Tony Jaa Brought Some Michael Jackson Moves To His XXX Performance
For a high octane action film starring Vin Diesel as an extreme athlete version of James Bond, "XXX3: Return of Xander Cage" is much more entertaining than it has any right to be. With "Fast X" quickly approaching to help kick-off the summer season, it's clear Diesel has learned that, sometimes, there is safety in numbers. Having a huge cast around you helps take the pressure off of the actor at the top of the call sheet, and Diesel embraced the idea of having a team of some of the best action stars in the world come on board for the third (and mercifully, final) adventure of Xander Cage.
Directed by DJ Caruso, the culmination of one of the most ridiculously entertaining action franchises in recent memory featured a stacked cast that included Donnie Yen, Ruby Rose, Samuel L. Jackson, Kris Wu, Toni Collette, and Thai boxer extraordinaire Tony Jaa as a bleach blonde villain named Talon. With the internationally successful trilogy of "Ong Bak" films, Jaa introduced the world to a new form of Muay Thai kick-boxing that relies on vicious elbow and knee strikes instead of the more traditional forms of fighting. It was a new kind of action, and Jaa used his unique style and natural charisma to become a global sensation.
Growing up idolizing Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, Jaa also brought the same level of intensity as Lee combined with Chan's trademark acrobatic slapstick. For the role of Talon in "Return of Xander Cage," it turns out Jaa was also able to mimic Michael Jackson with some choice dance moves that would make MJ superfan Corey Feldman sick with envy.
Hee Hee! Shamone!
Vin Diesel's massive pecs aside, Tony Jaa is probably providing the most entertainment of any character in "XXX3." He's clearly having fun playing a more volatile mercenary fighting alongside Donnie Yen's character Xiang. On the dance floor, Jaa's character Talon twirls a black fedora through his fingers, nailing a few classic hat tricks that are clearly inspired by the man in the mirror. "[Talon] has an energy and a power of mind. So when he is fighting, he's laughing and dancing so he reminded me a little of Michael Jackson," Jaa told The Action Elite in Toronto during filming.
Knowing a good thing when he sees it, "XXX3: Return of Xander Cage" director DJ Caruso helped Jaa incorporate a little bit of the legendary singer's essence into Talon. According to Jaa:
"When he first saw me in my costume on set and I started to dance while doing Muay Thai Boxing then did some Michael Jackson, he said 'THAT is your character! That's Talon!' So I would learn to use Muay Thai techniques and weapons like guns and knives. He would show me how to mix them together and he was amazing."
For fans of Jaa who have seen his earlier action films or, perhaps, noticed him when he first worked with Diesel on "Furious 7," it should come as no surprise to see him embrace dance and fight choreography with the same level of ease. Some of the action sequences in Jaa's electric series of "Ong Bak" films feature some balletic moves from the Thai martial artist that are still mesmerizing to watch today, even in a post-"John Wick" world.
Tony Jaa is the best action star ever
Growing up in Northeastern Thailand, Tony Jaa's family raised domesticated elephants, allowing him to become incredibly comfortable around them from an early age. Coming full circle, Jaa was able to combine his passion for animal preservation and martial arts in the finale of "Ong Bak 2" where the actor is literally leaping off of the backs of elephants and swinging off tusks to launch himself into a flying knee strike. The scene remains one of the greatest action scenes of all time and has never since been duplicated.
Jaa still regards it as one of the greatest challenges of his career. ("There were 20 elephants which were all real so that was really dangerous because I could die!") He also decided to bond with his enormous co-stars for a little bit of instant karma, telling The Action Elite:
"I took one of the elephants for one week and I took some food and gave it a bath. I would say to him, 'Look we have to make a movie together so please don't kill me!' We built up a spiritual connection and I think the elephant said 'OK' and he let me live. We did that scene over two weeks and I think it's a beautiful scene."
To be sure, Tony Jaa isn't the only reason to watch the over-the-top antics in "XXX3: Return of Xander Cage," but his presence definitely adds a little more legitimacy to an action film that features Vin Diesel chasing Donnie Yen across the ocean on a motorcycle with jet skis. Unfortunately, Jaa isn't featured very prominently in "XXX3." For some better options, check out Jaa's incredible fight with Scott Adkins ("John Wick: Chapter 4") in "Triple Threat" or the incredible side-scrolling battle versus Lateef Crowder ("The Mandalorian"). The man's a legend!