Kickboxer 2: The Road Back

David Sloan (Sasha Mitchell) is content to keep his nose clean and stay out of the kickboxing business (Yeah, right) and run a gym that caters to kids. However his gym is on hard times and the only way to keep the gym his brothers helped build is to fight again. Enter Tong Po(Michael Qissi) who is looking to regain his honor after losing to Sloan's older brother Kurt(Who was played by Van Damme in # 1) Suffice to say David will have to step into the ring. I picked up the Kickboxer 5 pack because I remember seeing these on Cable TV when I was younger and enjoying them a lot. While there is some fun to be had in this sequel there is far too much plot that stops the movie dead in it's tracks. Mitchell is an adequate martial artist and okay actor but the role gives him little to do and it's only the well staged fight sequences which give K2 the only watchable edge it has.

* * out of 4-(Fair)

I have "Kickboxer" waiting in my TiVo. Should I have seen it first? It's better to watch something new before I have to save it for later. And yet I could have watched "Kickboxer" and deleted it, and saved the other movie.

So this is my introduction to the series.

I didn't find out for years I liked Jean Claude van Damme. And I was surprised this wasn't him. It looked like him. But it was actually Cody from "Step by Step"--and he wasn't a silly buffoon! David Sloane runs an inner-city gym, and he cares about helping kids who are less fortunate. And that's a problem. He can't afford to pay the bills. He might have to go back to fighting, and a tragedy pretty much decides he will. But he has a very capable teacher.

David's friend Brian wants to fight. And he does some things that are less than ethical.

I was surprised Sasha Mitchell was so good as a fighter--and not bad as an actor either. Now I saw two movies about boxing the same day, and Ving Rhames gave a far superior performance, but Mitchell is good enough.

The real standout performer is Dennis Chan as the man who gets David back in fighting shape.

Humberto Ortiz impressed me as a street kid with an attitude who David might be able to help. I would have been happier if the whole movie had been like the first few scenes, with the focus on David teaching the kids rather than fighting and corruption.

I didn't recognize Peter Boyle, not having ever seen an episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond", but it's just as well. He was not a nice man. And one of his goons was much worse.

Michel Qissi didn't have to say a word. He was a real bad boy in the ring. For those who say boxing isn't violent, you haven't seen boxing like this. THIS is violent.

It's not a masterpiece, but if you like fighting, you might like this.

David Sloan (Sasha Mitchell) is Kurt's younger brother. He runs a gym in LA teaching kids kickboxing. Justin Maciah (Peter Boyle) runs United Kickboxer Association and wants him to fight. David doesn't want to fight like his brothers but the gym is struggling. His best protégé Brian wants to fight and even David has to fight to keep the gym open. After winning against the champ, David quits and bad-mouths UKA. They retaliate by burning down the gym and Xian Chow (Dennis Chan) returns to help David recover from the burns and the lost. Sangha (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) has a plan to bring Tong Po to fight David. Tong Po had shot dead Kurt and thereby losing the opportunity to regain the country's honor in the ring.

What's the point if Jean-Claude Van Damme isn't in it? Sasha has just a fraction of Van Damme's charisma. It is simply a waste of time. It also lacks the exotic locations of the original and the fights are poorly shot. Besides all that, the story takes forever to get going. The crux of the drama is the return of Tong Po. That's the villain fans want to see. If Tong Po killed Kurt, I think that's enough reason for David to seek revenge. All the other stuff at the beginning is unnecessary. In fact, they should have Tong Po right at the start.

An excellent sequel to the original Kickboxer. However, what was missing was that in the 1st film, David Sloan was never mentioned. But in either case, Tong Po is back and he's thirsty for revenge. Michel Qissi returns to the role that made him famous!!! Instead of Van Damme, we have the up-and-comer Sasha Mitchell and he is just amazing in his role of David Sloan. Not only does Sasha have a good acting range, but has fighting skills to match. Fight Choreography well handled by kickboxer Benny "The Jet" Urquidez. And we get the return of Dennis Chan!!! You gotta love Xian Chow...still the same old mentor from Part 1...sarcastic and serious at the same time!!! Kickboxer 2 is a knockout dragout sequel.

A solid 8/10. This sequel continues from the original Kickboxer. Kurt and Eric Sloan have been killed in revenge by Tong Po, under instructions from his manager Sanga. David Sloan (Sasha Mitchell), the youngest and last of the great Sloan dynasty, struggles to keep the family kickboxing gym afloat. His hopes rest on his pupil Brian Wagner (Vince Murdocco) who is a talent for the future and David hopes to get him into the big fights soon.

Financial problems eventually force Sloan to fight again in a new organization run by a crooked promoter (Peter Boyle). His surprising comeback ultimately attracts the attention of Tong Po who, having been disgraced by Sloan's older brothers, seeks to lure their younger sibling back into the ring.

David defeats opponent Neil Vargas (Matthias Hues) and retains his title.

But when Sloan announces his retirement after the bout, Po's manager Sanga (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) hires a group of thugs to burn down the gym, injuring Sloan and killing one of his young students.

While recovering in the hospital, Sloan is visited by Xian Chow (Dennis Chan), who trained his brother Kurt in Thailand. Though David initially wants nothing to do with him, he finally relents and allows Xian to nurse him back to health. Meanwhile, one of Sloan's most promising students (Vince Murdocco) has secured a championship bout and invites Sloan to watch the fight. However, his slated opponent is unexpectedly replaced by Tong Po, who brutalizes the young man and kills him in the ring. Now with no other recourse, Sloan is forced to accept Po's challenge....

Albert Pyun takes over as director. The fight sequences are competent enough, but he should have asked Jean-Claude Van Damme for some guidance.

I particularly like the song played in the opening credits: Suns will set and suns will rise, But I still see my brothers eyes, Suns will set and suns will rise, But I.... I'll always see my brothers eyes...

Or something like that! But this on on DVD and enjoy!!!