Kickboxer 4: The Aggressor

I can't say I watched the whole thing but I caught bits and pieces on TV one day. It was really funny without trying to be. Tong Po is awesome, his face looks plastic or like he's wearing to much makeup and he definitely plucks his eyebrows. If it's on TV, check it out if only for a few minutes for laughs, otherwise stay away.

By the time they get to this film in the franchise, the story gets really ludicrous and over the top, with the main character having been in prison for a couple years and his wife being held captive during that time by the man who framed him, who also hoped to have killed his two brothers (before the film starts). Characters make dumb decisions and the whole plot is pretty ludicrous. About the only interesting part of the film is the Mortal Kombat third act (which is also ludicrous based on how short every match is). Thankfully, this is the last entry with these characters. A film to be avoided.

All movies series has to have a really bad entry and this is by far the worst of the Kickboxer series. First of all, how did David Sloan end up working for the DEA and when did Tong Po become a drug lord? This is absolutely ridiculous. Even worse, Michel Qissi is not back as Tong Po. Oh, granted, Kamel Krifa is a terrific martial artist (saw him on an episode of Baywatch) but he just didn't fight the role of Tong Po as well as Qissi. The only thing that's good in this film is the fight choreography, where the fighters use different arts (David and Tong Po are Muay Thai, Thomas is Jeet Kune Do, Megan is Tang Soo Do, another guy Capoeira). That's pretty much it. Other than that, really lame story!!!!

David Sloan (Sasha Mitchell) is in prison after a frame job. Tong Po is still seeking revenge and regaining his honor from the Sloan family. He kidnaps David's wife. The DEA is looking to take down Tong Po who has become a top drug kingpin in Mexico. They send David. Tong Po has a fight tournament.

Tong Po looks weird. He's definitely wearing a head cap and the eyes are bad. I know they're using a different actor, but they really shouldn't do that. The best part of this movie is opening which recounts the earlier movies especially the first one. That says it all. Michele Krasnoo plays the main side character. The issue with her is that she starts by losing her fights all the time. Everybody is laughing at her. I don't mind that the five foot nothing fighting expert has a role in the movie. It may be better if she is Tong Po's prisoner forced to fight. This franchise is losing traction even as a B-movie series. It is slowly dying.

After watching Kickboxer 4, late last night (2am-4am) on FX, my only response is, wow. I thought the movie was fun to watch! The acting was pretty bad, the story was stupid and cliché, the fight scenes were poorly done and I was expecting the main character to all of a sudden say his catch phrase "DUDE!" from Step by Step.

What was with almost every character looking like a famous person? I'm really happy to see Frank Zappa was able to act in a film before his untimely death.

Also, why did every bad-ass character in that movie end up to be a wimp at the end. Frank Zappa snapped a guys neck, then smashed his head into the ground for fun (in an OR scrub) and beat the crap out of all those people in the beginning (in a bright red polo shirt). But here comes big bad Cody, doesn't even elbow him in the face, "I've had enough!". Same thing with the so called "savage international terrorist". He kicked total butt in the beginning and then at the end he scurrys off like one of those flying monkeys in the Wizard of OZ.

I did enjoy the movie though, wouldn't nominate it for a Grammy though. But my liking was mostly due to the fact that I felt like a member of the "Mystery Science 3000" cast, making fun of almost every scene.

And what the hell was with that "hiss" Sloan did at the end? Damnit, i need a cigarette.