The Protector (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
by Prachya Pinkaew
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Actor: Bongkoj Khongmalai, Nathan Jones, Petchtai Wongkamlao, Tony Jaa, Xing JingDirector: Prachya Pinkaew
Brand: WELLSPRING/GENIUS
Writer: Prachya Pinkaew
Producer: Kevin McGrath
Producer: Piyalak Mahathanasap
Writer: Joe Wannapin
Writer: Kongdej Jaturanrasamee
Writer: Napalee
Writer: Piyaros Thongdee
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Thai (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Vietnamese (Original Language); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 81 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-01-16
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Weinstein Company
DVD Reviews of The Protector (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
DVD Review: Absolutely phenomenal fight scenes!
Summary: 4 Stars
The fight scenes in 'The Protector' are absolutely amazing! I'll just repeat what everyone is saying: the continuous shot of Jaa going up the spiral stairs in the restaurant is without doubt the best martial arts fight scene I have ever viewed. The scene is so amazing because it solves the key challenge of martial arts films: the fact that they have to do cut-to's and slo-mo's just so you can see what's happening. The approach in this scene and Jaa's athleticism allow you to feel like you are really right there watching him totally kick ***. I can't say enough about this scene, and there are plenty of other amazing fights as well.
Most of the reviews claim the plot of 'The Protector' is too thin, but I disagree somewhat. I saw the international release and, if anything, I think the plot tries to do too much. There are so many characters and subplots that the film has no time to develop them and things come off a little convoluted and half-baked.
For example, why did Johnny want to please Rose so much? Was he in love with her? Why'd he kill the white guy she was mashing with instead of the Thai cop? Why does the call girl help Jaa? Why does the cop let the crackhead go? Dropping a few characters and subplots would have given the movie more time to build key characters, and that would have helped.
There's probably also subtext in the movie that partially escapes me since I do not entirely understand the significance of elephants. The voice over at the end mentions they are a national symbol of Thailand. If so, then there's definitely a lot of imagery in the film relating to them (they save Jaa's character in a very surprising way). However, I have no idea if it's a good subtext about traditions and national pride or if it's just overwrought histrionics.
In the end, if you like martial arts films, then this is a must see. If you require a great plot, then this one will dissapoint a bit as the story is too scattered to have maximum impact. But one thing is for sure: when Jaa is doing his thing, 'The Protector' is pure martial arts magic.
PS: Hats off to the sound effects people! The sound of bones breaking in this movie is used really well. Pretty high ick factor in a couple scenes. Loved it!
DVD Review: The Next....
Summary: 5 Stars
Tony Jaa is amazing! This is the type of movie that martial arts/action fans live for--something different..something that gives the illusion of being 'new' or the 'next big thing'..we want the same feeling we got when we saw Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee fight in 'RETURN of the DRAGON' or the first time we saw Michael Jackson perform 'Billy Jean' on the Grammys--Tony Jaa delivers. His style teeters somewhere between: balletic, acrobatic and swift & bone-breaking brutality.
*Check out the scene that is one continuous shot following Jaa up and down stairs,thru different rooms as he dispatches numerous foes...Also, the scene at the end of the film where Jaa takes out 53 foes in less than 3 minutes!!!...yeah, i did count all 52...eh, 51 -- if you don't believe me, buy the DVD and prove me wrong!!
DVD Review: Too many special effects
Summary: 2 Stars
Poor story line and acting but I'm not complaining about that. This is an action movie and it delivers the fight sceens...sort of. I expected hard hitting action like I saw in Ong Bak.
This movie had a bigger budget and they moved away from the format that made Ong Bak great. It's less gritty and they tried to make it look like it was produced in Hollywood but they failed. Instead of looking slick it seems overdone. I mean really, cgi? It made the action cheesy.
They ruined the fight scenes which is the only reason to see the movie.
DVD Review: Culture, Universal Ideals, Action and Adventure
Summary: 5 Stars
This film has so many awesome qualities. First, my favorite, it has an introduction to traditional, rural Thai culture. Second, it pays homage to a whole range of universal ideals -- honor, courage, dependability, loyalty, tradition, etc. And last, but certainly not least, it has some of the most amazing stunts, fights and action sequences. It keeps the blood pumping to watch it. I love the traditional Muay Thai fighting style that characterizes Tony Jaa's movements. I especially LOVE the Capoeira techniques from traditional Brazilian martial arts in the scene in the temple. That fight sequence is truly divinely inspired -- not as combat, but as a art form of fluidity on par with ballet. It provides a showcase for Brazilian culture, fitness and art in a Thai movie. The world is coming together in the most remarkably beautiful ways and this film's presentation is an illustration of it. The fight scene where Tony uses his deceased "brother's" tusks is powerful.
The random meanderings throughout Asia add spice to this already marvelously exotic and international imagery and my personal favorite is the Jackie Chan cameo in the airport. There is this moment in the film when Tony Jaa bumps someone and they just stare at each other for a moment. I felt impatient -- why is the film maker wasting my time on this total non-action, I thought. Then I gasped! It's JACKIE CHAN!!!! AHHHH!
That small segment of the film just begs to inspire a film with all three great martial arts contemporary films stars of today -- the mature, but still hilarious Jackie Chan, the powerful, primal Tony Jaa and the sophisticated Jet Li. Not only must the three of them make a film together, we really must see a fight scene with Jet Li and Tony Jaa.
I can't wait to see more TONY JAA! Great stuff.
DVD Review: AWESOME FLICK
Summary: 5 Stars
I have watched this movie countless times, both in Thai and english. The feats that Tony Jaa is capable of performing still blows my mind. I am almost tempted to question whether or not he should be classified as superhuman. What am I talking about??? Definitely SUPERHUMAN. FANTASTIC ACTION FLICK!!!!!
Description of The Protector (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Thai martial arts virtuoso Tony Jaa stars as Kham, who travels to Australia to take on a gang and rescue a kidnapped elephant.Thai-born martial artist Tony Jaa, whose gravity-defying stunts wowed American audiences in Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior, returns in an equally eye-popping stunt fest that should thrill all but the most jaded action fans. The very simple plot has the soft-spoken, mild-mannered Jaa as a young man from a rural community dispatched to Australia to recover a pair of sacred elephants. Once there, he discovered that a female crime boss (played by transgendered actor Jing Xing) is behind the missing pachyderms, and Jaa pulls out all the stops to recover the animals for his village. As in Ong-Bak, the appeal of The Protector is watching Jaa unleash his muay thai skills on a host of villainous types, and he gets several astonishing showcases in this film, most notably a nearly-unbroken take in which he dispatches some 50 goons as he makes his way up a four-story structure. Those looking for the depth of story or character found in the best of Hong Kong action cinema won't find it in The Protector, but the rewards for action fans are plentiful and thoroughly entertaining. The two-disc Collector's Edition of The Protector includes a wealth of extras, most notably the original Thai version of the film (titled Tom Yum Goong), which runs approximately 30 minutes longer than the American version. Commentary by martial arts writer and fan Bey Logan is featured on the American edit, along with a deleted scene, a featurette about Jaa with Logan and rapper/producer The RZA (who scored the American version and, for some reason, is described as a major force in bringing Asian entertainment to the States), making-of featurettes on both the English and Thai versions of the film (the latter features a subtitled Thai-language commentary track with Jaa, director Prachya Pinkaew, and stunt coordinator/mentor Panna Rittikrai), and three fair short films that were produced for a promotional tie-in contest. -- Paul Gaita
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