Product: Bloodsport [VHS] (1988)
Rating: 4.0
ANOTHER VAN DAMME CLASSIC
THIS MOVIE, WHICH IS BASED ON SOME REAL LIFE EVENTS, IS ABOUT FRANK DUX [VAN DAMME], AN AMERICAN MARTIAL ARTIST WHO DECIDES TO ENTER A BRUTAL JAPANESE TOURNAMENT KNOWN AS THE KUMITE. THIS MAY'VE BE ONE OF THE BEST MARTIAL ARTS FILMS FROM THE 80S. CRITICS MAY HAVE CALLED THIS A POOR MAN'S ''ENTER THE DRAGON'', BUT IT IS MORE THAN THAT. IT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD, FUN MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE THAT FEATURES SOME VERY WELL CHOREOGRAPHED FIGHT SEQUENCES. THIS WAS VAN DAMME'S BREAKTHROUGH MOVIE. BOLO YEUNG [WHOM YOU MAY REMEMBER AS ONE OF JOHN SAXON'S OPPONENTS IN ''ENTER THE DRAGON] PLAYS A VERY MEMORABLE VILLAIN IN THIS MOVIE. THE FINAL FIGHT IN WHICH VAN DAMME FACES BOLO YEUNG IS A MUST SEE FIGHT. I WISH A LOT OF TODAY'S MARTIAL ARTS FILMS COULD BE LIKE THIS. SCREW THE BORING-A** ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP [WELL, ACTUALLY UFC WAS GOOD IN THEIR EARLIER DAYS, BUT THEY SUCK NOW!], GET THIS MOVIE NOW! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BOLO YEUNG ALSO PLAYED THE VILLAIN FOR ''BLOODFIGHT'', WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH A RIP-OFF OF THIS MOVIE. FOLLOWED BY THREE DIRECT-TO-VIDEO SEQUELS.