Ong Bak
Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: February 11, 2005 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
69
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews
Positive:
21
Mixed:
6
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Film ThreatEric Campos
So just do yourself a favor, get out there and see Ong Bak. You’ll leave the theater bruised and battered, but you'll be happy about it. Read full review
88
Chicago TribuneRobert K. Elder
Infusion of comedy elements keeps the story light, without dragging it into the cartoonish. Read full review
83
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
Ong-Bak (taken from the name of the sacred statue) is delivered raw, with an on-the-fly compositional approach from director Prachya Pinkaew that includes dim lighting and jumbled editing. Read full review
80
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
Overstays its welcome, but for mindless thrills you could do worse. Read full review
80
EmpireDan Jolin
Without doubt, Jaa's a star — a man very possibly worthy of the 'new Bruce Lee' tag. Read full review
80
VarietyDerek Elley
Strongly recalls Hong Kong kung-fu movies of the late '60s and '70s, with physical grit, over-the-top heroics and inventive fight choreography providing the entertainment. Read full review
80
TimeRichard Corliss
Pummeling, exhilarating. Read full review
80
Village VoiceChuck Stephens
The ferocious fighting moves (adapted from ancient Muay Thai manuals by veteran Thai martial arts director Phanna Rithikrai) that constitute Ong-Bak's money shots are often truly astonishing. Read full review
80
L.A. WeeklyDavid Chute
However shrewdly he's been packaged, Tony Jaa is the real thing. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterAndrew Sun
An effective martial arts film destined to leave mouths agape. Read full review
80
The New York TimesDana Stevens
Mr. Jaa, blessed with astonishing muscle definition and a stoical, sensitive face, clearly has the potential to be an international action movie star, and Ong-Bak feels like the start of a scrappy, potent franchise. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
It's a display of phenomenal dexterity and nimble grace that's a joy to watch. That, friends, is entertainment. Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
But the best way to enjoy Ong Bak is on its own gritty, low-budget level, skins, brains, and guts galore, a viscerally entertaining slice of Thai filmmaking that will leave you grinning ear to ear. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam Lacey
A thinly plotted, amateurishly acted, cartoonishly violent and hugely entertaining array of jaw-dropping stunts and corny slapstick. Read full review
75
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
An opportunity to enjoy the pure adrenaline rush that has always been the hallmark of martial-arts cinema. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
Every action scene is a spectacularly choreographed set piece. At one point, Jaa literally fights with feet of fire. Unfortunately, whenever he comes down to earth, so does the movie. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Did I enjoy Ong-Bak? As brainless but skillful action choreography, yes. And I would have enjoyed it even more if I'd known going in that the stunts were being performed in the old-fashioned, pre-computer way. Read full review
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
An impressive, adrenaline-boosted action showcase. Read full review
70
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
Makes up in action what it lacks in storytelling finesse. Read full review
70
Dallas ObserverLuke Y. Thompson
Ong-Bak's script, if you can call it that, is nothing but a series of setups for star Tony Jaa to show his stuff. Read full review
63
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
All about watching Jaa. Read full review
60
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Refreshingly free of the hyperbole of special effects...Ong-Bak will win no scriptwriting awards, but Jaa is definitely the real deal. Read full review
60
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
The meat of the matter is fight sequences, and rather than being goosed with now-common digital effects and Hong Kong-style wirework, it's all real and all breathtaking. Read full review
60
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
Ting's exploits grow ever more violent and repetitive, but a lot of Ong-Bak is very enjoyable.
50
Boston GlobeTy Burr
A sizable amount of national pride is on display in Ong-Bak. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen Johnson
Thus a tightly edited, 90-minute action flick becomes a bloated, 105-minute exercise on how not to direct an action film. Read full review
50
NewsweekDavid Ansen
The storytelling is cheesy, but action fans won't want to miss the debut of the Next Big Thing in martial arts. Read full review
0
New York PostV.A. Musetto
Having root-canal surgery would be less painful than sitting through the martial-arts disaster Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior. Read full review
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