Let’s start with the plot of Tom Yum Goong2, then.
Yet again the movie is based on a “lost” elephant which is retrieved from the triad gangs (poachers) by a country-superhero-boy, Kham (Tony Jaa), who has to fight an entire gang of crime syndicate both in his own country (Thailand) and in Sydney just because of the animal (sorry, not an animal…a revered and most protected species. The fight to retrieval of the kidnapped elephant from the crime syndicate is tribute to the affinity and emotional attachment tied to the elephants).
So, the story is, Kham happens to be teaching some children how to communicate with elephants in front of his elephant, Khom. Soon the teaching was interrupted by their (children’s) parents, who forbade kids not to play with Kham. That’s the life of Kham in the village, Surin, where he remains afflicted because of people’s ill-treatment as well as being orphan, until an incident transpires dramatic and fatal twist of the turn events in the rest of his life – Khom is kidnapped and on the suspicion, Kham intrudes to the home of the buyer of Khom only to find him dead. The dead buyer happens to be the uncle of Ping Pong (Jee Ja Yanin).
The unfortunate incident introduces inception of several fatal events in the life of Kham, who, after deadly Mua-Thai fighting skills and blazing stunts, ultimately subdued them all, and retrieved the kidnapped Khom.
The best parts of Tom Yum Goong:
Action-choreography: I have to confess honestly that the action choreography has been the only linchpin factor that held my attention and I watched the movie till the climax.
From motorcade chase to the daredevilry stunts and fights with the gang of crime syndicate, everything was breathtaking, exhilarating and blazing.
Jee Ja Yanin: For those of you who have watched Thai action movie, Chocolate or Raging Phoenix, are well aware of this lethal girl. Frankly, I thought to have an experience of deadly fisticuffs between Tony and Yanin and so I was fascinated to watch TYG2. However, my over-bubbling excitement turned into a note of disappointment when I found that she just played a second fiddle, a lady clouded by the obsession of revenge.
The disappointing parts of TYG:
Lousy story: The story of TYG has been dull, monotonous and boring to the point of displeasure. In fact, when the trailer of the movie was released, I let out the yell, “Damn you Tony! Can’t you keep your elephant safe? You lost it again?” I realized that the “bone of contention” elephant is gonna be kidnapped once again and the wrath of Tony would befall on the ill-fated poachers. The story transpired in the outcome of my guesswork.
Wire-fu: I hated Jet Li when I watched his latest flick, BADGE OF FURY. Reason? He used wire-fu! It was completely unbefitting of him to drag himself into such an infradig stature, to use wire to show his skill that made him a global phenomenon in every household where Kung-Fu movies are watched on idiot box.
Tony seems to have followed the footprint of Jet Li in his much-awaited TYG2. But, having said that, I really don’t mean belittling Tony’s real SKILL for which this legend is known for. He’s really gifted and true legend of Mua-Thai fighting. And, the wire-fu used seems to have compensated the scene where originality was next to impossibility (that’s my assumption).
Computer enhancement technique: Call it special effects or computer generated imagery (CGI) done by artificial intelligence, I thought Tony should have avoided that technique and brought real fighting experience as he did in previous TYG. Though the side effects are breathtaking, but seemed incredible (a reborn feeling that disregards Tony in the eyes of his fans).
Is TYG2 worth-watching? Is it bad or good?
As I have stated in the beginning of the review, this is entirely my own viewpoint and on the ground of my experience, I say TYG2 is not THAT BAD as said over different movie-review websites. I found this movie very entertaining irrespective of the lousy storyline and CGI techniques and wire-fu used. Hence, I am going to suggest you watch this movie on the ground of – if you are diehard fan of Tony and Yanin and if you love watching some kick-ass movies.
Rating: I rate Tom Yum Goong2 - 7/10
To sum up, TYG2 has been good watch to me. May be, that’s because I couldn’t watch the movie from the point of any professional reviewer. And that’s why I enjoyed myself to the climax of the movie. It deserves to be nestled alongside with other DVD action movies that you love watching whenever the fancy takes you.
