Awesome. I will be watx=ching this.

Does 'martial arts breakdancing' really count as cooler than 'martial arts gymnastics'?
"I shall call it Breakkata."
stay tuned for Breakkata 2: Drunken boogaloo

Fuck and yes! Goddamn that was sweet. It's cool to see movies start bridging the gap between dancing and martial arts. There's been a couple of times when I've seen a dance routine and thought to myself "That was cool, but it'd have been better with jump kicks."

And Chocolate was awesome! I blu-ray'd that one a few weeks ago and while the autism parts could be somewhat annoying, the action had me cackling with delight.

Chocolate was one of the best politically incorrect action fests EVER! That being said, This looks even more incredible. Jija Yanin is just insanely awesome!

God forbid they make ANOTHER Rush Hour movie, I think we all know who our boy Brett might try to draft for it...

maachubo hits on the problem I have with this: It's gimmicky bullshit. Martial arts films barely get any respect as is, and shit like this and Tony Jaa's movies don't really help. Neither does the idea that only the stunt-work matters, and there's the major problem. As long as people continue thinking that way then martial arts movies won't be seen as "real movies" and fans will rarely if ever get the chance to see releases on the big screen.

Just a thought I had...

I'm starting to get more and more convinced that the Thai martial arts movie industry needs to be smacked up a bit. This and the trailer for Ong Bak 2 just reek of over-hyped douchery.

For the first time ever...two martial arts styles will meet in a highly choreographed battle where we pre-determined the outcome. (I'd also like to point out that this is FAR from the first time B-Boy moves have been transformed into martial arts. I've seen them used as far back as Sammo Hung movies.)

This is why I stopped watching a lot of the HK action movies. Around the time of Gen-X Cops, they just started focusing on flash, names, and hype. No kung-fu skill necessary. We'll make it all up with flashy moves, jump cuts, special effects, and pop singer cameos.

This movie here looks like it at least has some substance to its action, but the leg-blades cutting walls, the trailer's focus on how awesome they are (Seriously, that trailer was 50 seconds of barebones plot, and nearly 3 minutes of "We are SO awesome.") and the gimmickry employed have me very worried that these Thai movie producers are going Hollywood WAY too fast.

Look, you guys are pretty good. Work on refining your techniques, not upgrading your flash. Otherwise, you're going to end up like the Bollywood action movie industry, where you're just making movies for the sake of showing how clever you are, only nobody else thinks you're clever.

I fear and loathe the parody ripoff of this. Though... dont those usually feature Wayans? The same people in GI JOE? this + GI JOE = utter awesome.

WTF Babe reference around 35 seconds? Baa Ram Ewe?

Ong Bak 2 was excellent. This definitely looks like it has potential.

You had me at Drunken Fist vs. Drunken Muy Thai.

I'm a little in love with Jija Yanin. So um, yeah, I'll be watching this when I can. I don't care if it's overdone or whatever you want to complain about - it's still awesome. The trailer had three minutes of "we are so awesome!" because they ARE so awesome.

The "bladed shinguards" look more like bladed powerizers to me.

As for the whole "selling out" thing; the main reason these sorts of films won't see major release is that they're subtitled and most braindead fucks who pay to see movies can't/don't want to read. But can you really blame the creators for pandering to a western audience? Wanting to make a buck for their hard work?

Oriental movies don't tend to have a problem with lack of plot, more usually they're blessed with an over-abundance, which then becomes convoluted.

They're breakdance fighting!

But can you really blame the creators for pandering to a western audience? Wanting to make a buck for their hard work?

Oriental movies don't tend to have a problem with lack of plot, more usually they're blessed with an over-abundance, which then becomes convoluted.

The problem is that their hard work is misdirected. Instead of busting their asses for the sake of producing the latest dipshittery, they should be making the kind of movie that Hollywood can't or won't make. If you really wanna make a profit, then give the public something they don't already have other than an Asian hero (don't even get me started on that...).

Pure and total crap. Enough said.

Already people finding something to bitch about! Ong Bak 2 was awesome action. This looks like it'll be pretty good too. Asking for anything more from Thai movies is too much.

As someone who practices both martial arts and break dancing, this is the most ridiculous damn thing i've ever seen

I still have no idea what it's about, but I'll definitely be seeing it.

@Blaine0, good, I'm glad I'm not the only one who caught that.

That looks ridiculously awesome, but I really hope no one gets seriously injured in the making of the film

"Real Injuries! Even Flashier!"

I admire their honesty.

The ridiculousness is what makes it cool. It's over-the-top and cheesy and it works. I have to be honest, the choreography is interesting.

However, I had never realized fights shouldn't be "pre-determined" in a movie. I thought it was given that anything in a movie would be pre-determined because it has a script and story to follow. This isn't a martial arts championship, which is what it seems you want. It's a movie. OF COURSE, everything is fake. It's what appears on the screen that counts.

... who the hell watches martial arts MOVIES fo depth?!?!?

That's been my point and that's the problem. Thanks, Enigma2099!!!

To simply state it, martial arts films get no respect as is and neither do the performers that break themselves in two to produce them. If people keep making excuses like "It's a martial arts film, so why're you looking for depth?" then these people will continue to be largely ignored and underpaid for their talent and hard work.

Making excuses is not the way to show appreciation.

Go watch Fearless... maybe that will make you feel better.

they call them "Martial Arts" movies, because the main focus is on dramatic acting,and deep story development. Just like how we have Dramas for laughs and slapstick.

Really, think about it. Martial Arts movies are even sometimes titled after the main type of style (be it real or 100% made up) that the movie revolves around. "Snake in Eagle's Shadow", "Drunken Fist Boxing", "Mystery of Chess Boxing" ect ect. I didn't watch Drunken Master to see the blossoming relationship between Jackie Chan and his master or Chan and his father.

That 50 seconds of plot they lay out is all you fucking need. Cute chicks are getting kidnapped. Another chick wants to get to the bottom of it. She finds a dude who (in this movie) is a badass. He trains the shit outta her. She goes on a rampage. People get their asses beaten off the side of their faces in a pretty flashy manner. Roll credits.

Baa Ram Ewe is producer Prachya Pinkaew's production house. They produced Ong-Bak, Tom Yum Goong, Dynamite Warrior, Chocolate, Mercury Man, 13 Beloved, etc.

And yes, the name is taken from Babe. Prachya loved that movie.

This is a Tony Jaa film. He owns the production company.

i've hated muay thai since tekken...stupid eddie...