Dad Spends a Night in the Mancave: The Protector 2 review

Here at Daddy Mojo we get some unsolicited products that we don’t review.  We don’t review them because it would take time and if they’re not paying then it’s a waste of my time.  We’ll pass them a note, saying it’s not a good fit or have some improvements they could make to the product. With our wife out of town we settled in for a movie.  The reviews on The Protector 2 weren’t kind, but it’s Tony Jaa, it can’t be that bad.  This review of The Protector 2 is more of a warning that a review.  Consider yourself warned.

One warning is that many outlets are calling this movie Warrior King 2.  Even on Tony Jaa’s IMDB page it lists it as “Warrior King 2”, pay no attention to those other reviews that are savaging The Protector 2.

Tony Jaa fans cut his plots and movies some slack.  Since his breakout in Ong Bak his track record has been as sketchy as the late John Candy.  In The Protector 2 Jaa plays Kham, and depending upon which synopsis you read he’s either a young fighter or rural elephant whisperer.  Kham has an elephant (the same one from The Protector) and the local mob wants it.  The mob steals it and Kahm infiltrates an underground fight ring to find out where she is.

I’ve seen this movie before you say.  No, that is actually the coherent part of the plot.  It turns out that the mob is actually a front for a group that is trying assassinate two politicians using the elephant as a bomb.  Factor in some of the worst, out of place special effects I’ve seen and horrible acting from the western ‘martial artists’ and The Protector 2 should be avoided at all costs.

The same warnings that I read I’m passing on to you.  Like advertising, if you just ignore it, it will go away.  That is what’s best for everyone involved in The Protector 2 or Warrior King 2, whatever they’re selling it as in the $5 bin at your local big box store.

There is too much camp for it to be an action movie.

There is too much action (albeit done with bad effects and non-martial artists) for it to be a camp classic.

Don’t be fooled when I say action.  It’s action, but the stunts (except for one or two on the rooftop during the motorcycle bit) are stilted, slow, improbable and CG heavy.

I know that RZA is a fan of martial artists.  However, his role and acting as the western baddie, LC, sucks the life out of every scene he’s in.   His action sequences are some of the worst in the movie and that is saying something.

I have hope for Tony Jaa.  He’s rumored to be in The Raid 3 and the re-boot of Kickboxer.  Fast and Furious 7 has wrapped and he’s in that for sure.  Granted all of those, except for The Raid 3 will have the glossy sheen of Hollywood on it.  Jaa has charisma and his fighting can place him among the great.  However, a couple movies as horrible as The Protector 2 and it’ll simply be a reminder to go watch Ong Bak again.