Tony Jaa previously wowed audiences with ONG BAK in 2003 and made a modest follow-up with THE PROTECTOR (aka TOM YUM GOONG), both under the direction of Prachya Pinkaew. Jaa has since parted ways with Pinkaew to let the director focus on another new protégé of Rittrikrai, Jeeja Yanin, who recently had her debut in CHOCOLATE.
Unlike its predecessor however, which had a contemporary and realistic setting, Ong Bak 2 is actually set in ancient Thailand and as such could be described as a historical epic with elements of fantasy combined, and has nothing to do with Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior. Ong Bak 2 also has nothing to do with Jaa's 2005 film Tom Yum Goong, which was sometimes incorrectly labelled Ong Bak 2 in the West, as well as The Protector and The Warrior King. Tom Yum Goong had a contemporary setting similar to Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, although it too had different characters and plot. Jaa's films have, as yet, to tie into each other, although Jaa has claimed they will do so with the release of Ong Bak 3 in late 2009. As well as the different historical setting to Jaa's previous films, Ong Bak 2 has taken a notably grittier and bloodier direction.
The plot of Ong Bak 2 revolves around Tien (Tony Jaa), the son of Lord Sihadecho, a murdered nobleman in ancient Thailand. As a spirited and unyielding youth, Tien resists savage slave traders and, moments from death, is rescued by a a man known as Cher Nung. Cher Nung is a reknowned warrior and leader of the Pha Beek Krut, a group of pirates/guerilla fighters, and Cher Nung realizes unsurpassed physical potential in the young Tien and takes Tien under his wing. The Pha Beek Krut are a group of expert martial artists of various styles from all over Asia, and Tien is trained to unify these different styles of martial arts, and grows into the most dangerous man alive. As Tien becomes a young man he goes on a lone mission of vengeance against the vicious slave traders who enslaved him as a youth, and also the treacherous warlord who murdered his father, Lord Rajasena, who has an entire army protecting him.
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