Bloodsport
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Bloodsport
Directed by: Newt Arnold (only directed 2 other films, Blood Thurst 1971, Hands of a Stranger, 1962, everything else he was second unit director)
Starring: Jean Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb, Leah Ayres, Norman Burton, Forest Whitaker, and Bolo Yeung
Released February 26, 1988
Budget: $1.5M ($3.4M in 2021)
Box Office: $50M ($112.9M 2021),
Ratings: IMDb 6.8/10 Rotten Tomates 40%
Metacritic 29% Google Users 90%
While not nominated for any awards, Van Damme was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst New Star, but "lost" to Ronald McDonald in Mac and Me.
Plot:
We open in an asian city scape. There is a ring that is being built and overseen. A few guys are seen training and fighting. Donald Gibb is shown training and someone tells him he could get killed if he goes to this Ku-Ma-Tae, to which he replies, "Only if you fuck up..." JCVD is shown training, and is told that the colonel wants to talk to him. He tells him he has to take a shower first. Which he uses as an excuse to bail. The Lt goes to tell the Colonel that he can't find him, and the poorly dubbed over colonel yells at him to find Dux (Dukes). Dux is shown visiting someone... There seems to be a flashback of kids breaking in to a house, peer pressuring Frank to participate, when someone comes home they bail, leaving Frank. It flashes back and forth to Dux getting kicked by a kid, looking at the sword and the man explaining, in a terrible asian accent, about the katana. We see the man explaining to Franks parents why he needs martial arts. The boys are shown sparring and Frank wants to keep fighting, but the boy doesn't, even calls him "round eye". Frank then saves the boy from getting bullied. Dux is seen talking to the man again, he seems to be mourning his son. He tries to convince him to continue training, and he explains why he can't because of the death of his first family in Nagasaki, and now his second son. Dux explains that he's worthy of being trained. Cut to Dukes being thrown around a ton. Training montage. Serving tea, blindfolded, and stops a back chop. He's shown to be tied up and stretched out, in pain (?)... until he zens out and pulls the contraption down. Silent acceptance given. Dux is kneeling and the man approaches with the katana, and gives it to him, as he lays his hand on his shoulder in approval...
S:
-Classic 80's movie, starting off with a montage.
-That first real line of "only if you fuck up" is super 80's
-If he's in the army... Is it American or French?
-Dudes acting is SO wooden... Jesus
-The acting... is so bad. So is the overdubbing.
A dreamy transition to Dux entering Mr. Tanakas room and explains he's going to hong kong to honor him. Dux is on a bus in hong kong, when Jackson gets on and badly hits on a woman. A woman in a bar is lookin for information about the Kumate. Dux and Jackson fight each other in a video game and share some respect. Back at the Tanakas house, two agent looking men are looking for Dux. He and Jackson check into a hotel and meet Victor, their guide to Hong Kong. He takes them to the walled city. They walk down a REALLY LONG corridor, REALLY showing how crappy this city is and are allowed to enter the temple, which is what we saw in the opening of the movie. Men are practicing, and others are taking notes. When they give their paperwork, they question Duxs qualifications... Everyone gathers to watch the death touch. He breaks the bottom brick, as asked, and is allowed in, but also threatened by a fighter, "brick not hit back." The agents are in hong kong, still looking for Frank. They make arrangements with the Chinese inspector Chin to help find him.
S
-The guy says he feels old...and he looks the exact same from the flash backs to in the bed.
-"Ok USA" guy... what the hell
-The dialog is so fucking boring and predictable.
-This is every "action" movie ever made
The woman who was looking for info earlier is being aggressively hit on by some, what appear to be, asian/middle eastern men, when one is about to hit her, Dux stops him. Instead of fighting, he makes a bet about grabbing a coin out of his hand before he can close it. Frank wins the bet, he and the woman go for a walk. She reveals she's a reporter, and explains she wants to know more about the kumate. Frank is shown training, doing the splits between chairs, in his room, Jackson comes is confused, but talks to him anyway. They go to the kumate. They explain the rules and how the kumate works. Dux has a stare-down, and the tournament begins. Victor tells them the only way to win is knock out, submission, or throw them off the ring. The men fight and when blood is shown, Jackson tells him, "thats why they call this bloodsport." Jackson fights next. He gets kicked in the face, and takes the guy out in one hit. Chong Li is called and everyone chants his name, as he's the reigning champion. The match starts, and he easily defeats the opponent, setting a new world record, 14 seconds. Dux turn comes and he's fighting the same guy who tried to hit the reporter, and tells him, "now I show you some trick or two." They fight and he defeats him even quicker than the previous fight, although he's faking and attacks again as Dux walks away. The time is displayed at 12 seconds, a new world record. Jackson excitedly shouts, "His first fight in a kumate and he broke the fucking world record." Another montage of fights, some of the guys we saw earlier on, like the guy crowing on all fours.
