Behind the international success of Ong-bak were Muay Thai spectacles and the 100-percent real action of Tony JAA. But none of its ambitious sequels succeed to duplicate the impact, except Chocolate, Prachya PINKAEW’s brand-new female Muay Thai action scheme. Presenting a young autistic girl as the “hero,” he highlights the immense cathartic pleasure viewers get when seeing a seemingly powerless character deliver “explosive” action stunts. Her uncanny ability to instantaneously mimic and mirror any martial arts moves, too, is astounding — a part of being an autistics savant. But the breathless pace cuts off the audience from building rapport with the character, failing to portray her inner world. That feeling of being disconnected somehow extends to the actress herself, who is required to repeat the same lines throughout the entire film. In the end, it comes down to consumption, not some enriching cinematic experience. Something to think about if resurrecting the success of Ong-bak is a serious contemplation. (OAK Mine )