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Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Alexio, Dennis Chan, Tong Po Wan, Haskell V. Anderson ... see more see more... , Rochelle Ashana , Tony Chan , Richard Foo , Dean Harrington , Brad Kerner , John Ladalski , Stephen Lee , Ricky Liu , Louis Roth , Mark Di Salle , Mandy Chan , Mathew Cheung , Nickolas James , Amnart Komolthorn , Pairat Lavilard , Zennie Reynolds , Richard Santoro , Sin Ho Ying , Montri Vongbuter , Kanthima Vutti , Michael Lee

Jean Claude Van Damme kicks up his heels once again in this action film. Van Damme plays Kurt Sloane, the brother of American kickboxing champion Eric Sloane (Dennis Alexio). Having bested the best in... read more read more... the United States, Eric takes off to Bangkok with little brother Kurt to defeat the kickboxing champion of Thailand. However, while Eric wins the fight, his career is finished for good when his opponent, the malicious Tong Po (Michel Qissi) breaks his spine after the final bell sounds, putting Eric permanently in a wheelchair. Kurt learns the sport of kickboxing himself, so he can get in the ring and teach the Thai champ a lesson. An old man who is a master at kickboxing, instructs Kurt in the brutal art, along with gentle bromides of Zen philosophy and spiritual peace. Kurt finally becomes a pro and lines up a match with Tong Po, but to insure victory, Tong Po's cohorts rape Kurt's girlfriend, kidnap his crippled brother, and even kill his dog. But Kurt is unbowed and is ready for the champ to meet his match. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Flixster Users

64% liked it

49,937 ratings

R, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Mark DiSalle, David Worth (II)

Release Date: September 8, 1989

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DVD Release Date: June 8, 1999

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Stats: 1,645 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,645)

  • phubbs1
    October 23, 2011
    phubbs1
    His second best martial arts fest, the same kinda story as 'Bloodsport' with the same kinda revenge subplot and the same kinda outcome, but its great fun. Watching JCVD get there through some excellent training scenes/tests whilst we learn of criminal activity behind the scenes i... read moren a typically classic 80's way is just sheer joy.

    The cast again is a good mix of west/east and if you look closely many are part of JCVD's stable of faces that are reused in a few of his old martial arts adventures.

    Of course its 100% predictable and virtually plays out in exactly the same way as 'Bloodsport'. The fights all look decent and realistic accept for the final showdown perhaps, some nice music accompanies and a great performance from Dennis Chan as 'Xiao'.
  • FilmFanatik
    December 21, 2009
    FilmFanatik
    Early Van Damme action goodness.
  • Chiefilms
    September 10, 2009
    Chiefilms
    This in reality is around a 2-2.5 star movie but I love Van Damme. Time to Muy Thai.
  • stormyweather980
    August 15, 2009
    stormyweather980
    "Kickboxer" was one of Jean-Claude Van Damme's first good fighting movies. Now he's made several, but this is one of the movies that got him recognized as a great actor and a great fighter in movies. Kurt Sloane (Jean-Claude Van Damme) makes it his mission to seek revenge and ult... read moreimately fight Tong Po, the Thai kickboxer that paralyzed his brother Eric Sloane (Dennis Alexio). But if Kurt wants to earn a fight with Tong Po, he has to train and learn the style of Thai fighting. With the help of Xian (Dennis Chan), he just might have the chance.
    I've seen just about all of Van Damme's movies, and I still think that "Kickboxer" is one of his best. It has a lot of great fighting in it, and the training that Xian puts Kurt through to get him prepared for the big fight was another great thing about the movie. The training sequences seemed a lot like real karate training. When Tong Po and Kurt finally fight, it was some of the best fighting action I've ever seen in a movie.

    "Kickboxer" isn't the best Van Damme movie, but it is exciting and it's one of his best. It was a great movie to kickstart Jean-Claude Van Damme's career as an actor in fighting movies. It's hard to believe that the directors didn't pick Van Damme to be in any of the other Kickboxer movies because he did a good job in this one. If you like fighting movies, I definitely recommend getting "Kickboxer." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000.
  • 76Majikat
    September 10, 2008
    76Majikat
    Ok, so Jean Claude Van Damme, wants to get revenge on behalf of someone close to him, he manages to find a martial arts guru for adequate and authentic training, he finds some spectactular way to show himself doing the splits, whilst having cheesy 80?s love songs in the backgroun... read mored. When he eventually takes on the fighter (who is evil and much stronger), Jean-Claude finds he is no match, until right at the last moment when (through flashbacks) he remembers everything he was trained to do and let?s not forget he does a few slow motion growls?

    Yes this is the plot to most JCVD films and yet they are still my guilty pleasures, for it was these films that encouraged me to watch Martial Arts movies in the first place, which led to my attraction for the East.

    JCVD was in no doubt terrific shape during these films in the 80?s and although cheesy, I always enjoyed the training part of the films the best. This film was my second favourite (next to Blood Sport).

    My rating is based on the impact the film had on me during it?s time of release.
  • sanjurosamurai
    April 17, 2008
    sanjurosamurai
    one of the fighting classics
  • EightThirty
    August 26, 2007
    EightThirty
    Excellent...Van Damme at his Best!
  • LitelBluHli
    August 10, 2007
    LitelBluHli
    Haha...I LOVE this movie...I think this is the only Van Damne movie I like.
  • Deano78
    July 14, 2007
    Deano78
    One of Jean-Claude Van Damme's best films. Has some great kickboxing fights. Done in a type of Rocky style.
  • deano
    March 18, 2007
    deano
    This flick looks a little like Rocky and a lot like The Karate Kid, but it's a step up for Jean-Claude Van Damme in the acting department. Good action scenes and a fun plot.

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Critic Reviews

Luke Y. Thompson
June 27, 2003
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times

It is exactly what it looks like. That can be a good thing.

May 2, 2003
Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Michael Szymanski
September 23, 2005
Michael Szymanski, Zap2it.com

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
August 14, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Spence D.
January 24, 2004
Spence D., IGN Movies

No review available.

Geoff Andrew
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

May 2, 2003
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

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