Arianna Moses
Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.
DICK STEEL
Dan Chupong probably got the role of his career so far when he got cast as the mysterious masked Crow Ghost in Ong Bak 2, and kicked Tony Jaa's rear in the film. It's a pity that he still doesn't get much recognition on his own accord given what's essentially his marquee films such as Born to Fight (which I had watched some time back on the big screen, and enjoyed), and this one titled Dynamite Warrior.Which is one heck of a ride as well, as far as an action movie is concerned. Chupong plays the titular character, aptly named because of his arsenal containing rockets of all shapes and sizes, which can be used as an offensive weapon such as projectiles with an explosive tip, or defensively to provide a quick boost in a modified escape vehicle for the late 19th century. Alternatively, some are large enough for him to ride on as well. Yes, you read me right, Chupong's Jone Bang Fai is the quintessential explosives man, complete with Muay Thai elbow and knee moves to mop up and cripple opponents lucky enough to survive his shock- and-awe missile barrage.But of course you know the story can't be all too serious, since it's a fusion of science and mythical elements, with evil wizards and spells being part of the equation on the villainous end, which our hero has to do combat with. In his quest to search for the killer of his parents, Jone Bang Fai conducts raids on buffalo traders, and soon come up against Lord Waeng (Leo Putt), an evil aristocrat with a cleft lip, whose invention the Tractor gets no sales because the Thai farmers are still used to their buffaloes. So Waeng hatches a plan to eliminate the traditional competition, and this sets him on a collision course with Jone.Part of the fun here is the sword and sorcery type of storyline and characters, especially with Nai Hoi Sing (Samart Thipthamai) who proves to be quite the combatant since he's magical tattoo gives him superpowers and the ability to discharge blows from a distance, making him quite untouchable. He also has the ability to ignite his followers Bak Paen (Wichai Promchan) and Bak Kaan (Ampol Rattanawong) into using fighting monkey and tiger moves, which adds to the fun factor somewhat, as they go up against the Black Wizard (Panna Rittikrai) who has a secret weapon through the use of a virgin's menstrual blood (Yes, you read this right too!), and backed by Lord Waeng and his tough guy henchman with a voracious appetite, played by Somdej Keawlue.The story contains its usual twists and turns and provides for some nice, though expected, development of the plot, and the only time when it sagged, was when it decided to focus on the romantic aspects between Jone and the Black Wizard's daughter Sao (Kanyapak Suworakood), in a shy guy meets outcast girl routine, which took quite a while because well, we the audience accompanies Jone in waiting for her next menstrual cycle. But everything was worth the wait as it was a precursor to one of the largest fight sequences to take place in a cop station, before the finale all out assault on the baddies lair.Chupong dishes out plenty of of punishment as Jone Bang Fai, and if you're a fan of Tony Jaa, I don't see why you won't take to Dan Chupong and his brand of martial arts. The supporting cast, especially that of Samart Thipthamai also makes many of the fight scenes in the film worthwhile, and sequence after sequence just builds on what the previous had accomplished, making it a more than satisfying finale battle between good and evil, with plenty of bone crunching action to satisfy action fans anywhere. It's not a perfect film, but it contains many elements that make this a fun movie to sit through being entertaining at its core. Dan Chupong really should have made a bigger impact, and that remains to be seen with bated breath.
dilbertsuperman
Tony Jaa- love this guy- he has done for Muay Thai what Bruce lee did for kung fu and he's an awesome martial arts talent. For that reason alone you should see this movie- just be prepared for a LOT of SILLINESS with bottle rockets the size of courier tubes and complete ignorance of gravity and physics and editing in some of the stunts.This is a great movie for teens into martial arts movies since it has a light handling of adult situations that if I were directing, would probably result in this movie being banned in 18 countries. :-)I think the roughest scene is when one guy takes a bite out of another guy and even that is handled pretty lightly.All that cartoonish mockery of a real film experience aside- this a fun little movie about a dude that has stupid bottle rockets and killer Muay Thai skill and a score to settle with a Cattle thief in pre industrial revulsion (some call it revolution) Thailand.He pairs up with some unlikely allies that started off as dire enemies to fight the ghost of a wizard who is a ghost from his past- using magical amulets to trap demons etc...I gave this movie an extra two points for being one of the only movies I know of to depict the Thai tradition of "finding your animal spirit" which is a ritual celebrated at Wai Kru festival where tattoos are made of a psychedelic ink that then creates a trance where the recipients "become" the animal the tattoo depicts - this is covered with two characters having tiger and monkey spirits respectively and a wizard activating their tattoos. Of course this is a Hollywood 7 second treatment of an all day ritual but it was still a fun nod to Thai history.Thai are a very proud people and this shows in their film making- they make a few nods to American movie making but the script continually resounds with a centrism on the Thai, probably because the story is in Thailand :-). This is directed by one of the camera men for Tom yum goong.The movie also mocks kung fu at the end which is a long held tradition apparently- to make fun of the weaker kung fu compared to the monstrous brutality of Muay Thai and Krabi Krabong.
sheng_3
Talented stuntman/fighter Dan Chupong (Born To Fight) is given little to work with in this repetitive, overlong mess from Thailand. Clearly hoping to bask in the financial glory of Ong Bak and The Protector (aka Tom Yum Goong), this film seems rushed and it shows. The plot is terrible and the acting is substandard (even for a Thai film). The action scenes are poorly conceived and filmed. Slow motion is used for shots that don't deserve it and money shots almost always feature a cutaway revealing the choreographer's complete inability to make the action scenes work. If they get any credit, it's that they don't stoop even lower and use the horrible "shaky, camera on a string" crap to further cover the shortcomings! The character's are cardboard and the set's look like, well, sets! The special effects are cheap (as in most modern Thai films).Just a reminder to those Thai filmmakers who wish to emulate Ong Bak-1. Get talented martial artists & stuntmen 2. Concentrate on the quality of the fight scenes and don't give in to CGI and cutaways. 3. Keep the plot simple (the best martial arts films usually have minimal plot)If you are going to ask those talented stuntmen to risk injury or death, at least try to make a film worth them getting injured for!
