This film showcases the martial arts abilities of Tony Jaa. Directed by Prachya Pinkaew, fight choreography by Panna Rittikrai, this film brought Thai cinema to a new level.

The plot is basic - baddie steals a Buddhist idol from a poor Thai village, villagers send Tony Jaa off to the corrupt big city to retrieve it. Endangering his principles Tony Jaa does a lot of fighting to retrieve the idol and save the village.

The fighting is done without wirework or stunt doubles adding a vital immediacy to the action. Tony Jaa is wondrously athletic in the title role, and there is variety and imagination in the fights and staging. For this reason alone this is a must-see for martial arts fans.

There are moments of pure cinema in this film such as when Tony Jaa's character is underwater, and discovers where the gang who stole the Buddhist idol have hidden their loot. The storyline is not complicated (like most martial arts actioners), and right triumphs in the end (a large Buddha crushes the main bad guy at then end.) A rich film.