Kickboxer (1989) * *

 

Directed by:  Mark DiSalle

Starring:  Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michel Qissi, Haskell V. Anderson III, Dennis Alexio, Ka Ting Lee, Rochelle Ashana

My review of Bloodsport led me to Kickboxer, another Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle which isn't a million miles removed from Bloodsport in terms of quality and plot.   It's B-movie action, but you feel some grudging affection for it.   Van Damme puts forth a lot of energy in a plot we've seen a hundred times before, and the villain (like all others in this genre) is one-dimensional, sneering, and sadistic.  

Van Damme is Kurt Sloane, brother of world champion kickboxer Eric Sloane (real-life kickboxing champion Dennis Alexio).   If you wanted to know why Dennis has an American accent, while Kurt doesn't, it is explained that their mother moved with Kurt to Europe following the parents' divorce.  Eric, cocky from a recent win, accepts a challenge to fight in Thailand against Tong Po (Qissi), who is able to crack cinder block columns with his kicks.   Kurt tries to warn Eric to call off the fight, Eric doesn't listen.  Eric gets his ass kicked and is left paralyzed.   It is not made clear whether Tong Po won the world championship, or if it was a non-title match.   Either way, Tong Po tears the championship belt in two and scornfully throws it on Eric's prone body in the ring.

Kurt vows revenge, and finds his way to a martial arts master who can teach him how to kickbox.   Kurt is already jacked, so he learns some moves with the Mr. Miyagi-light instructor, and it's Kurt vs.Tong Po, although not in a traditional ring or match.   Tong Po and his weasel manager Freddie Li (Lee) arrange for a battle in a dark cavern using gloves dipped in broken glass.   There is, of course, a bloodthirsty crowd of degenerate gamblers watching the fight, which make sense because the fight was supposed to take place in a double-secret location.   Kurt also develops a relationship with a local woman named Mylee (Ashana), whose function is to be supportive and to be the woman in danger from Tong Po and his goons.    Would it be a spoiler to suggest Eric may show up to the fight in his wheelchair and lead the Kurt Sloane cheering section?    It is funny to see the crowd cheer Kurt while most of them bet on Tong Po, so they're losing money, but at least they are happy about it.

Kickboxer doesn't try to transcend its genre or be more than it is.   It is thin on plot, but big on heavily edited action sequences with some of the heartier punches and kicks shown in slow motion with Van Damme doing his best Bruce Lee impression.   No one would ever mistake Van Damme for Bruce Lee, but give him credit for trying.