Kickboxer (1989) (Movie Review)

Kickboxer (1989) Kickboxer is an American film directed by David Worth that has aged badly. And, alas, when you discover a film from the 80s in the 2020s, it’s usually a pretty bad one.

Good old Van Damme! Do we still need to introduce him? After practising martial arts intensively from the age of 10, he enjoyed national success in Belgium as a wrestler and bodybuilder, winning the title of ‘Mister Belgium’ in 1978. In 1982, he emigrated to the United States to pursue a career in cinema, achieving success with this film which, with a budget of one and a half million dollars, brought in sixty-five worldwide.

Here, his character seeks a trainer to teach him Muay Thai, sometimes called Thai boxing, the art of the eight limbs or the science of the eight limbs, which is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport.

Dennis Alexio is a former professional kickboxer and American actor also known as The Terminator, The Menace, The Portuguese Man of War and Kaheke. After a busy life, in April 2017 he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for several counts of fraud and tax evasion. And it’s a shame to only know or judge him for that, when he started out as the former world kickboxing champion and his role here is a pretty cool one.

Michel Qissi emigrated to Hollywood in 1982 with his childhood friend Jean-Claude Van Damme, in search of becoming an action star. Moving to the United States to pursue an acting career meant that they had a tough first four years. Bloodsport was their first big film. Qissi is a Belgian-Moroccan actor, director, scriptwriter and stuntman. He started boxing at the age of seven. It was in 1975 that his brother Abdel Qissi met Van Damme, who was taking Claude Goetz’s karate classes on the ground floor of the club. The two became inseparable friends His career path reminds me of that of Bolo Yeung, a former competitive bodybuilder, martial artist and actor from Hong Kong. Best known for also playing villains in action and martial arts films, he is considered one of the most influential actors in martial arts cinema. Yeung has appeared in many martial arts films, but his most memorable was Bloodsport.

Shot on a budget of 1.5 million dollars, it became a box-office hit in the spring of 1988. Jean-Claude Van Damme played the lead role of Frank Dux, while Yeung played the role of Chong Li. A strong friendship formed between the two actors even more on the set of Bloodsport (1988), and Van Damme invited Yeung to appear in his next film, Double Impact.

In a nutshell! I’m completely lost in enthusiasm. These life stories are fascinating. But I don’t love this film, although I respect it for what it is and what it represents in the world of martial arts cinema. Totally unrealistic, an illegal sport with illegal punches all right… but, in three well-placed blows, anyone would be dead, especially with elbows in the throat, kicks on a man on the ground or punches with bits of glass stuck on what serves as gloves.

That said, I’m always pleased to see Jean-Claude. He always makes me laugh with his facial expressions or when he puts on a surprised, bewildered or naive face. And it’s a pleasure to see him young again too. And let’s not forget that there’s the mythical scene here of his most famous dance when he’s had a bit too much to drink! This film is reminiscent of Karate Kid, but also of Rocky 4.

There have been at least six films in this franchise and the sixth has to be the one that pays the most homage and is the closest to it. Just thinking that the sequels were without Van Damme doesn’t make you want to see them.

My Rating