The Brilliant, Underseen Martial Arts Epic That Redefined the Genre Is Now Streaming on Peacock

Martial arts and Hollywood are a match made in entertainment heaven; ever since Bruce Lee donned his iconic yellow jumpsuit in Game of Death, the action genre has never looked the same. While over-the-top spectacle makes for enthralling entertainment, a fundamental reason why martial arts films are so beloved is because of how their action is grounded in reality. There's a reason stories like The Karate Kid have continued to captivate audiences decades after their release, still inspiring sequels and spin-offs decades after the titular "kid" has grown into a man. Martial artists and stuntpeople are just humans utilizing their physical abilities to their maximum potential— what could make for a more aspirational action movie?

Over the years, martial arts movies have seen many different eras, each with its own distinct style of fight choreography and cinematography. Films like Enter the Dragon or Drunken Master helped define the early iconography of a martial artist, permanently introducing the classic image of Karate and Kung fu masters into the cultural zeitgeist. In the past decade, movies like John Wick and Ip Man have continued to push the boundaries of dynamic fight scenes, increasing the stakes and scale of their choreography while paying homage to the classics that came before. However, in between these two generations of action staples was a transformative period for martial arts films in the early 2000s; a transition spearheaded by Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (also known as Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior). In contrast to the dominance of Eastern martial arts disciplines like Shaolin kung fu and karate in Hollywood, Ong-Bak brought the spotlight to Southeast Asia, introducing Muay Thai to Western audiences through the talents of Tony Jaa, one of the most physically gifted actors ever. Though it's been underrated over the years, Ong-Bak was a genuine pioneer and game-changer for the genre, leaving an impact still felt to this day.

'Ong-Bak' Introduced Muay Thai to Western Audiences

Ong-Bak follows the story of Ting (Jaa), a local martial artist tasked with recovering a Buddha head statue that was stolen from his village, as he ventures into the underbelly of Bangkok to reclaim what was lost. Ting connects with his cousin Humlae (Petchtai Wongkamlao), and his friend Muay Lek (Pumwaree Yodkamol), a pair of street-bike racers who hustle drug dealers in the city. Despite their reluctance to help Ting, all three soon get embroiled in conspiracy as they must evade sinister crime lords and waves of thuggish enemies in search of the stolen statue. Ong-Bak wasn't the first movie to introduce the Muay Thai martial arts to a global audience — it's actually the 1989 Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle Kickboxer that receives that credit. However, Ong-Bak deserves plenty of recognition for being the first Thai film, led by Thai actors, that brought global attention to Muay Thai. The importance of that Thai identity isn't just shown in the casting, but in Humlae's narrative journey as well. When Humlae is first introduced, his hair is dyed blond and he refers to himself as "George", distancing himself from his past and cultural identity. However, Ting's quest, and his unwavering diligence, prove to be a positive force in his cousin's chaotic life.

Ong-Bak stands as a pioneer in the martial arts movie genre because of the realistic grit it brought to its action choreography, a daring change from what other films in the genre had been doing. Other contemporary martial arts films at the time, like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, brought a supernatural flair to their martial artistry. For instance, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was famed for popularizing Wire Fu, a term used to describe the stunt techniques popularized by Hong Kong cinema and its use of wires and pulleys for stylized fight scenes. In direct contrast, the fight scenes and stunt work in Ong-Bak were surprisingly realistic.

Of course, there were still exaggerations and some inaccuracies, as with any film, but the Thai picture set itself apart because of its lack of CGI or Wire Fu, creating something visually distinct from other popular movies in the genre. Ong-Bak also helped popularize Muay Thai on and off-screen, expanding the West's martial arts understanding beyond the classic staples of Karate and Kung Fu. While those martial arts were already staples in Hollywood by the early 2000s, their immense popularity often overshadowed the incredible variety of different disciplines and forms. Ong-Bak was essential not just because it introduced another martial arts form to Western audiences, but because it fully asserted the differences between each style, distinguishing itself within the genre.

Tony Jaa Established Himself as a Martial Arts Legend

The unique grittiness and action of Ong-Bak was only achievable through the singular talent of Tony Jaa. It's high and accurate praise to compare Tony Jaa to legends Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee — martial artists and performers he himself cites as inspirations — but the Ong-Bak star truly stands (and flips and kicks) as one of the most physically talented actors in showbiz. As an actual Muay Thai expert, Jaa performed his own stunts in Ong-Bak, which included everything from jumping over entire cars to running atop a crowd's shoulders. In one memorable sequence, Jaa puts the beat down on several opponents for one of the most exciting fight sequences in any martial arts film. Even with the natural exaggeration that comes from movie magic, the Muay Thai that Jaa demonstrates is notable for its accuracy with the actual practices of the martial arts discipline. His skills and profound talent were even recognized by Jackie Chan, who wanted to cast Jaa in Rush Hour 3, but the Thai actor was unable to commit because he was filming Ong-Bak 2. Ong-Bak 2 and Ong-Bak 3 were released in 2008 and 2010, and though they never reached the same success as the original, both sequels still display the same exceptional martial arts choreography and realistic grit that made the original so impactful.

Ong-Bak may not be the most ubiquitous name in the martial arts genre, but it nonetheless deserves credit for being one of the most influential in the field. The film pushed the boundaries of what a martial arts film could be; it added a tactile sense of realism to the genre while expanding the horizon of what martial art forms make for engaging cinema. Whether it be through the expansion of Muay Thai or the cinematic excellence of Ong-Bak's fight choreography, the legacy of the movie far exceeds its popularity — a disparity that may yet be corrected as the film has found a home on Peacock, and is streaming now.

Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior is currently available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.

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