Kickboxer (Jean-Claude Van Damme (DVD)

'Kickboxer' was another example of brainless, trashy, straight-to-video 1980s martial arts film-making, for which its lead, Jean Claude Van Damme, was robbed of an Oscar Nomination (sarcasm darling, sarcasm). The plot, as with every other martial-arts film, is of Van Damme kicking-ass to win a kick-boxing tournament in Thailand, so he can have revenge on the man who crippled his brother (who looks absolutely nothing like him). The fighting here is quite good, concluding with the memorable fight in which they dip they're hands in glue, nails, and broken glass (parodied in 'Hot Shots, Part Deux). 'Kickboxer' is genuinely ...  Read the complete review

Inexplicably weirdly accented Jean Claude Van Damme plays the brother of an American kickboxer in the aptly titled 'Kickboxer'. Following on from the previous year's 'Bloodsport', Van Damme here plays Kurt Sloan, brother of the world kickboxing champion Eric Sloan. Eric, while fighting in Thailand falls foul of the brutal hands of Tong Po, the Thai champion. Po manages to paralyse Eric in the ring (oo err!) and Kurt vows revenge. Kurt trains hard under the watchful eye of Zion in the jungle areas of Thailand to fight Tong Po in a brutal showdown. Here Van Damme is totally on top of his game physically. You can believe that he could actually deck ...  Read the complete review

KICKBOXER is a classic film, whether you're a die hard Van Dame fan or simply a fan of films from that era and genre. With little to no special effects this is a hardcore action one on one hand to hand combat movie. Whatever people say about the muscles from Brussels he is clearly a talented man, perhaps not an actor or even a real fighter but he is certainly athlete. Bringing the grace of a ballet dancer to the raw power of Thai kickboxing only our beloved toy soldier Jean Claude could pull this one off. Although dated both in quality of film and script this film still packs all the punches and kicks some serious ...  Read the complete review

In Kickboxer, Jean Claude Van Damme plays Kurt Sloane, who begins as a corner man for his brother Eric, an American kickboxing champion. When Eric becomes paralysed via a vicious beating in the ring by the Thailand champion Tong Po, Kurt vows to avenge his brother and master the art of Muay-Thai for himself. This is the formula of the entire movie, and is given to the audience within the first ten minutes of its beginning. Talk about no nonsense film making. There's even a token black guy thrown in there to inject further humour. Don't expect any plot twists; simply put, this is all about the action. Admittedly, the script and acting is ...  Read the complete review

Jean Claude Van Damme goes with his brother to Thailand to watch him fight in a kickboxing match, his brother is a big head American sport fighter who doesn't realise how tough the Thai kickboxing scene is... His brother is crippled in the ring by a vicious Thai fighter called Tong Po. Jean Claude finds a trainer to teach him Muay Thai kickboxing (probably the best part of the movie) so that he can challenge Tong Po. The training scene in the Thai temples is quite atmospheric, one or two of the fights are quite good too. But the whole thing is ruined by the bad script and the appalling last fight scene... ...  Read the complete review