Review of Kickboxer (1989) by Clem666 — 27 Dec 2020

Oh lord it's bad. However let's begin with the positive. Atmosphere is cool and accurate, landscapes are great, there are two or three angles and scenes that remain inspired. Van Damme gives the best he can and it is hard to blame him for that. Scenario is simple.

Now tackle what's bad and I warmly reccomand you to hang on. Scenario is way too simple and predictable. We saw this schema over and over: the guy who don't know anything getting trained the old way to defeat a new school hardcore rookie making his own rules and laws. The training part is a huge sequence of stereotypes and uninspired exercises. Absolutely unoriginal.

The movie was literally unable to make me worry about the characters. According to the logic of american movies, when you can't control a mad guy you are supposed to shoot him but when the bad guys are able to do so they don't. The plot then loses all its importance, eveything seems shallow and missed. Bad guys were in a good way when they captured Van Damme's relatives but the scenario just flips once again to let the hero win easily. The fact that this movie ends on Van Damme's victory is a huge sign that it has nothing more to do than to show us the final fight. World does not stop after a single win, wake up. Your brother Eric is far from being healed.

Overall acting is really ineffective. I know Van Damme has a lot to do with this fact but the rest of the cast doesn't help. The only decent ones were V. Anderson (playing as Winston Taylor) and sometimes Alexio (Eric the brother). Jokes are not jokes because not even close to funny. This movie is all about exposing Van Damme's impressive body and flexibility.

Romance is digusting. When there is only one significative woman in the hole movie she obviously has to be for the hero. Other women are a whore for Eric and the nurse getting her ass touched by Eric. Did I mention the plot used the heroin's rape to move forward? Was it even useful? Don't think so. But thank you so much for these disgusting and appalling stereotypes and behaviors, Mr. DiSalle, now go get some basic respect lessons. I suppose the ideas of free women were not that strong in 1989 (that I can concede) but the fact that today's people enjoy this movie is far from what I can understand.