In reaction to a lack of Asian films on one most-pirated list, Wildgrounds has compiled a ranking of the eight most-pirated Asian films of 2009. At No. 2 is Tony Jaa's Ong-Bak 2 with 41,793 downloads. It's between John Woo's Red Cliff at No. 1 and Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo in third.
I've not seen the Ong-Bak 2 torrent myself, so I don't know what its origin is.
The U.S. and U.K. DVDs and Blu-rays of Ong-Bak 2 won't be out until February.
That's not all that far away now, but it's been more than a year since the film was released in Thailand.
Anxious fans say "screw it" and download, just because they can, and because there's no alternative. People want things when they want them.
Having recently started carrying a video-enabled phone, I've wondered about watching movies on the thing, perhaps on long trips. Problem I've found is that sites offering legal video content like iTunes, Amazon and Blockbuster have crippling digital-rights management (DRM) and/or proprietary restrictions. The videos won't work on my phone. I don't like that.
It's possible to crunch a DVD into a file for dinky-screen viewing, but that's more heavy lifting than I've found time to experiment with. And it's not strictly legal, according to the FBI warnings on those things.
Streaming sites don't work for me -- Internet connections are typically too poor -- and most have territorial restrictions.
I'm looking for files that are ready to play on my open-source device, with no strings attached and no hoops to jump through.
There's the MPAA's list of legal download sites, but it's a joke. One of the links is for a site that has ads for pr0n downloads. Which is funny.
The only legal download site I've found that works for me so far is Archive.org, which is all free public-domain material. Lots of great stuff to explore.
If I could legally obtain DRM-free subtitled digital copies of newer movies like Ong-Bak 2, Red Cliff or Ponyo, I'd be happy to pay for them. I wonder how many people who are downloading the pirated torrents feel the same way?
I must say, I can understand why Ong Bak 2 is soo highly pirated. For one, its the sequel to the big hit Ong Bak.... number 2, its such a horrible film noone would want to waste their money to rent it or buy the DVD. I made the wrong choice in buying the actual DVD and I regret it. What was Tony thinking when he made this? The story is so convoluted and confusing I fell asleep about half an hour in. Really dissapointing. I much prefer Naresuan or other well made films like 4bia 2 or Love of Siam
ReplyDelete~Billy
trust me, this movie is just sick!
ReplyDeleteI've waited for this movie, and I threathen to torrent it and got tempted to pirate it so many times. Until it arrived in the UK Cinema, and I watched it. My god! Completely mind blowing.
I later watched the pirated version the second time, and all the exicetment I had in the cinema wasn't even there. The movie quality was alright but too much blurryness, movie was 24fps or lower, meaning all Tony Jaa's moves didn't even felt real.
I suggest you watch this movie in a good quality, presumably DvD. But this movie is ment to be watched in Blu-Ray because of the colour toning and image quality.
Everytime I think of this movie, I just want to watch the last 15min fight with Tony vs Ninjas, and that awesome badass music that plays:)
Billy, that's the thing everyone got confused.
ReplyDeleteThis movie isn't meant to have big amazing story, it's meant to focus on martial arts, and Tony delivered it.
I mean seriously, you are watching a movie about martial arts. MARTIAL ARTS, why should you be watching a martial arts movie about story. Seriously:/
I know story is important because watching mindless action without a story is always boring hence Jeeja's movie she stars. As long as the story makes sense then it's fine.
The story is basically decent and over used: parents were killed, boy refugged and wanted to have revenge. That's it, movie was still in production and was stopped during a point. That's the reason for the cliffhanging ending, and the story was even building up.
One thing that p*sses me off when people critise this movie is when they say the martial arts were not impressive!
My god, Tony Jaa is not a circus freak for god sake! Yes those moves he did in Ong Bak were amazing, but that doesn't mean he needs to come up with new things to amazing people.
Thats one thing why Jackie Chan became famous, because of new stunts he performs in every of his movies, so people know him as circus freakshow, why he overshadows Jet Li (who is actually better than him!).
Ong Bak 2 is the most expensive movie in Thailand, damn man. If you are gonna watch the most expensive movie in thailand ever made, watch it in HD!
jet li better than Jackie Chan... really?
ReplyDeleteJeremy