S
-Jackson is the best part of the movie
-The fights are so badly choreographed, and just fake.
-Everyone has stupidly overinflated pecs.
-The slow mo is terrible, you can see how far they're missing.
The agents are eating and inspector Chin tells them where they can find Dux, who they find. They threaten to shock Dux, and Jackson tackles them, letting Dux escape. Now a chasing montage through the streets and water, which the agents fall in. Dux and the reporter, Janice, are having a romantic dinner; she wants access to the kumate, and she kinda black mails him dropping that the agents, Helmer and Rollins, are asking all over Hong Kong about him... and although she wants to get to the kumate, she really wants to, "get to know him since they have all night." Gratuitous ass shot of Dux, with sappy 80's sit com moral lesson music, as they say good bye, and he tells her he can't help get her in the kumate. He arrives and finds Janice already they're all dressed up, "undercover." The fights start, mui tai guy wins, Dux wins. Li looks unstoppable. He sadistically breaks his opponents leg. Dux and Li defeat another opponent. The on all fours dude loses to the big dude, who Dux fights next, and defeats with the splits and upper cut to the crotch. Jackson goes against Li, which he celebrates winning too soon, Li ends up defeating him, making you think he killed Jackson; taunting Dux with his headband. At the hospital, Jackson is alive, Dux and Janice argue, and Victor tries to refocus him. Janice goes to the inspector... Frank has a very emotional bus ride about letting a friend down, having visions of Li, and Tanaka.
S
-"I aint your pal, dickface."
-The dialog and music is so fucking terrible
-Again, the fight choreography is terrible..
-Learned the agents names when JCVD has dinner with the reporter.
-At the hospital is the first time i remember hearing the reporter/Janices name
Dux is heading to the final day when agents, inspector, and some cops try and stop him, which they don't. He shows up late, and somehow the agents and reporter get in with no issues. Dux starts against Mui Tai guy, they trade blows, probably his hardest fight yet and wins. Li kills his opponent... Everyone turns their back, and he threatens Dux, "you are next"... It's called for Dux and Li to fight; they're in shorts now, Dux also isn't wearing his ghe. Li has something put in his waistband. He tells Dux, "you break my record, now I break you, like your friend" pointing to Jacksons headband. The fight begins, and they trade blows. Even the agents are in for Dux; when Li takes the tablet out of his pocket, crushes it and throws it in Duxs eyes; blinding him. Li gets the upper hand and is toying with Dux. He screams... and finds his zen to dramatic synth music. Catches Lis hand, kicks and throws him. He comes back, kicking Li and submitting him, taking back Jacksons headband. He is shown receiving a katana, which he dedicates to Tanaka. Jackson is shown back to his old self, drinking beer in the hospital. They have a bonding moment, Dux tells him he loves him, and kisses him; Jackson says "me too." Agents are waiting on him, but he's already on the plane. Dux sees Janice, they salute each other and freeze frame to music and text:
"End Credits: This motion picture is based upon true events in the life of Frank W. Dux. From 1975 to 1980 Frank W. Dux fought 329 matches. He retired undefeated as the World Heavy Weight Full Contact Kumite Champion. Mr. Dux still holds four world records: Fastest Knockout - 3.2 seconds Fastest Punch with a Knockout - .42 seconds Fastest Kick with a Knockout - 72 mph Most Consecutive Knockouts in a Single Tournament - 56 Subsequently Mr. Dux founded the first American Ninjitsu System. Dux-Ryu.
S
-Those agents gave up pretty quickly.
-The hitting sound effects... Like a whip
-Janice said she didn't want to watch Dux fight, maybe die... But then she's there anyway?
-Is it weird Li looks like he screams, but no sound. His only line is so bad/fake/voice over
-If you're going to cheat, why not put whatever it is down your own pants?
-That "blind" acting... award winning.
-How many spinning jump kicks before you get stopped...?
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