The Protector
User Score
8.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23

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  1. MortS.
    Sep 24, 2006
    10
    No other fight scene compares to his limb breaking rampage.
  2. b.dunce
    Sep 8, 2006
    10
    Considering that a good 25 or more minutes was sliced off of this movie for the American release, yes it is choppy. It's still one of the mind-blowing action movies you will EVER see.
  3. SeanP.
    Feb 8, 2007
    9
    Absolutely fantastic! Muay thai martial arts are demonstrated here in such fluency that even the hard-hitting nature of the art could almost pass as wushu. Jaa is fantastic throughout the film, and has obviously learnt from his mediocre acting in Ong Bak. Although the plot is limited, people watch films like this for the martial arts involved, and in that specific area this film excels. An absolute masterpiece!… Expand
  4. EdT.
    Sep 8, 2006
    9
    In terms of action, this movie picks up where Ong Bak left off: It's all about one man thoroughly beating the heck out of anyone who stands in the way of his (rather silly) goal. Yes, the acting is poor. Yes, the story is weak. I don't really care. Tony Jaa movies are the perfect antidote to all those stuffy martial arts "epics" that have become so common that you can't even tell them apart anymore. Forget all that wirework. Forget all those breathless confessions of love and longing. Forget those unending scenes of leaves changing color. Tony Jaa is here to dislocate and/or shatter as many bones as possible until he finds his damn elephant!… Expand
  5. MattW.
    May 25, 2008
    10
    Forget the plot. You don't watch a martial arts movie for the gripping storyline or subtly nuanced character acting. You watch it for the ass kickery. This movie has it in spades. The fights are both amazingly choreographed and enjoyably brutal. Tony Jaa is the master of the flying knee!
  6. RandalG.
    Sep 13, 2006
    9
    I've seen every Bruce Lee movie, and most of Jackie Chan's and Jet Li's movies. There is very little swordplay in The Protector so it can't be compared to the Kill Bill movies or the Seven Samurai. Finally, if you consider a movie like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to be a martial arts movie, then your definition of kung fu movie might match mine: mostly realistic hand-to-hand combat. By that definition I consider The Protector to be the best kung fu movie ever made - by far! It is not repetitive at all. Tony Jaa incapacitates more than a hundred foes in more than a hundred ways. And his acrobatics are as good if not better than Chan's. Sure, the editing is nowhere near as good as some of the martial arts blockbusters out there, but that just means the movie is stripped down to the fast paced action scenes. If you like watching the UFC or cagefighting on TV or if you like any of the Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan movies then you have to see The Protector.… Expand
  7. JorgeC.
    Sep 24, 2006
    10
    Best.Movie.Ever. For anyone who loves martial arts movies, martial arts, or just plain ass-kickery in general... this movie is a must see.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
52 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 22
  3. Negative: 4 out of 22
  1. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Robert K. Elder
    38
    Anytime Jaa isn't on screen, The Protector sputters.
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  2. Variety
    Reviewed by: Derek Elley
    60
    Boasting the same refreshing avoidance of CGI and wire work as "Warrior," slickly made production (largely by the same team) is more consciously aimed at the international market, with its Australian setting and multilingual dialogue.
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  3. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Luke Y. Thompson
    50
    Jaa has the skills for the job, and shows them off in numerous fight scenes; it's just a shame that the movie he's in is barely acceptable in any other respect.
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