This past week U.S. moviegoers flocked to theaters to catch a remake of what is arguably an overrated Thai thriller. If you want the real deal, meaning over-the-top action from Thailand, check out these new releases from Magnet. A couple of rules of thumb, though, before making the effort to catch The Bodyguard (2004) and/or The Bodyguard 2 (2007), which are packaged both separately and as a double feature.

First, check your brain at the door. That’s because writer/director/star Petchtai Wongkamlao wants nothing more than to pummel you with silliness. Yes, there’s some romance and a bit of domestic “drama” thrown in, but all of these elements are fairly silly, too.

Second, don’t rent or buy these films based on Tony Jaa’s presence. In The Bodyguard he appears for less than two minutes; in the sequel (which is really a prequel), his screen time is maybe a minute more. In both, he plays characters from his better-known films and engages in inside jokes with Wongkamlao. To be sure, Jaa’s cameos are high-energy romps that are often spectacular—while they last.

Their injection into the storylines only further bolsters a tone that is already far more random than most experiences you’ll have at the movies. While The Bodyguard has more of a story to it and The Bodyguard 2 is more explosive and more playful, both films seem to be patched together in a crazy quilt of sketch comedy and action set pieces. There are plenty of plot tangents and out-of-left-field characters, but if you give into the spirit of the proceedings, you’ll have fun.

So as U.S. theaters usher in more serious fall fare, and genre films will soon be dominated by horror, The Bodyguard flicks provide a nice alternative, especially for action fans. In fact, the first film ends with a couple of fight scenes parodying Jaa and Jet Li (in his Once Upon a Time phase) that are practically must-sees.

The only thing that left a sour taste in my mouth were the hideous gay stereotypes and let’s-mock-the-mentally-challenged gags, both of which are more prevalent in the first film. While this sort of thing is not unknown in lowbrow Asian genre films, it’s rarely so relentless. My advice: fastforward. Doing so will also save you time that you can then use to view the behind-the-scenes featurettes which present a Wongkamlao who’s far more serious than he has a right to be.