The first film in the Ong Bak trilogy featured stuntman Tony Jaa for the first time in a major role. The fight choreography and stunts immediately made the film a martial arts classic, but despite Ong Bak’s fight scenes being based on Muay Thai, the less fight-oriented action sequence is the longest in the film.
Ong Bak’s most important scene is the foot chase through the streets of Bangkok, in which Ting (Jaa), along with Humlae (Petchtai Wongkamlao) and Muay Lek (Pumwari Yodkamol), flee from a pursuing gang. When it comes to foot chases on the big screen, Ong Bak’s chase is one of the best ever filmed. Several key attributes make this the most significant scene in Jaa’s masterpiece, including stunts and the use of parkour.
Ong Bak’s Foot Chase Is Full Of Amazing Stunts
While there are many amazing stunts in the film, the foot chase has some of the most thrilling moments. Whether Jaa jumps over sharp objects, runs over the shoulders of a chasing gang, or slides under a moving car while doing the splits, Ong Bak’s constant stunts in pursuit of Ong Bak are spectacular, inventive and exciting. Some of the most talked about stunts in the movie are also in the foot chase, such as when Jaa jumps over a ring of barbed wire to escape his enemies, seconds later he tumbles through a narrow gap between two panes of glass. In one part of the chase, protagonist Tony Jaa Ting stops to fend off some opponents in a very impressive way, but the chase soon resumes. With such momentum, Ong Bak’s pursuit also became a head start for the subsequent militant craze.
Ong Bak’s Foot Chase Showed Parkour Before It Was Popular
Ong Bak’s chase scene is essentially a parkour scene, though not named as such. Parkour became a cultural trend soon after the release of Ong Bak (2003), with the 2004 French action movie District 13 hitting theaters. Parkour continued to grow in popularity with its use in action films, including the sequel to District 13: Ultimatum, Casino Royale, and the Assassin’s Creed franchise. However, Ong Bak’s foot chase outpaced the parkour.
Jaa has achieved great success with hits like Fast & Furious 7, Triple Threat and Tony Jaa’s most important film SPL 2, and Ong Bak is deservedly considered one of the greatest martial arts films ever made. Tony Jaa’s chase scene in Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior shows that sometimes running from a fight is the surest way to win.