Tony Jaa set the action movie world on fire when he debuted the incredible Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior way back in 2003. Almost overnight, this new action star became a sensation, both for his amazing mastery of the martial arts, and his death-defying stunt work which was inspired by Jaa's childhood hero, Jackie Chan.

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Ong-Bak is a masterpiece and an underrated martial arts movie. The movie is loaded with crazy stunts that solidified Tony Jaa's legendary status in the action movie genre. Some are based entirely on skill, while others are absolutely jaw-dropping.

The Tree Leap

Ting captures the flag and shows it off in Ong Bak.

Ong-Bak starts off rather oddly by featuring Tony Jaa's character, Ting, racing up a tree alongside other skilled competitors in a weird game of capture the flag. The scene is full of wince-worthy moments, as they knock each other off the tree, which looks like something straight out of a Jackass film stunt.

Ting manages to snatch the flag from the top of the tree before making his way back down. He makes his final descent by jumping off a very high branch, which is no small feat given the height. It's quite a stunt to start Jaa's film career off with, but it was only a taste of things to come.

The Needle Thread Jump

Ting leaps through a coil of barbed wire in Ong Bak

Things were off to a pretty great start in Ong-Bak when the first real action sequence occurred. Ting ends up being pursued through the streets of Bangkok, where he performs a variety of astonishing stunts, all without the benefit of wirework or any sort of fancy, expensive CGI or effects. It's real, it's live, and it's captured perfectly on camera.

The best stunt of the sequence is undoubtedly the needle thread jump. Two workers carrying a roll of netting wire on a pole walk into Ting's path. Rather than slow down, he leaps into the air and contorts himself just enough to pass through it with a single jump, which is an amazing achievement.

Over The Shoulder(s)

Ting runs over the shoulders of armed thugs

That same chase sequence has more than its fair share of noteworthy stunts before the story moves along. In essence, it's Tony Jaa's demo reel for the entire future of his acting and action movie career. One of the most head-scratching and awe-inspiring stunts occurs when he's confronted by a huge cabal of thugs.

Rather than take them on one at a time, he literally leaps into the air and runs over all their shoulders to make his escape. It isn't known how many takes were required to get that sequence just right, but it's hard to imagine it was done on the first try. Then again, maybe not.

The Scaffolding Triple-Flip

Ting does a triple flip off scaffolding

The chase through the streets comes to a close when Ting ends up leaping onto some building scaffolding where he's able to get a leg up on his pursuers. After shoving one clear off the scaffolding, he's attacked by another, who attempts to knock his legs out from under him with a 2x4.

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Ting reacts by doing a reverse front-flip, followed by two regular front flips that keep his limbs intact while allowing him to make his escape once more. The sheer artistry and precision of the triple-flip sequence are amazing, especially with the slow-motion shot.

Through The Window Knee Attack

Ting throws an opponent through a glass window and strikes him on the way down

Ting ends up getting caught up in some underground fight club mayhem after knocking out an opponent with one devastating Muay-Thai kick, one of the best martial arts styles in movies. The next time he visits the club, he's forced into a fight with three separate opponents, all in one go. The third is the worst of the bunch and he throws everything he's got at Ting, including furniture and appliances.

The fight eventually spills into the upstairs lounge where the film's main villains are hiding out. It ends with Ting throwing his opponent through the viewing window while leaping through it at the same time and delivering a knockout knee to the face.

The Tuk-Tuk Barrel Roll

A Tuk Tuk rickshaw barrel rolls into the water

Ting, George and Muay get a lead on the Ong-Bak statue head and pursue a criminal named Don, one of Komtuan's henchmen. After forcing a female victim to OD on drugs, Don flees with Ting in pursuit. This kicks off an inventive and unique chase featuring tuk-tuk style rickshaws through the streets and freeways.

It's one dazzling stunt sequence after another, culminating in a final barrel roll straight into the Chao Phraya River. It may not rank up there with the best car chases in film history, but it's unique enough to earn a lot of respect. It also pushes the story forward when Ting discovers a plethora of Buddhist statues and artifacts nicked by Komtuan, to be sold to the highest bidder.

The Fight Pit Clothesline

Ting gets clotheslined by Saming in the ring

Halfway through the film, Ting is given a sinister proposition by principal antagonist Komtuan. If he participates in a fight against his bodyguard, Saming, he'll release a captured Muay Lek and Ong-Bak statue head to him. It's a proposition involving a hostage, which makes it suspect from the beginning.

Ting learns that he's supposed to throw the fight against Saming in order to make money off the fight. He agrees, going soft on a pumped-up Saming, who proceeds to beat him senseless. The fight ends when Saming throws Ting into the ropes, then clotheslines him with an arm strike, sending him spiraling through the air in a graceful, yet painful-looking knockout.

The Flaming Knee Press

Ting uses a flaming knee attack on a gun-toting thug

In the second half of the film, Ting, George and Muay Lek are caught by Komtuan's henchmen and scheduled for execution off the highway. They make their daring escape and start subduing the crooks one by one, with Ting taking the lead. After narrowly escaping being shot to death, an explosion lights Ting's legs on fire, which he uses to his advantage.

He leaps out of the inferno and impacts the gunner straight in the chest, setting his shirt on fire in the process. It's a devastating hit, and a dangerous stunt, to boot. Working with fire is unpredictable, even in the most controlled of situations, meaning this one could easily find a home alongside Mission: Impossible's craziest stunts.

Front Flip Knockout

Ting knocks out a fighter with a front flip kick

It's obvious that Tony Jaa is a master acrobat. In addition to landing heavy hits, he can soar through the air and land on his feet with a dancer's grace, and then some. This combination nominates him as one of the most beloved and highest-rated action movie stars in the world, with a bevy of tricks up his sleeve.

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In the final act, Ting infiltrates Komtuan's cave to retrieve the Ong-Bak statue and is set upon by his black-suited henchmen. Ting lays them all out in various ways, including one dazzlingly cool front flip kick that finds its target with pinpoint accuracy, striking downwards and putting him out.

Elevator Going Down

Ting defeats Saming with a double-knee press

The only thing standing between the Ong-Bak statue and Ting was a ruthless fighter named Saming. Known for pumping himself full of adrenaline shots, this nefarious bad guy has more than enough skills to go toe-to-toe with Ting. Their final battle is brutal and bloody, with Ting nearly getting killed in the process.

When Saming threatens to kill George, Ting finally decides to put him down once and for all. He knocks Saming to the ground, then leaps into the air, grabs both ankles behind his back, and drives two knees straight down into him, sending them both through a layer of scaffolding - a brutal way to end a fight.

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