Kickboxer

A man named Kurt Sloane(Van Damme) learns in Thailand the ancient Kickboxing style called Muay Thai for fighting the contender who paralyzed his brother named Eric(Dennis Alexio who was actually US Kickboxing heavyweight champion) . During world championship with the Kickboxing heavyweight champion celebrated in Bankok stadium, Eric was crippled by fighter Tong Po. Then, Kurt is seeking vengeance and he's only helped by an American ex-soldier(Haskell Anderson) and an expert trainer named Xian(Dennis Chan). The film contains some biographic note, as Kurt tells his sweet-girl he was born Belgium and lives in Los Angeles.

The picture displays lots of violence, action filled, thrills and fierce combats. This is a colourful, Thailand set and quite budget movie; leave no cliché untouched , though the fighting are well staged . Van Damme performance reveals to be more of the Chuck Norris, Stallone style than the Stanislawski school of acting. Karate expert Van Damme co-wrote the script along with the producer-director Mark DiSalle .The breathtaking fights are magnificently choreographed and directed by Van Damme. Exciting scenes , such as Van Damme training over temple of stone, sympathetic fights in the bar and spectacular combat against tiger champion Tong Po and the crowd shouting, 'great white warrior'. The motion picture is professionally directed by Michael Worth and Mark DiSalle who tried repeat success with Jeff Speakman but he didn't achieve. The result is a strong entry for action buffs, though strictly for Jean Claude Van Damme fans. Followed by numerous unreleted sequels, such as, Kickboxer II, the road back directed by Albert Pyun with Sasha Mitchell; II Art of war directed by Rick King with Michell; IV by Albert Pyun with Mitchell; V by Kristine Petersen with Mark Dacascos.

This is a splendid movie. It's van Damme exactly as I want to see him, with great martial arts action, a decent plot (even if it's not original at all), cool characters and a great 80's soundtrack. The movie is somewhat different from Bloodsport. Of course there are similarities too, like an evil fighting champion that van Damme is fighting. But this movie hasn't nearly as many fights as Bloodsport. Instead, it's more focus on training here. The training scenes are visually very good, and with really cool background music. Even though I had expected more fighting instead of this, there's no doubt that this is a great movie in it's own way.

Kickboxer (1989) was another in a long line of star vehicles for the "Muscles from Brussels". In this picture J.C.V.D. plays the younger brother of a unbeaten American kick boxer who lusts for some real competition. So he decides to go to the home of Muay Thai kick boxing, Thailand. There he realizes that he doesn't know squat about the true art of kick boxing. He learns a painful lesson. His younger brother decides to learn Muay Thai and avenge his brother's honor.

Not a bad movie. Entertaining and a good time waster. But for some reason the producers decided to franchise out this series. The rest of the films are a mixed bag at best. The more they made the least interesting they became until the final results were unwatchable. As always with these films the first film is usually the best of the bunch. Jean-Claude plays his character with a thick euro-accent (I forgot how they explained it). He's physically impressive so it's kind of hard to swallow his naiveté about fighting and what not. Or well. Fun for all.

Recommended.

This movie is really good and its about a Kickboxer and his brother who go to Thailand to fight the Thai Kick boxing champion and the American Kickboxer loses and ends up being paralyzed and then his brother gos and gets kick boxing training in a remote part of Thailand to revenge his brother.There are heaps of good scenes in this movie like all of the scenes of the city Bangkok and of all of the beautiful temples and the great fight scenes in the end of the movie.This movie stars good actors like the great action star Jean-Claude Van Damme,Dennis Chan,Dennis Alexio,Michel Qissi and Haskell V. Anderson The III.Kickboxer is one of Vam Dammes best movies and so are the movies Blood Sport,Nowhere To Run,TimeCop,The Quest and Hard Target.Over all this movie was good with NEVER a boring scene and my rating is 7 out of 10.

Well not as good as Bloodsports, but i think this is the next best movie of van damme, very good action.

A Classic scene when van damme is dancing in the bar drunk, thats one part i will never forget too damn funny!! that part is worth the price of the movie