Kickboxer 4 - L'aggressore

After seeing the abomination that was Kickboxer 3, I was glad to see the Kickboxer series get back on track. Once again, Albert Pyun (Kickboxer 2) took over the director's reins and gave us an entertaining sequel to Rick King's horrible addition to the series.

When we catch up with David Sloan in Kickboxer 4, we find him in prison, having been framed for murder by none other than his old nemesis, Tong Po, who has since become one of the most powerful druglords in Mexico. Clearly out of spite for his old rival, Po has kidnapped David's wife, Vicky, and is keeping her locked up in his compound.

When the DEA approaches David with the proposition of infiltrating Po's desert lair, Sloan jumps at the chance. Under the alias 'Jack Jones', David fights his way into Po's exclusive million dollar tournament, bent on paying back his old rival in full.

Sasha Mitchell is much more subdued in this film in coordination with his character, having been hardened from his two years in prison. Although quite a departure from the happy-go-lucky character he's used to portraying, Mitchell handles it very well, coming across as a much more intimidating presence than in the previous two films.

I personally love Albert Pyun's style. His films may be campy, but they're almost always fun. Just relax and enjoy this one.

many compare hardcore action films like this to porn: you get some action, you get some poorly written dialog, you get some action, poorly written dialog, and so on. as it is with this, but the action is great. Sasha mitchell is surprisingly good, doing a decent impression of someone playing a leading man, but it's his high kicks we want to see, and we get them in spades.

Before i go any further, you should know that this is the sort of film where the plot is put on hold for a few minutes so that the hero can fight a bar full of bikers for no apparent reason, where going and picking a fight with another bunch of bikers in a very public display is the best course of action when trying to infiltrate a tournament anonymously. OK those facts are out of the way.

the plot is some sort of nonsense about a tournament (because apparently former Thai kick-boxers can very easily set themselves up as drug kingpins with nothing better to do than organize tournaments) Tong Po is back, albeit played by a different actor, and the former Goro from Mortal Kombat lookalike has discovered the joys of speech, unfortunately he speaks in an annoying whiny voice. but he is played by an impressive martial artist as compensation, who soaks up damage in the final fight until he fights the hero, one again one of those things. but who cares? the martial arts are a very good standard for a low budget, dodgy film with a no name lead (more or less), and feature some very well done, quite brutal, fights

In the annals of the truly great thespians there are names that ring eternal, Dudikoff, Fahey,...and Mitchell. Sasha Mitchell strives and works his butt off for what Keanu Reeves makes look easy. Complete and utter lack of talent. Looking to all the world like a muscular, less talented Boner from Growing Pains, (you remember Boner from Growing Pains don't you? Sure, Boner?), Sasha lurches through his scenes with the single minded determination to show nothing that may be confused with actual acting. He reads his lines like it's the first time he's seen them, emotionless, cold...like Mother Russia. Are you sure you don't remember Vinnie Stabone? Anyway.

You may be asking yourself, "Bob, why start with Kickboxer 4? Why not go back to Kickboxer 2, and watch the hero's journey that Sasha takes. Maybe you're being a little hard on him." Well, first, going back would mean I would have to tender some kind of coin to view the earlier Kickboxer movies, and there are other things I could spend my money on...like a singing Billy Bass. Also, KickBoxer 2 and 4 were directed by my personal nemesis. Pyun...director of the worst movie of all, or any time...Radioactive (shudder) Dreams.

Hey, Fun fact, Tong Po is played by different actors. It's one guy in two, and another guy in 4...and neither one of them were Asian. so you've got those ugly ass fake eye makeup...why not get Bolo Leung to play Tong Po? At least he's Asian. You know, Bolo Leung, big muscular Asian actor from Double Impact? Hey, speaking of Double Impact and Van Damme....the fact that Van Damme wasn't in any of the kickboxer sequels should be warning enough for you. If Van Damme looked at the script and said, "Uh...no, Even I won't stoop thees low." well, it can't get any plainer than that friends and neighbors.

If you must make a sequel to Kickboxer, why not explore the character of his (Boner's) trainer, Xian played with subtle mastery by Dennis Chan. Why not a tender portrayal of Chan returning to Thailand to confront his father's alcoholism and troubled childhood and the girl he left behind AND his dreams of being a flutist in the Thai Symphony Orchestra. That would be bitterSWEET. There wouldn't have to be any kicking in it. NONE. I'm tired of the kicking. I want to see Kickboxer 5: Xian's Homecoming. Peace.

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.

In Sasha Mitchell's final series appearance, Kickboxer 4 emerges as the most enjoyable sequel due to it's sheer ridiculousness which make this prime guilty pleasure material for fans of this kind of thing. I myself remember this entry quite well, I remember seeing this on the USA channel some night back in 1995. At the time USA was running an "Up all night" program which played cornball movies (Not unlike this one) and featured a nasal voiced blonde bimbo delivering her would be observations on the world. So naturally the audience knew what they were in for. Now 11 years later (After I bought the 5 pack)Kickboxer 4 is easily the most blissfully stupid of the series which I for one appreciate. The biggest problems with # 2 and # 3 were that they A)took themselves seriously B)Had little kickboxing. Kickboxer 4 comes through in spades in the fight department. There is so much karate chopping and brutal action that I couldn't help but smile. Aside from that though, Kickboxer 4 spins it's stupid plot with a a deadly serious tone which of course makes the ridiculousness even more apparent and therefore adds to the fun factor. Plus Kickboxer 4 is one of the most surreal movies i've ever seen.

* *1/2 out of 4-(Pretty good)