promised and is asking the court to order the actor to pay the sum originally agreed upon in addition to 7.5 percent interest.
In response, Jaa stated that he and Park were business partners and that the dispute was a complicated matter.
Back in July, Jaa had walked off the set of ONG BAK 2 due to stress and apparent financial setbacks. In addition to starring and choreographing the action, this was also Jaa’s first film directing job. He eventually returned with the support of the studio and his mentor Panna Rittikrai who took over directing for the remainder of the shoot.
On a happier note, despite Jaa’s setbacks related to ONG BAK 2, ONG BAK 3 is still currently in production, although Wise Kwai says Jaa is currently taking a break to spend the holiday with his parents.
There is also a rumor spreading over at Twitch that Raymond Wong is trying to get a HK$150 million dream project together called VANGUARD and he wants Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa in it together. This is unconfirmed so far and may never happen but we can all dream.
Source: Bangkok Post
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