10 Incredible Asian Action Movies You Have To See Before You Die

Country: Thailand

Rotten Tomatoes: 86%

Also known as Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (or Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior in the US, where apparently the term Muay Thai would have been too confusing) this gritty action flick from the Thailand put star man Tony Jaa on the map as a exciting new action star in Asia and beyond. The Muay Thai expert is also a devout Buddhist, and he combines elements of his martial art and his religion to create an unforgettable movie.

The story begins in an impoverished village in the North Eastern Thailand when a stranger from Bangkok shows up and asks to buy their precious Buddha statue. Naturally, the community refuse the man calling himself Don, though when they do the village awakens to find that the head of the ancient statue has been removed and stolen. The elders turn to Ting (Jaa), a young villager skilled in the way of a**-kicking, who agrees to journey to the capital in search of the precious Buddha head.

The story is nothing groundbreaking, and the hero's motives may even come across as a little weak to certain sections of western audiences, but stealing a Buddha head is considered an abhorrent crime in Thailand and any Muay Thai expert worth his salt wouldn't hesitate to use his skills on the thieves. The action here drew numerous comparisons to Bruce Lee and early Jackie Chan, with vivid and truly authentic looking fight scenes that more than make up for the by-numbers plot.