Rating: Summary: "Now, I break you! Like I break your friend!" Review: During the martial-arts craze of the mid-90's, there were few bigger stars than Jean-Claude Van Damme. Though it wasn't a box-office hit during its enitial theatrical run, "Bloodsport", Van Damme's first starring vehicle certainly found its audience on cable and video. "Bloodsport" follows American fighter Frank Dux (Van Damme) as he enters a brutal full-contact tournament known as the Kumatai. Looking back at the movie that I once watched religously with all my friends almost a decade ago, it's probably to safe to say that if you didn't pick up on this one during its time then you probably won't understand it now. It had all the great things you'd expect from a Van Damme movie: Minimal story, cheesy overacting, and tons of random splits. The musical score from Stan Bush and a rather silly perfomance from Donald Gibb are the icing on the cake. Anytime I'm looking to take a trip down memory lane, I toss in this and "Kickboxer" and have my own little JCVD double-feature. Now, if only they could put together a special edition DVD.
Rating: Summary: Ignore the based on a true story part Review: This show was fun to watch. It has a good execution of the formula used for martial- arts shows. Van Damme in the best role of his career. Watch the movie as it is. A Martial- arts movie with plenty of good action. Ignore the based on a true story part as Frank Dux was exposed as a complete and utter fraud. That true story part of the show makes it 1 star short of 5 stars.
Rating: Summary: Awesome action... Review: Is this great film? Absolutely not. But it is 100% entertaining.
I have seen this movie at least 20 times. I'd easily call it Van Damme's best, and place it in my top ten of martial arts films.
It can be a little cheesy, especially the very beginning, but I think it redeems itself by doing an awesome job with two of the things martial arts film lovers love best: training sequences and fighting competitions. It shows a lot of different fighting styles. It has a strong message of honor throughout. It has lines that are hysterically funny, sometimes unintentionally. It has a very 80s soundtrack.
And let's not forget what really makes the film for me: Bolo Yeung, the BEAST from the east, plays Chong Li, Van Damme's nemesis. Bolo doesn't do a lot of talking, which is probably a good thing, but he doesn't need to say much to convey his power. His is an intimidating presence, one you won't quickly forget.
Anyway, to wrap up, great movie because of great action. You will not be disappointed if you buy this.
Rating: Summary: The good, bad and ugly of BLOODSPORT!!!! must read Review: When i first came to Australia some 15 years ago i watched this on tv and back then BloodSport was a kickass movie for western standard anyway... story is simple and straight forward a westerner gets trained by japanese master and enters a tournment to honor his dying master and wins becomes the champion!!!
The good:
Whats good about the film is the originality of fighters all around the world... i know enter the dragon did this first but its exploration is limited only a few fighters enter the tournament but here bloodsport has given more fighters eg, japanese sumo, african monkey style(which seem more chinese), thai kick boxing, brazilian street boxing, and judo, and chinese martial arts all pour into one ring.... what a mix!!! :)
I have reason to think the most popular arcade game "STREET FIGHTER 2" has had its influence from this film but i could be wrong...
The fighting scenes are good for the west this is as good as it gets and lots of blood helps! lucky van dan's basic kicking skill is very good and he's able to pull off all the moves easily and making it look very convincings good... other good bits are scenes of hong kong and its people, the guide for frank and his friend is great! he's line of " we love asian people here cos we are GOOD looking!!" is fantastic really is...
script is well written with lots of funny lines!!
story is ok good enough for a martial arts film... The acting is good though the younger frank seems a bit on the slow side but hey he's a nerdy kids so he can be dumb if he wants to...
The BAD:
there are many irregulars in the film what i mean is he's master looks japanese but the wife looks philippino. The chart of human anatomy on which his master teaches to frank is clearly in chinese and not some acient japanese anatomy chart. Frank's freind the wrestler seem to be a first timer at kumatai but he seem to have seen the korean champion chong li fought in the last kumatai... what's also bad i think is the typical sterotyping of asian and ethnic fighters in the movie. The middle-eastern fighter with a gold tooth, the black african fighter who taunts frank and chong li(korean champ) are all made out to be evil people and dishonourable fighters... this movie has that good old heroic amerian thing here which i do not like... its so typical of amerian films to make other people look bad and evil to glorify themselves and thats is totally wrong!!!
so its ok for frank's friend to smash other fighters face in and not ok for other fighters to hurt him? no no no... it isn't right. but again i understand this is an american film where amerian is the heroe...
