The Protector (Tom Yum Goong) (2005)

Tony Jaa and Prachya Pinkaew team up once again, this time with mixed results. Where Ong-Bak had mind boggling action, solid acting, and a great story, The Protector relies solely on action. That doesn't make it a bad film—just not an instant classic like Ong-Bak.

The Muay Thai and stunt work are awesome. There's a 4 minute long single take fight sequence that's amazing. Acting? Well, it's often comically bad. Jr. High stage production bad. But then again, that provides unintentional comic relief.

The script is mostly terrible. Scenes jump all over the place and it's a miracle Tony Jaa didn't injure himself falling into one of the many plot holes. Totally worth seeing for the visually stunning fights. Keep your expectations grounded and you'll have a good time.

Rating: C