Tom yum goong (2005)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Prachya Pinkaew

Writers:

Napalee (written by) &
Piyaros Thongdee (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 September 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A young fighter named Kham must go to Australia to retrieve his stolen elephant. With the help of a Thai-born Australian detective, Kham must take on all comers, including a gang led by an evil woman and her two deadly bodyguards.

Plot Keywords:

Elephant | Police | Sydney Australia | Knife Throwing | Capoeira

Cast

Tony Jaa	...	Kham
Petchtai Wongkamlao	...	Mark
Bongkoj Khongmalai	...	Pla
Xing Jing	...	Madame Rose
Nathan Jones	...	T.K. (as Nathan B. Jones)
Johnny Nguyen	...	Johnny (as Johnny Tri Nguyen)
Lateef Crowder	...	Capoeira Fighter
Jon Foo	...	Wushu Fighter (as Jonathan Patrick Foo)
Damian de Montemas	...	Vincent
David Asavanond	...	Officer Rick (as David Chatchavan Asavanod)
Sotorn Rungruaeng	...	Kham's Father
Amonphan Gongtragan	...	Goong
Nutdanai Kong	...	Kham (9 years old)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dean Alexandrou	...	Bodyguard
Tony Chu	...	Thug
Don Ferguson	...	Body Guard
Ann Hu	...	Madame Rose (voice)
John Ladalski	...	Fighter
John Lamond Jr.	...	Chief Inspector Lamond
Ric Lawes	...	Australian Secretary General
Andrew Lawton	...	Officer Rick (voice: English version)
Erik Markus Schuetz	...	Johnny's Bodyguard
Heinz Ollesch	...	Big Guy
Daniel O'Neill
Wannakit Sirioput	...	Mark's replacement partner
Ron Smoorenburg	...	Kham's opponent
Brice Stratford	...	Thug
David Ussawanon
Eddie Vee	...	Kham (voice: English version)
Pumwaree Yodkamol	...	Girl on the street
Lex de Groot	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
Nate Harrison	...	Fighter (uncredited)
Damian Mavis	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)

Directed by
Prachya Pinkaew

Writing credits
Napalee		(written by) &
Piyaros Thongdee		(written by) &
Joe Wannapin		(written by) &
Kongdej Jaturanrasamee		(written by)
Prachya Pinkaew		(story)

Produced by
Piyalak Mahathanasap	....	assistant producer
Kevin McGrath	....	line producer: Australia
Prachya Pinkaew	....	producer
Somsak Techaratanaprasert	....	executive producer
Sukanya Vongsthapat	....	producer
Sita Vosbein	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Howard Drossin

Cinematography by
Nattawut Kittikhun

Film Editing by
Stratos Gabrielidis

Production Design by
Arkadech Kaewkotara

Art Direction by
Suprasit Chantakham
Anon Phanrotthip
Kamol Soponkhunpun

Costume Design by
Ekabhume Nganchamang

Production Management
Lachlan Imrie	....	production manager: Australia
Apinan Kongsuoalux	....	production supervisor
Bunyarat Narueritthanon	....	production supervisor
Pornsuvee Punpongpipat	....	production supervisor
Sorrapong Punthakoengmorn	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Clabburn	....	first assistant director: Australia
Ric Lawes	....	second assistant director
Jiradheep Nopamasorachorn	....	second assistant director
Thammarat Piyarom	....	first assistant director
Thitaya Suthipaet	....	fourth assistant director
Thanawat Wattanachaimongkol	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Nopparat Kaewko	....	assistant property master
Patchara Lertkai	....	prop master
Samorapum Pakdeethai	....	prop master
Monthon Pongparp	....	assistant property master
Mitchell Seeto	....	property assistant
Mitchell Seeto	....	property master
Prachya Timmukda	....	prop master

Sound Department
Carlie Bergman	....	adr recordist
Nicolas Bourgeois	....	sound editor: international versions
Hervé Buirette	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York
Michael J. Fox	....	adr supervisor
Douglas Murray	....	adr mixer

Stunts
Richard Boué	....	stunt coordinator: Australia
Don Ferguson	....	stunt performer
Chaiporn Gunmoontree	....	stunts
Somjaj Junmoonree	....	stunts
Seng Kawee	....	stunt coordinator
Panna Rittikrai	....	stunt coordinator
Robert Simper	....	safety officer: Australia
Ron Smoorenburg	....	stunts
Brice Stratford	....	fight performer
Aaron Toney	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Thanachart Boonla	....	camera operator
Manoon Chaiwach	....	focus puller
Kamol Kuisrikul	....	focus puller
Thamjaroen Promphan	....	focus puller
Nino Tamburri	....	assistant camera: Australia
Ekapol Tipayanon	....	focus puller
Chalerm Wongpim	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kanok Chaiyupatham	....	costumer
Thanit Chanlumlert	....	costumer
Chatchawal Sakolsilpa	....	costumer

