Writer: Syahida Kamarudin

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Watch this if you liked: “Ong Bak”, “Ong Bak 2”

Let's recap. "Ong Bak 3" is the sequel to "Ong Bak 2" which is a prequel to the original "Ong Bak" that took place several centuries later and introduced Tony Jaa to the international action movie lovers. In "Ong Bak 2", an orphaned boy named Thien is adopted by the head bandit Chernang that looks like M. Nasir's Hang Tuah and then trained to be a great fighter slash thug. He then finds out that his parents were killed by Lord Rajasena who hired Chernang to do the deed. He lashes out in rage, kills his own godfather, and is defeated in the hands of the Crow Demon. Scene out.

That was 2009.

In this film, which Tony Jaa acts, produces, screen writes, choreographs (also known as the ultimate domination of production), Thien is shown captured, tortured and being sentenced to beheading in the beginning. It is slow, painful and will make you daydream about your bed while this goes on. Only the last 30 minutes will you see the real fights and that is all there is - fights, blood, more fights, elephants, and death.

Having said that, the actions and special effects are indeed very impressive. Tony Jaa excels in what he does best - kicking, punching, jumping, dancing and flying without wings in a much stylised showmanship. What the movie lacks instead is substance. One will not understand or feel the whole idea of revenge, hatred and the Buddhism teachings the movie tries to instil for the lack of actual emotions throughout - not just this movie, but the whole franchise.

The actual problem with "Ong Bak 3" is Jaa himself, trying to achieve something that one already knows he can do (martial art) without trying to risk and show depth in the more important part of a film (acting). It goes to a worse level in which he nukes the fridge by injecting the element of spiritual and myth in the action itself - interference of godly power and assistance by elephants (a la Bollywood's "Haathi Mere Saathi"). You may indeed realise a familiar object that links the whole franchise in one of the scene and finally goes, "Aaah, so that's it." But other than that, it is nothing but a mindless action film that you can only enjoy if you're a collector of Stephen Seagal and Jean Claude Van Damme movies.

Maybe directing isn't his thing. Maybe he should follow the smarter (yet cliche) moves in the likes of Jet Li and Jackie Chan and finds the soothing accepting hands of Hollywood.

Cinema Online, 09 July 2010