Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior

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Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior

R

2005

1h 47m

Action

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Popcornmeter

85%

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104 Reviews

84%

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50,000+ Ratings

In Thailand, the impoverished village of Ban Nong Pradu has its most precious Buddha statue stolen from the temple. Luckily the small town also has a very skilled fighter in the form of Ting (Tony Jaa), who sets out on a quest to recover the cherished figure. His journey leads him to Bangkok, where he must wrangle the statue from Don (Wannakit Sirioput), a volatile drug dealer. Meanwhile, the village is suffering a severe drought and needs the Buddha to restore vitality.

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Critics Consensus

While Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior may be no great shakes as a movie, critics are hailing the emergence of a new star in Tony Jaa, whose athletic performance is drawing comparisons with Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li.

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Aug 24, 2006

C

Just a showcase for Jaa's athletic abilities.

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Kerry Lengel

Arizona Republic

Mar 3, 2005

2/5

Jaa's moves are impressive, but the choreography ranges from bland to ridiculous (as when one dirty fighter resorts to using major appliances as weapons).

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Bob Longino

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Feb 17, 2005

B-

What Jaa does is often mesmerizing.

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Sep 19, 2022

B+

But most of the movie has a more visceral goal — to make you gasp or laugh or cringe at the physical excesses of Tony Jaa.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Nov 9, 2020

8/10

Employing no special effects or wirework and doing all of his own stunts, Tony Jaa is clearly the man to watch for the future of martial arts movies.

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Miles Fielder

The List

Apr 24, 2019

2/5

While the Muay Thai kickboxing style employed by star and action choreographer Tony Jaa is impressive, the way in which the various bouts are filmed is uninspired and ultimately tiresome.

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Andrew M

@RT33897781 Oct 20, 2026

Tony jaa is stunning in this his fight sequences and practical stunt work is hard to top

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 18, 2026

Ong-Bak etc... = a 4.5 star Movie!

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Kazambu K

@RT18743421 Jun 30, 2026

When i saw the movie for the first time in the theater i said to myself, Incredible, The acting is, well, better than most martial arts movies, the movie still resonate with me Ong back is a masterpiece and will always remain one of the best movie i have ever watched. If you have never watched it please do so.

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didier L

@RT18203544 Jun 12, 2026

Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior showcases Tony Jaa as a genuine action star. The film's straightforward narrative serves primarily as a vehicle for its spectacular martial arts choreography, and that's more than enough. The fight scenes are inventive, intense, and executed with remarkable precision. Although the story lacks depth and some supporting characters are underdeveloped, the film succeeds where it matters most: delivering thrilling, high-impact action that still impresses years later. A landmark martial arts film that helped introduce a new generation to Muay Thai on the big screen.

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Mickey B.

@Mickerdoo Jun 2, 2026

Jaa obviously has the it factor and wildly impressive stunts. But the movie’s story and color grading were only so-so. Enjoyed Humlae.

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felipe g

@RT02922576 May 8, 2025

Um dos filmes mais autêntico do gênero e o Tony Jaa é um artista marcial fenomenal sem dúvidas!

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Prachya Pinkaew

Director

Tony Jaa

Ting

Phetthai Vongkumlao

Humlae

Pumwaree Yodkamol

Muaylek

Suchao Pongwilai

Komtuan

Wannakit Sirioput

Don

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Synopsis

In Thailand, the impoverished village of Ban Nong Pradu has its most precious Buddha statue stolen from the temple. Luckily the small town also has a very skilled fighter in the form of Ting (Tony Jaa), who sets out on a quest to recover the cherished figure. His journey leads him to Bangkok, where he must wrangle the statue from Don (Wannakit Sirioput), a volatile drug dealer. Meanwhile, the village is suffering a severe drought and needs the Buddha to restore vitality.

Director: Prachya Pinkaew
Producer: Prachya Pinkaew, Sukanya Vongsthapat
Screenwriter: Panna Rittikrai, Prachya Pinkaew
Distributor: Magnolia Films
Production Co: Baa-Ram-Ewe
Rating: R (Sequences of Strong Violence|Language|Sexuality|Some Drug Use)
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 11, 2005, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 7, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.6M
Runtime: 1h 47m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital

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