The Protector

Ong-Bak is one of my favorite martial arts movies not only because it introduced me to Muay Thai, but because it introduced the world to the next big star in martial arts flicks... the awesome Tony Jaa! This is his big follow up movie, and while it features some of the best fights I've ever seen put to film (that 5 minute long brawl up that long flight of stairs with not a single cut or edit was fookin' great) the movie's plot and character development was sliced out by it's American distributor, the ever evil Weinstein Company. Are we such a stupid audience that we can't handle a little back story mixed in with the action? Sure the plot is a little silly (basically Tony is on the hunt for the men/women who killed his father and kidnapped his pet elephant) and the dialogue is goofy, but I want to know what's going on story wise instead of just fight after fight after fight. As it is this is a great time for fight fans, but if you're looking to make sense of anything look for the original Thai version Tom Yum Goong.

1 out of 5

 P.S. To read the review of the uncut Thai version, click here.


*written 10/4/06