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Jean-Claude Van Damme, Roger Moore, James Remar, Janet Gunn, Jack McGee ... see more see more... , Aki Aleong , Brick Bronsky , Jason Cavalier , Ryan Cutrona , Peter Malota , Louis Mandylor , Gordon Masten , Shane Meier , Stefanos Miltsakakis , Abdel Qissi , Scott Wilson , Michael Caloz , Ze'ev Revach , Michael Ian Lambert , Cherdpong Laoyont , Jen Sung Outerbridge , Rik Kiviaho , Takis Triggelis , Brauno Belfiore , Tara Nichelle Biberstein , Anderson C. Bradshaw , Cesar Carneiro , Chai Chapanond , Chang Ching Peng Chaplin , Jodie Charattanawet , Michael Davila , Joseph Dykes , Martin Gerber , H. Rudy Gontha , Han Soo Ong , Habby Heske , Vichai Indtrasathit , Kiato , Camelia Lightbourne , Magnus Ljungberg , Matt Lyon , Manon Marcoux , Emilio Migliozzi , Paul Moses , Ip Choi Nam , Azdine Nouri , Lindsay Sargeant , Kristopher VanVarenberg , Winston Ellis

Martial arts movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme made his debut behind the camera as the director of this sweeping action drama. Van Damme stars as Chris Dubois, a clown pickpocket and Fagin-like leader ... read more read more...of orphan thieves in 1925 New York City. Kidnapped by gun smugglers and then sold to pirate captain Lord Dobbs (Roger Moore), Chris eventually ends up the property of Khao (Aki Aleong), a master Asian kickboxer. His fighting skills win Chris a chance at a legendary contest, a gladiatorial showdown between champions of the world's many diverse combat styles in a Tibetan lost city. Along for the trip are the avaricious Dobbs, heavyweight boxing champ and fellow competitor Maxie (James Remar), and Carrie (Janet Gunn), a beautiful female reporter. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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42% liked it

20,347 ratings

Critics

14% liked it

21 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 33 min.

Directed by: Jean-Claude Van Damme

Release Date: June 1, 1996

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DVD Release Date: January 2, 2002

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Stats: 638 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (638)

  • DragonEyeMorrison
    February 14, 2010
    DragonEyeMorrison
    Van Damme basically remakes Bloodsport, but makes it boring instead of fun.
  • Chiefilms
    September 10, 2009
    Chiefilms
    Pretty much the same movie as Bloodsport set in the early 20th century with a more "elaborate" plot. I don't know why but I love this movie.
  • stormyweather980
    September 10, 2009
    stormyweather980
    In "The Quest," Jean-Claude Van Damme directs and stars in this action movie about a street dweller (Jean-Claude Van Damme) who helps out kids that are on the street the best he can. He accidentally gets onboard a freight ship and travels to the Far East. Some people notice his f... read moreighting skills and he eventually gets entered in a fighting tournament that features the best fighters from various countries and continents. The fighters range from a sumo wrestler from Japan, a martial arts fighter from China who fights just like a monkey, and a monstrous and intimidating fighter from Mongolia. It's up to Van Damme to try and show everybody that he's the best fighter and have a chance at winning a huge golden dragon that goes to the fighter.
    Unlike what Van Damme movies are usually known for, "The Quest" does have a good plot, and it's even directed by Van Damme himself. He should make more movies like this. "The Quest" has a plot, the fighting is exciting, and it's a good movie. I recommend anybody who likes good fighting movies to get "The Quest." You'll be glad you went along on this quest. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001.
  • phubbs1
    July 18, 2009
    phubbs1
    A reasonable cast and some nice looks only save this feeble film. Its basically just a rehash of 'Bloodsport' with virtually the same types of fighters, plot and fight sequences!!
    Roger Moore adds alittle class but thats about it really.
  • deano
    October 16, 2006
    deano
    Van Damme did good jobs on acting and directing in this epic one-on-one martial-arts fighters film.
  • shortcartoonist
    May 16, 2006
    shortcartoonist
    After rewatching this film recently I really had the urge to re-rate it. It was one of my favourite action films as a kid and it has been a few years since the last time I've seen it, however, my tastes may have matured and now I see many flaws in an otherwise potential driven sc... read moreript. The main problem with the film (apart from it's blatant rip-off of 'Bloodsport') is that it loses the plot half way through the second act and continues right through to the conclusion. The plot and characters of this film had potential and with a different director at the helm it may have worked well. However, we are left now with a film that apart from Van Damme's 'Christopher' has a cast of bad characterization, contradictions in character and plot movement, bad use of emotion, and little evident character development in times when it was sorely needed. Van Damme dubbed this the 'Ben-Hur' of martial arts films, instead we are left with the doppelganger of an already established action film.
  • EbertsLittleApprentice
    December 12, 2011
    EbertsLittleApprentice
    Van Damme is great!
  • Lemure
    July 16, 2009
    Lemure
    Harmlessly enjoyable "warriors gather from around the globe" movie with competent direction from Van Damme. Moore gives good support and it's wonderful to see so many different fighting styles pitted against each other - with great choreography. The tone is more Stephen Sommers t... read morehan Ang Lee, but there are far worse ways to spend 90 minutes.
  • jimbotender
    January 17, 2009
    jimbotender
    Seeing Roger Moore on his "quest of regaining the glorious fame he once had" is probably the best thing coming from an ambitious,eccentrically fucked up "competition" of juvenile warriors including Van Damme.Hey,it's not the worst movie ever but the whole movie pack of this genre... read more is generally despicable.
  • NuditysShiver
    March 1, 2011
    NuditysShiver
    The Quest is a chance for Jean-Claude Van Damme and Frank Dux to bring back a storyline similiar to Bloodsport. While The Quest has better fight sequences and acting, the film doesn't have the gusto that Bloodsport had. Unfortuneately, because of this ... read morefilm, the friendship of Van Damme and Dux ceased.

