Martial Arts Movie Junkie

Born to Fight Review

 (For some reason, this was the best I could find…)

Background Info

After the success of Ong-Bak, there was a surge in action films in Thailand. Panna Rittikrai, Tony Jaa’s mentor, decided to direct a film starring Dan Chupong, a talented screen fighter in his own right. Even though Jaa created a very high wall for other action stars to overcome, Rittikrai did his best to pack in some of the most insane stunts with exciting action. Would it be able to gain the same amount of attention that Ong-Bak received?

Born to Fight Trailer

Story/Characters

Well, I guess we might as well start off with this. There is a story, but it’s not going to be anything that will blow you away. In fact, you’ll get a very strong feeling that the story was simply written to explain why so many athletes are in one location. The terrorists are pretty unpredictable too, like blowing some people apart with machine gun fire while knocking others out with the butts of their rifles. Seriously, they could have just shot the characters so many times…

The characters don’t do very well either. Most people will remember the characters by what sport they played, and not by their names. Once again, the plot and characters don’t matter for a movie like this, and there isn’t very much attention given to either. You won’t feel any romantic tension where they want you to, and you’ll forget the traits of each person by the time the credits roll.

Action/Choreography

This is where Born to Fight really shows you what it’s made of. The action is crazy and the stunts are ridiculous. By the time the end half rolls around, you’re bound to find something that will make you smile. The hits are very hard and brutal; you can tell Dan Chupong went through a lot for the movie. While the movie may not be as impressive as Ong-Bak before it, you’ll still be able appreciate what Born to Fight has to offer.

However, there is a negative aspect to this action too. A lot of the stunts are there simply for show, and will leave you scratching your head if you think about them too much. Don’t focus on why the man rode a flaming motorcycle into a truck, just be amazed that he did. If you think too much, you’ll pull yourself out of the experience. In simple terms, Rittikrai tried to cram as much craziness into one film as he could, and it may or may not make sense.

Own it, Watch it, or Skip it?

When compared to Ong-Bak, Born to Fight simply doesn’t have what it takes to top it. As a standalone film, it’s a decent action flick. However, there are too many issues that keep this from becoming a must buy. The story and characters are weak and the action feels tacked on, feeling more like a highlight reel at times.

Once this man grabs this flag, he won’t let go…ever

Oh, and I forgot to mention that they will show Thailand down your throat. From the national anthem to the flag itself, you’ll know where this movie was filmed. For what it is, Born to Fight is a good distraction and you may go back to it once every few years, but it’s not something that you must have.

Watch it

Born to Fight DVD (US Version)