The UGLY:
well after having watched the film i was interested to find out about the real FRANK DUX and his amazing records... so i did a bit of research online and to my surprise and utter atonishment it seem this film is a big fat FAKE!!!!!!!!! its claim for based on real life story just flys out the door... this real frank dux is a liar and he's very good at making up stories... he's records and involvment in kumatai is all a figment of his imagination, apparently he's trophies are brought from some maker not too far from his home.. and he has never left American or join in some fights and the whole thing is made up... yes he's record of winning 56 consecutive fight in one tournament is a total bull!!! think for yourself if he defeated 56 fighters just by himself how many fighters do you think is involved atleast 200 to 300 and the tournament went on for only 3 days???? hmmmmm and he's record knock out are totally unbelievable they must have measured him with a speedo gun when he knock out the other guy in 0.21 sec wow less than 1 sec !! must be a invisible punch... anyway i will stop bagging the real frank i guess the facts are never pretty... whats disappointing is the fact this film can actually get made claiming on real life but really total rubbish...
overall... just thinking and watching this movie on its own merits its a good film with many good moments ...
i will give this movie ***** 4 / 5 *****
Kumatai ! Kumatai ! Kumatai !
Rating: Summary: "Now, I break you! Like I break your friend!" Review: During the martial-arts craze of the mid-90's, there were few bigger stars than Jean-Claude Van Damme. Though it wasn't a box-office hit during its enitial theatrical run, "Bloodsport", Van Damme's first starring vehicle certainly found its audience on cable and video. "Bloodsport" follows American fighter Frank Dux (Van Damme) as he enters a brutal full-contact tournament known as the Kumatai. Looking back at the movie that I once watched religously with all my friends almost a decade ago, it's probably to safe to say that if you didn't pick up on this one during its time then you probably won't understand it now. It had all the great things you'd expect from a Van Damme movie: Minimal story, cheesy overacting, and tons of random splits. The musical score from Stan Bush and a rather silly perfomance from Donald Gibb are the icing on the cake. Anytime I'm looking to take a trip down memory lane, I toss in this and "Kickboxer" and have my own little JCVD double-feature. Now, if only they could put together a special edition DVD.
Rating: Summary: A martial arts masterpiece Review: This is an excellent martial arts movie, even by the standards of a long-time Asian kung fu cinema fan like myself. The premise is simple and hardly new: an international no-holds-barred martial arts invitational featuring the various fighting styles of the world. What makes this movie special is the excellent choreography, such as Van Damme's trademark flying roundhouse face-slap. A movie like this makes you want to jump up, pump your fist in the air and shout. It is exhilarating.
Rating: Summary: The Chinaman said: "OK USA!" Review: (Before i review, just want you fellow-Bloodsportians to know that i own Ray Jackson's bloody/sweaty bandana and am selling it on E-bay. or you can convineantly buy it at www.bestheadbandeverworn.bloodsport4Eva.com) ...How do i review such a classic? umm, well van damme DOES do a split in it for one!!! he also challenged Paco to a "lets exchange armpit kicks" competition, and gets so into it that randy savage saw it and it inspired him to record an album slamming Huk Hogan! there's a special feature on the dvd with interviews from the cast. the monkey man said "the only reason i lost is because the kumite had no ropes, therefore i couldnt execute my patented irish-whip maneauver that i have perfected. also, my scene was cut where i hit the fat asian dude in the balls, and his grundle grew a beard and shaved itself because it was in so much harcore barry windham pain! it disappointed me a little, but seeing the small pee pee of Chong Li's in the shower always cheered me up. me and the guys began calling him "Chong Wee". one time, he got so mad that he smiled and gritted his teeth together and shook his head "no" for 11 hours straight!!!(like when he steps on Ray Jackson's head)" wise words from the monkey man if you ask me. oh, you know how "Dark side of the moon" and "the wizard of oz" if played simultaniously go together? well if you play Macho Man Randy Savages album with Bloodsport, then you automatically become cooler than Uncle Jesse and you can actually see Chong Li's nipples blink! and for anyone curious, a few did you know's? in bloodsport...while playing the arcade game "kung fu", Frank Dux's hand-double was actually Patrick Duffy from step-by-step, and Ray Jackson's hand-double was the foreskin of Carl Winslow. also, forest whitaker's lazy-eye was digitally rendered to appear normal like the other eye. Mr. Whitaker took the role under one circumstance: he get to play and defeat Golga in ski-ball at putt-putt. Golga cooperated until he flipped out and totally did a "golga elbow drop" off the virtua fighter-2 arcade game. then, out of nowehere, hardcore barry windham ate re-fried beans and slipped a Rufi to anyone who wasnt hardcore barry windham or Yanni. it was quite a mess nonetheless to be blessed to see yanni undress and find a mustache on his guch as well as his la bouche. listen to the band MACK NORTH!
|