Ong Bak's Connection to other Modern Film.

Ong Bak has many ties to other films. One being Lord of the Rings. The character of Ting relates to the hobbits, although the hobbits are strong and agile like Ting they both posses one thing in common: retrieving what was taken from them. Then the Hero's Journey starts. In both cases the main characters are influenced by an older wise man, this again being one common thing between many Modern Films. In many movies this past few years other characters have influenced hero's into fighting for what's right. The Ong Bak Monk, Yoda, Dumbledore and Gandalf all send the main character(s) on a Hero's Journey. They all have a role in preparing the hero for the journey that is nearing, as well as providing the round characters of the "Old Wise Man" in there respected stories. They are the all knowing, everyone looks up to them as a source of guidance. Without these characters the main characters would have never been sent on there quest.

The main characters in each story follow relatively the same Archetypal Journey of a Quest for Vengeance. In all stories the characters have a hard initiation into there quest. In the story of Ong Bak the character of Ting has no knowing of anything outside of his own surroundings, so when he goes to the city he is lost. He has no idea what is happening so he is taken advantage of, by his own cousin Don.  The Road of trials begins then. Ting is pushed to his limits of mentality and physicality, trying to retrieve the lost Head of Ong Bak. This can also be connected to Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The hobbits are given a quest. To deliver the ring, easy they thought but they had no idea of the hardships that would follow much like Ting. The character of Don also has a close shadow in this film as well in the twisted figure of Gollum. Both Don and Gollum provide hardships towards the Hero's while pursuing the journey.  These characters act as the Road of Trials throughout the stories, whether it be the Fighting Ring or the Journey to the Cracks of Doom.

As both movies progress towards the end the characters start to realize that they won't finish there hero's journey unless they work together. In Ong Bak Ting notices this when Don provides his unrelenting begging to fight in the ring because otherwise he wouldn't help him retrieve the Head of Ong Bak. After Ting finally caves in to the pressure that Don was giving him he agrees to fight in the ring. This helps the friendship towards both of them grow mutually. When they are eating the noodles together this shows the symbol of friendship, because what do you do with friends? You eat with them, this is the part of the hero's journey called "The Innermost Cave."