BKO: Bangkok Knockout

A martial arts stunt team enters a competition to win the chance to work in Hollywood, but instead find themselves part of a gambling event in which they must fight for survival against a variety of foes while rich folk bet on the outcome.

Directed by Panna Rittikrai, the man who gave us Born To Fight and the Ong Bak sequels, Bangkok Knockout delivers more than its fair share of stunning martial arts action and incredible stunt-work, so much so that it's possible to become a bit blasé about the death-defying action that is unfolding before the eyes. With so much jaw-dropping action on display, it's best to keep reminding yourself that these are practical stunts, not the work of a CGI expert with actors performing in front of a green screen.

While there is occasional obvious wire-work used to enhance some of the moves (particularly noticeable in earlier scenes), BKO is still a breathtaking experience for action fans, the relentless fighting just about making up for the extremely weak plot, the terrible acting (especially from the gamblers) and some truly irritating characters (the fat guy with the bob haircut being the worst offender).