1. Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (2003)
Role: Ting
The film that launched Tony Jaa’s international fame, featuring raw, CGI-free Muay Thai combat.

Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior follows Ting, a young martial artist from a peaceful Thai village, who is forced into the dangerous underworld of Bangkok to recover the stolen head of his village’s sacred Buddha statue, Ong-Bak. With no weapons and only his Muay Thai skills, Ting faces brutal fights, gangsters, and high-speed chases in his quest. His raw power, agility, and deep sense of honor turn him into an unstoppable force. The film introduced the world to Tony Jaa and revolutionized martial arts cinema with its intense, stunt-heavy action.

2. Tom-Yum-Goong (2005) (aka The Protector)
Role: Kham
Famous for its 4-minute one-take fight scene. Jaa plays a man fighting to rescue his family’s sacred elephants.

Tom-Yum-Goong (also known as The Protector) stars Tony Jaa as Kham, a young man from Thailand whose beloved elephants—symbols of his heritage—are stolen and smuggled to Australia by an international crime syndicate. Traveling to Sydney, Kham unleashes his powerful Muay Thai skills to take on brutal gangsters, corrupt officials, and ᴅᴇᴀᴅly ᴀssᴀssins in a relentless quest to rescue his elephants. The film is renowned for its bone-crunching action, one-take fight scenes, and Tony Jaa’s breathtaking physical performance.

3. Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning (2008)
Role: Tien
A historical martial arts epic where Jaa also served as co-director. Stylized, brutal, and beautifully choreographed.

Ong-Bak 2 serves as a prequel to the original film, set in ancient Thailand. It follows the journey of Tien, a nobleman’s son who witnesses the brutal murder of his family and is left for ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. Rescued and raised by a group of martial arts masters and thieves, Tien grows into a fierce warrior skilled in multiple fighting styles. Driven by vengeance, he embarks on a bloody path to confront the warlord responsible for his family’s death. With stunning choreography and historical flair, the film blends raw emotion and epic battles.

4. Ong-Bak 3 (2010)
Role: Tien
A continuation of Tien’s journey, blending martial arts with Buddhist philosophy and mysticism.

Ong-Bak 3 continues the saga of Tien, who is captured and brutally tortured by Lord Rajasena’s forces after the events of Part 2. Broken in body and spirit, Tien is eventually rescued and brought to the Kana Khone villagers, where he begins a long and painful recovery. Through meditation, inner peace, and spiritual awakening, Tien learns to let go of vengeance and embrace a higher path. But when darkness threatens the kingdom again, he must face a final, mystical showdown. Combining martial arts with themes of redemption and destiny, the film brings the trilogy to a dramatic close.

5. SPL 2: A Time for Consequences (2015) (aka Kill Zone 2)
Role: Chatchai
A powerful drama-meets-action film where Tony Jaa faces Wu Jing in gripping, emotional showdowns.

SPL 2: A Time for Consequences is a gripping Hong Kong action thriller that intertwines fate, family, and brutal justice. Undercover Hong Kong cop Kit is captured by a Thai crime syndicate involved in human organ trafficking and imprisoned in a Bangkok jail. There, he meets Chatchai, a compᴀssionate Thai prison guard desperate to save his daughter who needs a bone marrow transplant. As both men realize their lives are unexpectedly connected, they must overcome language barriers, ᴅᴇᴀᴅly enemies, and moral dilemmas in a race against time. Featuring powerful action and emotional depth, the film stars Tony Jaa and Wu Jing in standout roles.

6. Furious 7 (2015)
Role: Kiet
Tony Jaa’s Hollywood debut, fighting Paul Walker and Jason Statham in high-octane action sequences.

Furious 7 picks up as Dominic Toretto and his crew face their most personal threat yet: Deckard Shaw, a rogue special forces ᴀssᴀssin seeking revenge for his comatose brother. As the team is hunted across the globe, they join forces with a secret government agency to retrieve a powerful surveillance device known as “God’s Eye” before it falls into the wrong hands. Packed with gravity-defying stunts, emotional stakes, and high-speed chases, the film balances explosive action with heartfelt moments—especially as it bids farewell to Brian O’Conner, played by the late Paul Walker.

7. xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
Role: Talon
Starring alongside Vin Diesel, Jaa brings his signature fight style to a global spy-thriller setting.

In xXx: Return of Xander Cage, extreme athlete-turned-secret agent Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) emerges from self-imposed exile when a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly weapon called “Pandora’s Box” falls into the wrong hands. Tasked with retrieving it, Xander recruits a team of bold, unconventional operatives to take on a group of ᴅᴇᴀᴅly warriors led by the ruthless Xiang (Donnie Yen). With non-stop stunts, explosive action, and globe-trotting missions, the film delivers adrenaline-fueled thrills as Xander proves that he’s still the ultimate badᴀss in the spy game.

8. Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018)
Special appearance
Features thrilling fights with Michelle Yeoh and Max Zhang — a martial arts fan’s delight.

Master Z: Ip Man Legacy follows Cheung Tin Chi, the defeated rival of Ip Man, as he tries to live a quiet life after leaving the martial arts world. Running a small grocery store, he hopes to raise his son in peace. But when he crosses paths with a ruthless drug syndicate led by a powerful foreign gangster (Dave Bautista), he is forced to fight once more. With fierce battles, stylish choreography, and appearances by Michelle Yeoh and Tony Jaa, the film explores redemption, honor, and the spirit of a warrior who cannot escape his destiny.

9. Triple Threat (2019)
Role: Payu
A dream team of martial artists — Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Scott Adkins, and Tiger Chen — in an explosive action film.

Triple Threat is a high-octane martial arts action film that brings together some of the world’s top action stars. When a billionaire’s daughter becomes the target of a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly ᴀssᴀssination plot due to her efforts to bring down a major crime syndicate, a group of elite mercenaries must protect her at all costs. Featuring explosive action and intense hand-to-hand combat, the film stars Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, and Tiger Chen as unlikely heroes taking on ruthless killers played by Scott Adkins, Michael Jai White, and more. It’s a nonstop adrenaline ride packed with global action powerhouses.

10. Detective Chinatown 3 (2021)
Cameo
While his role is brief, Tony Jaa’s presence in this blockbuster brings extra action credibility.

In Detective Chinatown 3, eccentric detective duo Tang Ren and Qin Feng head to Tokyo to solve a major murder case as part of an international detective compeтιтion. What begins as a high-profile investigation quickly spirals into chaos as they uncover a complex conspiracy involving the Yakuza, corrupt officials, and rival detectives. Packed with slapstick humor, clever twists, and fast-paced action, the film blends mystery and comedy on a grand scale, showcasing the vibrant streets of Tokyo and the duo’s quirky brilliance.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

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November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.