Music Department
Ramin Djawadi	....	additional music scoring
Angela Leus	....	soundtrack coordinator
Ralph Sall	....	soundtrack album producer
Rob Simon	....	technical score advisor

Other crew
Alistair Ferrier	....	location manager: Australia
Chuenmanas Intarit	....	production accountant
Tony Jaa	....	martial arts choreographer
Somroj Kookijtikasem	....	elephant trainer
Nuchchanart Markswat	....	assistant production accountant
Kasidis Niamsiri	....	overseas shooting coordinator
Nopadol Puntakerngamorn	....	overseas shooting coordinator
Warinya Ratipakorn	....	production coordinator
Panna Rittikrai	....	martial arts choreographer
Quentin Tarantino	....	presenter
Nitiya Thonghom	....	assistant production accountant
Aaron Toney	....	stand-in: Capoeira fighter (as Aron Toney)
Thida Vongsarote	....	assistant production accountant
Darin Vosbein	....	head production accountant
Kavinthip Yeamsuwan	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Abhinav Bhat	....	special thanks
Maria Cataldo	....	special thanks
Jonathan Sanden	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Sahamongkolfilm Co.
• TF1 International
• Baa-Ram-Ewe
• Golden Network

Distributors

• Sahamongkolfilm Co. (2005) (Thailand) (theatrical)
• 3L Filmverleih (2006) (Austria) (theatrical)
• 3L Filmverleih (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Contender Entertainment Group (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (2005) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Golden Screen (2005) (Malaysia) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Entertainment (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Golden Village (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Gulf Film (2005) (United Arab Emirates) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical) (French speaking region)
• Odeon Films (2006) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• RCV Film Distribution (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox (2005) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Weinstein Company, The (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Associated Euromedia (2005) (Turkey) (all media)
• Contender Entertainment Group (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Dragon Dynasty (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Future Film (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• GAGA Humax (2006) (Japan) (all media) (co-distributor)
• Genius Products (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Indo Overseas Film (2005) (India) (all media)
• Klock Worx Co. (2006) (Japan) (all media) (co-distributor)
• Manga Films (2006) (Spain) (all media)
• Media Suits (2006) (Japan) (all media) (co-distributor)
• New Action Entertainment Co. Ltd. (2005) (Taiwan) (all media)
• Odeon (2005) (Greece) (all media)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Showbox Entertainment (2005) (South Korea) (all media)
• Siam Cable Network Co. Ltd. (2005) (Cambodia) (all media)
• Star TV (2006) (Taiwan) (TV)
• TF1 International (2006) (Portugal) (all media)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2006) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Bulletproof Recording Company  soundtrack
• Soundtrack  ADR Facility
• TF1  co-international sales

Also Known As:

Honour of the Dragon (Europe: English title)
Ong Bak 2 (Thailand: Thai title) (working title)
The Protector (USA)
Warrior King (UK)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong violence and some sexual content.

Runtime:

108 min | Germany:90 min | USA:81 min

Country:

Thailand

Language:

Thai | English | Mandarin | Vietnamese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Taiwan:R-12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | France:U | UK:18 | Ireland:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Netherlands:16 | USA:R | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Malaysia:18SG | Malaysia:U (cut) | South Africa:13V | Australia:MA | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | New Zealand:R16 | Finland:K-18 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

Sahamongkolfilm Co.

Trivia:

The film took two years to make and used more than 600 rolls of film.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the bone-breaking scene, Kham forces one of his foes into the splits by pushing the guy's leg up towards his body while upright. However, when the foe in question does his initial kick he does it with his right leg, then there's a cut and it's his left leg that Kham forces upwards.

Quotes:

Kham: Where the hell is my elephant?

Movie Connections:

References Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

Soundtrack:

Baby

Forget the Flawed Story and Enjoy the Choreography

In Bangkok, the young Kham (Tony Jaa) was raised by his father in the jungle with elephants as members of their family. When his old elephant and the baby Kern are stolen by criminals, Kham finds that the animals were sent to Sidney. He travels to Australia, where he locates the baby elephant in a restaurant owned by the evil Madame Rose (Xing Jing), the leader of an international Thai mafia. With the support of the efficient Thai sergeant Mark (Petchtai Wongkamlao), who was involved in a conspiracy, Kham fights to rescue the animal from the mobsters.

"Tom Yum Goong" has a silly, flawed and absurd story, where gangsters do not use guns, but sticks, clubs, rollers, bicycles, motorcycles or whips. Further, they just fight in sequence against the hero, one by one, to have their arms and legs broken. The criminal Johnny simply vanishes without any further explanation. However, the choreography of the fights is amazing and very realistic, making this movie a worthwhile entertainment. Tony Jaa is probably the successor of Jackie Chan and Jet Li, and I believe this movie could be less "serious" and have more humor like in Jackie Chan's films. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Protetor" ("The Protector")