THE ONG BAK TRILOGY Home DVD Release Gets A New Trailer
Lee B. Golden III
In Thailand, you are given several names when you were born. But when Tatchakorn Yeerum took to the film stage and partook in the legendary legacy of stellar cinematic action, the world would come to know him as the one and only Tony Jaa, star of the 2003 break out hit, Ong Bak.
The film, directed by Prachya Pinkaew, launched an international wave of fan hype among martial arts action cinephiles that put Jaa on the map of growing superstardom among legends like personal favorites Jackie Chan, the late great Bruce Lee, and even local legendary actor and Thai action auteur, Panna Rittikrai. The film also brought forth two epic sequels that explored the legendary etymology of the first film, with deeper scope in storytelling and stunning action sequences that defied death, and essentially, even logic.
All three films have since been distributed over the years on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital. This year, however, Magnet Releasing has since announced their own trilogy box set containing all three movies, and it releases on Tuesday, July 29, which ironically comes in light of Rittikrai’s tragic passing nine days prior to this article.
At best, and as coincidental as it seems, the release of this box set likely comes as a humbling honor to a man who helped transition Jaa‘s early stunt career from his native Thailand, to a prominent journey around the world that will soon invite him into the throes of Hollywood.
ONG BAK: THAI WARRIOR, Tony Jaa, the fighting superstar destined for film’s martial arts pantheon, (New York Daily News) electrifies as a religious young warrior who swears an oath of peace. But when a gangster steals the head of Ong-Bak, his village’s deity, Ting heads for Bangkok to get it back. In a film Time Magazine calls exhilarating with relentless, fever-pitched action free of stunt doubles and special effects, Jaa performs some of the most awesome physical feats ever seen on film.
ONG BAK 2: THE BEGINNING, Tony Jaa, the martial arts master who is as mesmerizing as ever, (Entertainment Weekly) stars in this epic tale of revenge set hundreds of years in the past. This prequel to Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior takes Jaa’s skills to the next level, showcasing him as a master of a wide range of martial arts styles. The beatdowns are epic, with several jaw-dropping set pieces. The climactic scene qualifies as one of the best martial arts fight scenes ever (LA Daily News).
ONG BAK 3 picks up where Ong Bak 2 concluded. Tien is captured and almost beaten to death before he is saved and brought back to the Kana Khone villagers. There, he is taught meditation and how to deal with his Karma, but very soon his arch rival returns challenging Tien for a final duel.
IGN has presented the exclusive trailer which you can now watch below.
