Since starring in his breakout martial arts film Ong Bak, Jaa has leant his impressive athleticism to numerous productions across the globe. The Muay Thai fighter has been featured in stunt and supporting roles in various recognizable movies, such as Furious 7 (his Hollywood film debut), XXX: Return of Xander Cage, and Master Z: Ip Man Legacy. Within the martial arts subgenre, however, Jaa is often a leading man, with his breathtaking action sequences and unparalleled skill being the movies’ main draw. Jaa’s work has been inconsistent over the years, but his great films have a few true classics among them – be it the brutal, traumatic Tom Yum Goong or the recent action-packed tour de force SPL II: A Time For Consequences.
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The Bodyguard (2004)
The Bodyguard is a generic but funny Jackie Chan clone that mixes sly humor with stellar action elements; however, in Tony’s film, Jaa is poorly used. Wongkamlao played a comic character in Tony Jaa’s breakthrough film Ong Bak and is a talented comic performer with a knack for over-the-top humor and an impressive willingness to make nasty blunders for the sake of low-brow laughter.
Ong Bak 3 (2010)
Unfortunately, Ong Bak 3 is the weakest entry in Jaa’s trilogy. The final chapter draws heavily on the series’ convoluted mythology and requires some serious acting from Jaa due to its slow middle section, which will leave viewers wishing it had more of the action and crazy set pieces that made the first film famous.
Jiu-Jitsu (2020)
jiu-jitsu 2020 Overloaded with choppy editing and filled with flashy directorial techniques, this sci-fi movie “Martial Artists vs. Alien Invaders” fails to entertain while wasting the talents of its stars. Nicolas Cage’s goggle-eyed replay can’t match the aliens, and Jaa’s close combat style loses its impact when punches are thrown against computer-generated beasts rather than human opponents, resulting in an unfortunate genre mishmash.
Tom Yum Goong 2 (2005)
Tom Yum Goong 2 overall effect actually detracts from his skill. The film was shot in 3D using CGI, but many viewers found the overall experience to be unimpressive and forgettable, especially when not viewed in 3D. The movie has its highlights, with Marrez Crump stealing the show as the movie’s number 2 villain. Overall, many consider Tom Yum Goong 2 to be a fun but not great Jaa title.RELATED:
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Monster Hunter (2020)
The big-budget Monster Hunter makes the same fatal mistake as Jiu-Jitsu (with less Nicolas Cage involved). This adaptation of the beloved Playstation 2 game of the same name, which stars Resident Evil heroine Milla Jovovich, pits the heroic Hunter Jaa against a pack of computer monsters, once again failing to use the actor’s martial arts skills (which are impressive precisely because they don’t need the help of special effects, to shine). To be fair, it’s a significantly more fun romp than the rest of the films featured in this ranking so far, but Monster Hunter still falls short due to Jaa’s authentic fighting style and realistic stunts. were wasted in a fantasy setting.
Skin Trade (2014)
But Skin Trade’s biggest challenge is to pair the acrobatic Jaa with the aging Lundgren (and make little use of his talents as a result) in this boring release. While many were looking forward to the two action icons meeting, the structure that supported the action scenes, as well as the choreography itself, was underwhelming, mediocre, and generally unmemorable.
Ong Bak 2 (2008)
Ong Bak 2 is an ambitious historical play and is very different from the original Ong Bak. Like a story about a prince whose family is murdered, prompting an epic journey of revenge, this more self-guided ride is slower than its predecessor, and Jaa begins her transition from fun Jackie Chan-esque stunts to more thoughtful Bruce Lee-esque dramaturgy. The sequel features a lot of exciting martial arts, including an (un)famous scene in which Jaa does a backflip from an elephant’s snout.
Triple Threat (2019)
Triple Threat isn’t a perfect action movie, but it does boast some really impressive action scenes. Despite the lack of Ong Bak’s wow factor, it is highly regarded among Jaa’s most impressive on-screen martial arts performances thanks to its many worthy opponents. The film brings together an Expendables-inspired ensemble of martial artists sure to delight fans of the genre – those hoping to see Tony Jaa face off against Iko Uwais and Scott Adkins will get two for the price of one in Triple Threat.RELATED:
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Ong Bak 1 (2003)
The film that started it all, 2003’s Ong Bak, is a hackneyed thriller in which a young villager heads to the big city, taking on the underworld to retrieve the statue’s head. Like the classic martial arts movie Enter the Dragon, it’s a predictable story with little to offer other than the star’s athleticism, so it’s good that the film’s many inventive chases, fights, and action are an excellent showcase for Jaa’s intense, raw skills. . , with this early hit featuring all-time great moments like Jaa’s incredible foot chase through the city.
SPL II: A Time For Consequences (2015)
A tense Hong Kong crime thriller with an intriguing plot and plenty of action, SPL II: A Time For Consequences loses out on top spot as Jaa is somewhat underutilized in the film’s sizable cast. That one issue aside, this is a true classic thriller that action fans shouldn’t miss (Also known as Kill Zone 2, this movie features a gripping melodramatic storyline punctuated by breathtaking action that any fan of martial arts movies will love .