There's no doubt I've been a fan of movies starring Tony Jaa with the likes of Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong being showcases for the Muay Thai brand of martial arts, and I fondly remember those hard hitting action sequences that left me gaping, as well as the numerous replays just to drum it through to you that it's all Jaa and it's all as incredible as can be. And who can forget the latter film with that amazing single take where Jaa had to pound his way from the bottom of a building right to the top? Ong Bak 2 is a film fans like myself have been waiting for, despite it being marred by some really strange controversy, which also included Jaa walking off the set and disappearing from production. But everything's been sorted I guess, for the film to be completed and finally released.

While it's rocking the box office in Thailand, I wonder whether it's because of the controversies that had piqued everyone's interest, or it's because the long break of 3 years had made everyone salivate at Jaa's long awaited return to the big screen. I wonder because while there are numerous moments in the film that I thoroughly enjoyed, I felt that it fell short too on other areas that had left me shifting in my seat, especially during the first hour.

And the biggest culprit of it all, would be the ending. Tony Jaa wrote this story, and credit to him too in trying to weave together some semblance of a worthy story instead of the more obvious and easier whack-fest end to end. But the ending was somewhat of a cop out, and a disappointment, as it leads potentially and very directly to a third movie to resolve the issues the storyline had left hanging. It could have easily stretched it to say, 20 minutes more to get everything settled, but I guess there were grander plans to the tale that needed another movie to tell. One only wishes that it does get made sooner rather than later, and without the production woes that plagued this one.

So Ong Bak 2 is actually half a movie, and given that it's a totally new story to begin with, I thought it would make better sense in retitling it, rather than to have a misnomer that it's a sequel. After all, the setting is now back in 15th century Thailand with totally new characters, with Jaa playing Tien, a man of royal lineage who's trying to avenge the death of his parents and entire household under the hands of rival warlords, and a masked man who delivered the killing blow to his dad. The first half of the movie had him learn from a band of bandits called the Garuda Wing Cliff, where a number of highly skilled exponents teach him all there is to know about their respective fields. I remembered having read somewhere that there's supposed to be some fusion of dance and martial arts, which didn't transpire in this film as far as I can tell (the dance/action sequence here doesn't make the cut),so it might be left for the next movie instead.

Compared to the other Tony Jaa movies, you can see that the production values here have been ramped up tremendously.Techniques have also matured, and gone are the repetitive playbacks. But that doesn't mean you're going to lose out, because like any self-respecting martial arts film, the camera stays still when it should be and at a sane distance away to capture all the action comfortably, and the editing doesn't cut in and mess up the sequence.

While the filmmaker in Tony Jaa would have matured with this outing (he co-directed this),his maturity as a martial artist on film is now without a doubt. We only get flashes of his Muay Thai when it calls for some close combat involving elbows and knees right smack in the kisser, otherwise we see Jaa as a more complete martial arts practitioner with the employment of a vast array of weapons, from swords to three-section-staffs, and a host of recognizable kung-fu moves, one which also pays homage to the Drunken Fists, and I applaud Jaa's rendition of it too. As for the revered elephant, you know it's never far behind, and there's one thrilling battle atop the large mammal, with Dan(ce) Chupong no less, albeit hidden behind a mask.

Ong Bak 2 picked up very slowly, and spent significant time developing the back story of Jaa's Tien. And unfortunately, I do admit unabashedly that I was waiting for action sequence one after another, and those in the same boat will have to be patient. For action junkies, your appetite will only be satiated in the last act of the film, where it's vintage Jaa as he dishes out punishment, and receives much of the same in return. I detested the ending which wrapped everything up so conveniently (I don't buy the Karma bit),or left subplots such as the romantic angle as something to be dwelled upon later (though I believe romance never really was an issue at all in Jaa's movies),leaving doors wide open for another film.

Perhaps I should reserve my judgement of it until the next movie completes the story? So at this moment, we can still enjoy what Tony Jaa has prepared for action fans worldwide – a showcase that he's not just all about Muay Thai, but a bona fide action hero who's the real deal, crafting a myriad of incredible fight sequences that would still leave your mouth gaping wide open.

Anyone going in expecting action at the same level of ONG BAK or TOM YUM GOONG (aka THE PROTECTOR) will be somewhat disappointed. This is a whole different kind of movie really. Rarely does Tony Jaa show off the flips that made him famous. The first hour has a few fights here and there, but for the most part they are short but very brutal. Tony does do lots of different styles in here and my favorite part from this first hour is when he tests himself against three different guys (a swordsman, a kung fu man and a muay thai brawler).

The last 20 minutes is where a majority of the action is and it is pretty insane. Jaa takes on about 30 ninjas and whoops some major ass here. The scenes are very, very bloody as well. And, of course, they have to have the scene where an elephant saves the day. Dan Chupong's role is very small, but a great part. He is dressed like a crow and kaws just like one. He has a very impressive stunt where he flips onto Tony (who is laid out on the elephant's tusks) and hits him right in the chest with his knees.

All that said, I think it is a very well made film. It has incredible production values and the level of detail is fantastic. Jaa is 20 times more talented as a director than Prachya Pinkaew. He knows how to build the mood and shoots everything in an almost sinister light. As a film, it is much more accomplished than ONG BAK and TOM YUM GOONG. But I know people will definitely be disappointed in the amount of action, especially after a 3 year wait. Oh, also, it does end with a cliffhanger that sets up a third film. I hope we don't have to wait another 3 years!

I came to ONG BAK: THE BEGINNING with mixed feelings, because I'd heard so much contradictory stuff about it. Some say it's a very poor film, a disappointing follow-up; others rave over it and say it surpasses the original. The truth is that it's a very different film in terms of scope and feel, and, while the troubled production history has left it looking a little rough around the edges – especially in terms of the editing, which has the story needlessly jumping backwards and forwards through time when a more chronological approach would have been better – it offers the same level of enjoyment as its predecessor. I may like it less on repeat viewings, but for my first-time encounter I had a ball with this one.

If anything, Jaa is more intense, more raw, more brutal than in the first film. There's an extra gloss of professionalism that was missing from that down 'n' dirty martial arts showpiece. For instance, there's a real story here, hints of a romantic sub-plot, even a couple of plot twists along the way – including a biggie at the climax. In the end, though, it's all about the action, and it's still plentiful and beautifully shot. Our hero battles an evil army in this one, thumping his way through slave traders and black-clad assassins and engaging in some gruelling training sequences. Jaa's skill as a fighter has increased and there's weapon-play aplenty here, along with the traditional elbow and knee moves. Inevitably, the best stuff is saved for the extended climax, quite simply one of the best-shot things to ever come out of Thailand; I can't wait to watch it through a second time to catch all the incredible stunts and battles. Things end on a real cliffhanger, paving the way for ONG BAK 3, a film whose trailer makes it out to be just as good – if not better – than this one.