This is the French trailer for Tony Jaa’s Ong Bak 2, which, after a six-minute trim and some changes to the score, will open in Europe later this month (still no word on a U.S. release).

Ong Bak 2 had a famously difficult road to completion. Tony Jaa directed, against the advice of former director Prachya Pinkaew. But in the middle of the shoot he had a massive breakdown, fled into the forest and stayed there for two months (supposedly practicing black magic) before making a tearful return to civilization on live TV. Then he presented the film’s financier with a list of demands that had to be met if he was to finish the film; after showing up at a police station claiming that he was being followed by thugs (i.e. his financier’s goons) he just went back and finished the movie with the help of his mentor Panna Rittikrai. [/Film]

But the important thing is that he knees people in the face, almost gets bit by an alligator, and does a backflip off an elephant’s tusk.  And you know the animals were real because this is Thailand.  Over there they shoot with live animals and then cover them in fish sauce and serve them to the crew for lunch.  Then Diablo Cody shows up and yells, “HEY, DOES IT SMELL LIKE MY PUSSY IN HERE?”

In retrospect, I realize this post spiraled out of control pretty fast, and for that I apologize.