Tuer ou être tué

This is a another martial arts movie in my case a true classic. I've always wanted to see this movie when I was younger, but when times have changed, this movie was listed as a "must see" I've looked at video stores in the past, and had no luck until five years later. I've gotten that chance to see it, and it was worth it! It wasn't as violent like most martial arts films, and usually actions are mostly louder than words. The scenes speak for themselves. The weapons scene was a must. I remembered the sword and kama(sickle) fight, at first, I thought they were axes. When I got a closer look, I knew better. It was worth the watch. Then it was the final fight. The most fun scene in my opinion. It was between the hero and the huge guy. The hero was very swift and very cunning. And liked when he laid that flying sidekick on that huge guy. That made the title the way it is; "KILL OR BE KILLED" I rather Kill! If you're slow, you'll be KILLED! Check it out while you still can. It's for the martial arts minded. Rating 2.5 out of 5 stars.

This movie along with Deathwish 3, Hell train, Commando Amazons and a few other gems are on my unintentionally funny top 10. Some highlights include the incredible plot. The story is of a former SS officer battling his WW2 Japanese equivalent to get revenge for a competition that was held before the war. In that competition the Japanese mastermind Miyagi bribed members of the German team to lose with Diamonds because, as Baron Von Rudolph says "THEY ALWAYS HAVE DIAMONDS!!". Poor Von Rudolph is disgraced and dishonourably discharged by the Fuhrer. 40 years later he is thirsty for revenge. As he recounts the story Von Rudolph quakes with emotion, German war music fills the air and there is not a dry eye in the house. Such is the premise of the competition. Some other highlights include a Dwarf and his doll and action star James Ryan IV dismantling a car with his bare hands to turn it into a sail car for the desert!! Oh yea the martial arts action isnt too bad either. A must rent for the b-movie enthusiast.

If you're not expecting an Oscar performance, then you just might like this movie! Forget the script, forget the acting. Some great fight scenes, some phony karate screaming, and a dozen or so GREAT one-liners while the fighters train will keep you entertained.

This was bloodsport arena-like fighting long before van damme.

James Ryan portrays Steve Hunt, a karate expert caught up in a grudge match between two WWII war criminals, Baron von Rudloff (Norman Coombes) and Miyagi (!) (Raymond Ho-Tong). The two men are going to have their teams of martial artists square off in a tournament, with the first team to garner 20 points declared the winner. Steve and his girlfriend Olga (Charlotte Michelle) try a few times to escape, but to no avail. There's no way Steve isn't going to end up participating. Fortunately for the two of them, they have a helping hand in the form of Chico (Daniel DuPlessis), a put-upon little person who is the Barons' associate.

Filmed in South Africa in 1976, but not released in North America until 1980, when martial arts mania was then in full swing, "Kill or Be Killed" is on the low-budget and crude side. The 1981 sequel, "Kill and Kill Again", is a little more polished. While the sequel blatantly goes for tongue-in-cheek, this is played somewhat straighter - still, there's plenty of time for some humour, which helps to make the movie very enjoyable. There's lots of fights, lots of action - and lots of fun. Some of the acting is pretty cheesy, especially from hammy villain Coombes. The most appealing performer is diminutive, likeable chap DuPlessis, who figures in one extended, amusing montage where he's recruiting fighters for the Barons' team. The leading lady Michelle is quite gorgeous, the scenery is very striking, and it would be hard not to get into the spirit of "Kill or Be Killed" thanks to that rousing music score (which one has to assume is stock music, given that there's no composer credited).

Highly enjoyable for any fan of karate cinema, with engaging heroes and wonderfully despicable antagonists, including one fighter (who kind of resembles Jeff Conaway) constantly making trouble for Steve and Chico.

The ultimate resolution, however, falls short of being really satisfying.

Eight out of 10.

I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs n liked it a lot.

Revisited it recently.

This movie is a self proclaimed greatest martial arts movie but if u sit down to watch it, u will be disappointed cos none of the fight sequence is noteworthy, of course it is laughable.

It is nothing but a rip off of Enter the Dragon minus the star cast n fight sequences.

The film has lots of action but it is not at all violent like Sonny Chiba's movies. What they stole from Chiba are his whistles.

Our main guy in this movie keeps on making whistling faces.

Our main guy while fighting a muscular hulky fella, keeps on jumping on and off a mountain without even touching his opponent.

Do watch out for the desert vehicle n how our main guy fights off dogs.