Ip Man 2 vs. Ong Bak
- Ip Man 2 (62%, 8 Votes)
- Ong Bak (38%, 5 Votes)
Total Voters: 13
Loading ...Voting closes on 4/19/19 at 6 pm EDT.
Two Opposites Face Off: Ip Man 2 vs. Ong Bak!
If you look hard, you may find two movies that are even further apart that Ip Man 2 vs. Ong Bak(click on the links for full movie reviews). Yes, they both revolve around martial arts and have some amazing fight sequences. And both are shot in color but that’s almost where the similarities end. Well, there’s one more similarity; each are worthy of your vote in this face off!
The Backstories
Ip Man 2 sees the legendary Ip Man migrate to Hong Kong in 1949 and setup his Wing Chun school. Facing intense opposition, he must prove himself worthy of opening a school. He faces challenges from the owners of other schools in a beautifully choreographed scene. Although the scene has some of the “no, that’s not really possible” movements reminiscent of Crouching Tiger, that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.
Ong Bak sees the protagonist, Ting, retrieve the stolen head of the Ong Bak statue. In doing so, Ting faces multiple opponents in some of the best examples of Muay Thai to hit the screen. The parkour moves in one sequence also produce that same “no, that’s not really possible” reaction as Ip Man 2. But, like it, the presence of the moves in no way detracts from the enjoyment of the film.
The Fighting
Both movies have great action scenes. Any martial artist looking for a fun movie should look to both of these. However, their approach to violence couldn’t be more different. Ip Man 2 sees a reluctance to use violence until avoidance is no longer possible. In Ong Bak, Ting doesn’t need much convincing to employ his Muay Thai. In fact, he seems to relish it.
Ip Man 2
The fight scenes in Ip Man 2 are enjoyable and are presented with lessons in morality. When is it okay to fight? When should we refrain from fighting? How do we curb the angry tendencies of young students? Ip Man draws upon his experience and wisdom to avoid fights when he can. Certainly to avoid displays of prowess for the mere act of showing off. His young and somewhat prone-to-anger students are often used to contrast his more staid approach. But, when he does fight, he does so with the intensity and skill we’d expect from Bruce Lee’s teacher. And the final fight scene between Ip Man and the British boxer ties it all together. Donny Yen (Ip Man) was already a prominent martial artist before starring in the original Ip Man two years earlier. It’s clear that he continued his Wing Chun studies between the first movie and this sequel.
Ong Bak
It was only a matter of time before the world was introduced to Tony Jaa. In Ong Bak, Ting (Tony Jaa) has some of the most intense fight scenes we’ve seen in recent films. The sequences in the film are fast, intense, and drawn out. True to its form as an action film, the movie wastes no time in letting the hero lose. To its credit, though, there is a lot of humor woven through the entire movie, including the fights. The fight/parkour scene – a long scene, definitely, we’re treated to aerobatics, Muay Thai, and classic chase scenes. This is a film for martial artists who are looking for non-stop action without the life lessons. Tony Jaa, as a martial artist and actor, went on to become a much better-known name in the West after the Ong Bak series.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned at the top of this post, both films are worthy of your vote but could not be further opposites from each other. Both are beautifully shot, use aesthetically rich locations, and provide plenty of action to keep the martial artist engaged. It should be hard to choose which of these two you prefer, but choose you must. Do you like the non-stop action of Ong Bak? Or are you more attracted to a period piece with a rich history and story line? I know which one I am voting for but that’s my secret.
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