Trailer
Plot summary
Ong-Bak is the sacred Buddha of Ban Nong Pradu, a village in northeastern Thailand where the people are waiting on an anniversary vigil they believe will bring rain. Thieves from Bangkok take the statue's head and the villagers are left in despair. Ting, who learned muay thai from monks who told him never to use it in a fight, offers to travel to Bangkok and bring the head back. His one clue is Don, a drug dealer who came to the village to buy an amulet.
Cast
- Wannakit Siriputas Don
- Chatthapong Phantana-Angkulas Saming
- Nudhapol Asavabhakhinas Toshiro
- Pornpimol Chookanthongas Mae Waan
- Boonsri Yindeeas Yai Hom (as Bunsri Yindee)
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Ong-bak (2003)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Hidden messages were written into the film: in the foot chase a shop-house door reads "Hi Speilberg, let do it together" [sic], reflecting the director's wish to work with Steven Spielberg, and a pillar in the tuk-tuk chase reads "Hi, Luc Besson, we are waiting for you".
- Tony Jaa and his mentor Panna Rittikrai had to produce a demo reel to interest backers, but their first attempt was shot on expired film stock and ruined, so they raised more money and started over.
SPOILER
An alternate ending on the Thai, U.S., Australian and UK DVDs has Humlae surviving, bandaged and limping with a broken arm and supported by his parents. Director Prachya Pinkaew said that after debate they decided it was appropriate for him to make a meaningful sacrifice for the village.- Luc Besson's EuropaCorp bought the sales rights outside Asia and re-edited the film, cutting most of the subplot about Muay Lek's sister Ngek and shortening the final Ting-versus-Saming showdown, as well as adding two hip-hop songs to the end credits.
- The Hong Kong theatrical cut omitted a bone-breaking sequence in which George's arm is snapped and Ting snaps a bad guy's leg in turn; Hong Kong DVD releases restored the scene.
- Ong-Bak hides two greetings in its chase scenes: writing on a shop house door reads "Hi Speilberg, let do it together", director Prachya Pinkaew's wish to work with Steven Spielberg, and a pillar during the tuk-tuk chase reads "Hi, Luc Besson, we are waiting for you". Besson's company EuropaCorp later bought the film's international distribution rights.
- Tony Jaa and Panna Rittikrai, who wanted to bring Muay Thai to the mainstream, struggled to raise money for a demo reel to drum up interest in the film. Their first reel was shot on expired film stock, so they had to raise more money and start over.
SPOILER
An alternative ending on the Thai, U.S., Australian and UK DVD releases lets Humlae live, seen bandaged and limping with a broken arm, supported by his parents. Director Prachya Pinkaew said that after debate they decided it was appropriate for him to make a meaningful sacrifice for the village.
