Ong Bak 1 is among the best martial-arts films. Obviously, with that in mind I was excited for this sequel. But really, Ong Bak 2 has basically nothing to do with the original -- owing more to Tony Jaa's other movie, The Protector. At least they both have elephants in them.
Ong Bak 2 has some amazing fights, as well as some breathtaking settings. Tony Jaa is truly a great martial arts actor, and watching him effortless switch kungfu styles on the fly is a joy. There are some really long fights where nary a mistake is made. Thus, if you're purely watching the movie to see some killer beat-downs, then charge in head-first. If your tastes are a bit more discriminating, however, you'll likely be disappointed.
The story is not a good one. The "prince turned prince of thieves" formula can work, but not when there is no motivation. We have no reason to support Jaa's character except that he does cool moves. Even the training montage is sorely lacking. The one semi-twist is met with no emotion, from either the film's cast nor those of us watching. I don't know if the finger of blame can be pointed at Jaa himself -- who's credited for both directing and story -- but the fact is it's just not a good narrative.
The biggest sin of the story, however -- and the biggest problem with Ong Bak 2 -- is that it's not a complete movie. Much like people complain how Halo 2 seemed to end just as it reached its apex, so too does Ong Bak 2. It's basically sticking its tongue out at you, making you wait for a sequel for any closure for the events it is setting up. That's bad form.
On the taste front, I prefer the more modern, urban setting of Ong Bak 1. Tony Jaa jumping off walls and diving through narrow windows is more to my taste than battling in 15th Century villages, though the fight he has in this film on top of an elephant is pretty epic.
I'm a lifelong martial artist and involved in the film-fighting field, and I still can't recommend purchasing this movie. It doesn't even have a proper gag reel! Rent it to marvel at the fights, then move onto something with more substance -- such as Jet Li's Hero. Perhaps Ong Bak 3 will make up for this series' sophomore skid, but I won't be holding my breath for its release.Get more detail about Ong Bak 2: The Beginning.
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