Kickboxer: A Vingança do Dragão

'KICKBOXER: VENGEANCE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A reboot/remake to the 1989 cult classic martial arts flick, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Van Damme returns to play the central character's mentor, while stuntman (turned martial arts actor) Alain Moussi stars in the film, as Kurt Sloane (the role that Van Damme played in the original movie). The story is once again about kick boxer Kurt Sloane wanting revenge for his brother's brutal beating, at the hands of a lethal Muay Thai champion. The film also costars WWE star (turned actor) Dave Bautista, Gina Carano (a former MMA star, turned actress), Georges St-Pierre (a former MMA star, turned actor), Sara Malakul Lane (a Thai model, turned actress) and the late Darren Shahlavi (a former stuntman, turned late martial arts actor). It was directed by actor, turned director, John Stockwell; who's directed such other B-movie cult classics as 'BLUE CRUSH', 'INTO THE BLUE' and 'IN THE BLOOD' (also starring Carano). The script was written by Dimitri Logothetis (who also co-wrote and directed the 2014 martial arts flick 'WINGS OF THE DRAGON'; also starring Moussi), and first time screenwriter Jim McGrath. The film received a direct to Video on Demand (and select indie theaters) release, and it's received mixed reviews from fans. Although it's extremely cheesy, I enjoyed it.

After winning the World Karate Championship, Eric Sloane (Shahlavi) accepts a generously paid offer to travel to Thailand; and compete in an underground fight there. Eric's brother Kurt (Moussi) is extremely worried about the fight, and he attempts to talk his brother out of it. After Eric doesn't listen to him, Kurt travels to Thailand to watch the fight; and he arrives just in time to see his brother brutally murdered (in the fight) by his merciless opponent Tong Po (Bautista). Kurt then wants revenge, and he asks his brother's mentor there, Master Durand (Van Damme), to train him. Durand reluctantly agrees.

The movie is pretty amateurish and cheesy; I'm actually amazed it was funded with a $17 million budget. Stockwell has made much better looking films than this, and so have several of the actors (Van Damme, Bautista, Carano, etc.). Still it is a great homage to the very cheesy, and extremely amateurish, original (which I'm a big fan of); and it's great that they got Van Damme to finally come back to the series (which has spawned multiple other sequels before this). I kind of wish it would have been more professionally made, but I also kind of like how campy it is. I enjoyed it.

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WHILE THE MOVIE MIGHT NOT GIVE AS MUCH AS AN IMPACT AS THE ORIGINAL, I FOUND MYSELF WATCHING THIS NEW VERSION IN DELIGHT. Alain Moussi shows his talent and lives up to his Martial prowess. JCVD playing the new mentor is also a delight, although doesn't give the same feel as the original's local Master. I agree to this change because it has already been done. Dave Bautista plays Tong Po and offers a new and physically tougher version of a once feared enemy fighter. All in all this movie is a refreshing view to a genre that is slowly disappearing from the world of Cinema. But I will always welcome this Genre back as it shows the viewers the importance of training, improving, working and learning. All these which is sorely lacking in todays Movies.

This is a standalone film meant as a homage to all the loyal fans of Jean Claude Van Damme, who starred in such cult martial art films like Bloodsport(1988), Kickboxer(1989), Lionheart(1990)and The Quest(1996).

The film stars Alain Moussi in his debut role as Kurt Sloane. This Kurt Sloane should not be confused with the one Van Damme played in the 1989 film Kickboxer. The only fact common with these two films is the fact that Kurt's brother was killed by Tong Po. The original Tong Po was played by actor Michel Qissi who is of Moroccan descent. In this new film, prominent W.W.E. wrestler David Michael "Dave" Bautista Jr. takes the character of Tong Po.

Van Damme plays the role of Muay Thai training instructor, the same role which was played by Hong Kong actor Dennis Chan in the 1989 film.

Verdict: the 1989 film had a very good plot. This film has a very simple and straightforward story. The part where Xian Chow trains Kurt in the traditional Muay Thai manner along with all the black humor thrown in, is lacking in this film. Haskell Vaughn Anderson III also played a prominent role in the 1989 film as Winston Taylor, the Vietnam war veteran who helped Kurt. In the new film there is no such character.

Though the fight scenes and fight choreography are top-notch, the fights are a hybrid of Kickboxing, Capoeira, Brazilian Jui-jitsu and mixed martial arts. The pure ancient technique of Muay Thai is lost. You should also know that there is a tradition Muay Thai dance done before a kickboxing fight(as done by Tong Po in the 1989 film when he fought Eric Sloane).

The film has some very soft sex scenes for adult viewers. Gina Joy Carano and Sara Malakul Lane are the only two prominent women in the film. Georges St-Pierre who is a mixed martial art legend makes a brief appearance in the film along with the late actor Darren Majian Shahlavi. This film is credited as being Darren Shahlavi's last starring role. At the end of the film when the end-credits role we see the words: "The producers wish to acknowledge the passing of Darren Shahlavi whose talent and hard work will be missed".

Though this new addition will never equal the original Kickboxer film, you should definitely watch it for the new generation of fight choreography and as a Van Damme fan, to pay homage to him for all the hard work he has done as a fight choreographer himself in his earlier films.

It was funnier, more commercial, but not necessarily more interesting, I imagined that this would be a Kickboxer sequel, but it's a remake ... nor Van Dame (always beautiful) saves... I liked the little dance at the end in honor of Van Dame... But very weak...

... and unfortunately a hard film to review.

The paradox is that the film succeeds where it doesn't want to -- and doesn't succeed where it wants to.

For example, as an out-of-the-box version or re-imagining of KICKBOXER, it does not quite make it.

The problem is not the direction, or cinematography (gorgeous), or even the script.

The problem is the casting of the main character.

At no point in this movie does Alain Moussi ever actually give the impression that he is strong enough or fast enough or skilled enough to take out the bad guy.

Think about it. Imagine the Rocky films if Stallone has been unable to "sell" his potential to be a winner???

That was the bad news. The good news is that it was a delight to see JCVD back in front of the camera, playing a super-cool "trainer" and showing off perhaps the world's most dangerous 55 year old.

The difference between a true star and a wannabee is that JCVD not only steals his scenes, but actually gives the impression that HE could win a fight with the dreaded Tong Po, age or no age.

Other than that, the film is fun but forgettable.

Gina Carano is also oddly cast as a promoter who throws tantrums but never a punch.

George St. Pierre sort of haunts the film as an odd character we never really get to know. (If nothing else, these sorts of excursions give GSP a reason to learn English, and get paid for it.)

The love interest is played by an actress named T.J Storm who (I am guessing here) took the part for less money on the condition that the name of her on-screen character is also .... "Storm." A strange kind of advertising for future roles? Also very easy on the eyes, I hasten to add.

This film is no Warrior or Forbidden Kingdom. It is not going into the annals of MMA film history.

But overall not too bad.