    Christopher Dubois (Jean-Claude Van Damme), abandoned as a child, is a pickpocket and entertainer while taking care of orphaned children like he. They make a living by stealing from the local crowd whenever they can. They eventually end up stealing from a group of mobsters and Debois goes on the run, becoming a stowaway on a ship captained by gunsmugglers. English mercenary, Lord Edgar Dobbs (Roger Moore) and his partner Harry Smythe (Jack McGee) eventually apprehend the ship and kill all the smugglers on it, while sparing Debois' life. He is tricked into believing that Dobbs will help him get back to America and is left on an island around Siam. There he is trained in the arts of Muay Thai, until Dobbs and his partner come back to the island with an American reporter in Carrie Newton (Janet Gunn) some time later. Dobbs informs Debois about a tournament being held in Tibet, with the winner obtaining a huge dragon statue made out of solid gold.

    The competitors that Debois faces come from various countries with some exceptional skills that surpass the one's in Bloodsport. While Van Damme tried to make this film as strong as Bloodsport, the determination was not there. Each fighter had his own style, which made for an amazing display of fighting techniques; even throwing in a little humor among the contestants. As the characters journeyed to the Lost City, we're treated with some nice scenic landscapes of the country. The film keeps up a steady pace of action, with the final stage being completely all about the matches.

    As I said before, while the choreography is wonderful, having Debois battle for the release of his fellow traveling party wasn't as endearing as his revenge for his pal in Bloodsport. His friends obviously didn't seem to look like they were in any kind of trouble, being comfortably restrained in their prison. The people of the Lost City were actually mild-mannered about the whole attempted robbery of the golden statue. Van Damme is still pulling that whole "wounded soldier" gig when he's in a battle, but it surprisingly works because his opponents are no push-overs. The Quest is a stylistic display of filming with some eclectic characters covering an array of martial arts styles.

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Critic Reviews

Mick LaSalle
June 18, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

At its best in its first half, when Dubois has to find his way to the competition in the Lost City of Tibet. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
February 21, 2001
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

With the same grace and discipline that he displays in front of the camera, Jean-Claude Van Damme makes a socko directorial debut. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

The level of high-tension violence expected from a Van Damme film is blunted by poor direction, uninspired camera work, and a bland villain. Full Review

Mike Clark
January 1, 2000
Mike Clark, USA Today

The endeavor looks less like a movie than some ESPN programmer's worst brainstorm.

Janet Maslin
January 1, 2000
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Interesting only for being so totally familiar, even if you've never seen another film about a Ghan-Gheng martial-arts match in an ancient Lost City in Tibet. Full Review

Kevin Carr
September 14, 2005
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures

I rushed to finish this movie so I didn't get a late fee.

Michael Dequina
January 8, 2005
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com

Van Damme calls his film 'the Ben-Hur of martial arts'; boy, is he deluded. Full Review

Pat Kramer
June 5, 2002
Pat Kramer, Boxoffice Magazine

More a study in worldwide combat than a tribute to Van Damme's ascension as a director. Full Review

Chris Hicks
January 1, 2000
Chris Hicks, Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Unless bone-crunching violence is your bag, you can bag this one. Full Review

Madeleine Williams
January 1, 2000
Madeleine Williams, Cinematter

In his first outing, it is unclear whether VanDamme can't manage the scope of this tale, or if he's just a bad director. Full Review

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The Quest Trivia

  • in moty python and the quest for the holy grail who had the the grail?  Answer »
  • Name the film with Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman, that is about a group of actors in a space tv show who get abducted by aliens who believe the show is real...  Answer »
  • "The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife,stray but a little and it will fail,to the ruin of all" What movie is that?  Answer »
  • in the monty python movie 'the quest for the holy grail' what are the knights called who stopped them and are the protectors of 2 words??  Answer »
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