Bloodsport, tous les coups sont permis

When it debuted, "Bloodsport" was to have been a story of the famed martial artist and miltary hero, Frank Dux. According to Dux, he won the ultra-secret 'Kumite'...a no holds barred martial arts international competition. He also was a top secret operative for the military and went on all sorts of scary missions in various countries. Unfortunately, pretty much none of Dux's claims turned out to be true! However, I assume no one other than Dux knew it at the time AND the star of "Bloodsport", Jean-Claude Van Damme, was no phony--having been a very accomplished full-contact fighter with championships to his credit. So, while the story turns out to be a load of crap, you cannot fault Van Damme and it's among his best films.

The lead up to Dux (Van Damme) going to the Kumite is confusing....like two separate movies tossed together. One shows him running away from the army to fight in the competition. Another shows him working for years with his Master to get ready for the competition! This was confusing and the chronology made no sense.

Once the film heads overseas to the Kumite, things improve considerably. Dux strikes up a friendship with a nice but dopey lug who is also in the Kumite (Donald Gibb). Ultimately, an insanely sociopathic competitor unleashes EVERYTHING on the lug and leaves him a battered mess. And, ultimately, Dux must also fight this Chong Li. Is such an ignominious ending also in store for Dux as well?

While I am not a huge fan of the Van Damme films, he did make some good ones and his martial arts skills are truly amazing. If you watch "Bloodsport", you'll see what I mean. Van Damme is a very impressive athlete instead of just being some actor....and his athletic skills are far superior to his acting skills. Seeing his splits and many of the action scenes leave you breathless!

So is the film itself any good? After all, we know now that nobody (other than Dux) believes the story to be true. Well, despite the spotty background to Dux and the film, it is a very good film for the genre. Like many 80s films, it has montages, 80s pop music, slow-motion and all the standard cliches...but it does them all so well and Van Damme is so good in the story. Overall, a surprisingly good film that holds up well today.

Bloodsport is an excellent movie, which includes everything a martial arts fan can possibly dream off... Great fight-choreography, excellent filming, fine music and a good story. The movie takes you to a world of fighting where "only the strongest wins". Jean Claude van Damme as Frank Dux, a young, talented martial artist. This was THE movie for van Damme, beside Kickboxer, he has never preformed so well.

Watch & Enjoy !!

In his film starring debut, Jean-Claude Van Damme portrays a martial arts expert who decides to compete in the Kumite, a no holds barred martial arts competition in Hong Kong. This film has plenty of the well staged fight scenes and martial arts sequences that would be evident in Van Damme's later films. A fair entry in the genre.

Bloodsport is, and always will be, Van Damme's greatest display of his martial talent. While it seems to have a similar storyline to other martial arts films, this one differs in that it is based on the true events of Frank Dux, who also assisted the fighters for this movie.

Anyone at all that doubts Van Damme's talent as a fighter, should see this film.

Bolo Yeung also makes a spectacular appearance as the evil one in the tournament. He acts about as cruel and heartless as one can get, and he makes the perfect climax for the film.

If you are after a good quality martial arts film, and you haven't seen Bloodsport, then this is the one for you. If you have seen it, then you will know why it deserves the title of 'best martial arts film of the century'.

An underrated and inspiring film for all martial arts fans.

Van Damme shines here because this role is perfect for him. He doesn't need a stuntman, because he performs all the scenes himself. The choreography is good, as is the directing itself.

The characters are fun, and that's what makes this movie so good. Bolo Yeung is absolutely brilliant and intimidating as the villain Chong Li. The film definitely has charm and possesses some timeless quality.

The film is interesting for several reasons, not only as a film about martial arts, but also as a drama that speaks in its simple way about human emotions. It is easy to identify with the characters, because they are portrayed humanly, emotionally and above all through the prism of the friendship. Jean Claude Van Damme is first and foremost an athlete, not an actor, and this film is perfect for him and maybe that's why everything here works as it should.

This film impressed me because of its charm and simplicity and because it reflects the spirit of another time. The film has truly fulfilled its primary task, it is entertaining and easy to watch. What matters is that this movie can be watched many times and is always just as fun.

Courage, loyalty, friendship and honor are the values that this film celebrates and that in itself is commendable.

A cinematic work that definitely deserves its place in the history of martial arts films.