Let me start this review by saying this is a flawed movie in multiple aspect. If you tune in for great acting or exeptional production quality, you obviously picked the wrong movie. This is a throwback to those Martial Arts movie from the late 80s and early 90s that obviously look very cheesy now because of how combat sports evolved (UFC and such). So you have to like that style and want that specifically. Because thats what the production was going for and they were always clear with it.
I do think the movie should had been set in the era they were going for in term of presentation tough, either the late 80s or early 90s. Movie is set in 2021 and this give you the first "gotta suspend my disbelief" when it comes to the fighter selection. Ron Hall (Matthias Hues) go on a hunt to recruit what he consider the best for his underground tournament yet half the selection is not very credible for today's standard.
The movie does have a few fighters wich look the part like David Kurzhal aka Viking Samurai, Bolo Yeung son and the vilain Dracko wich look massive and menacing. But some of them really look too old or out of place. I get that they were going for the same vibe as Bloodsport, but again, it worked because it was 1988.
So switching the time era would had been very beneficial especially that outside a few rare uses of cellphones, it wouldn't had change much at all in the movie.
The main character Michael Rivers despite being in good shape physically is on the older side, and has a rather blank presentation. Kurt Mckinney is cool to see back for the old fans of No Retreat No Surrender but he kinda look completely out of place as a fighter in this.
The movie has a lot of classic names and its kinda cool they all have something to do ultimately, they not just 10 seconds cameos, but the way they incorporated also scream a lot of "suspend your disbelieves".
For instance you got some sparring partners and trainers showing up one after the other to help our main character and they all seem like good guys, but yet the vilain don't do anything about it or seem to mind. That was the hardest thing for me to just "roll with it".
The fights definately give that Bloodsport vibe too. Some of them are a bit too short and involve knock-outs straights out of the 80s. I do think they overdo a bit the "get a kick and spit a ton of blood Triple H style on impact" but the "main fights" were overall pretty well done. I was really impressed by Viking Samurai all around. He looks great, his fights were well done and even his acting was perfectly fine.
Matthias Hues as the vilain was also a great choice. Brough some charisma and it was nice to see him longer in a role and rely more on acting that just fights.
Ultimately i did had to point the flaws but what matter the most is the fun a movie bring you and in that regard, it totally succeeded. I cracked a smile everytime someone i knew popped for the first time and the action was plenty and entertaining.
This movie was made on a very low budget, i think trough a kickstarter or something like that, so obviously they had to cut corners in term of the production, so im not gonna be too judgy on the sets and such.
So im gonna give this movie a 7 out of 10. Its not a 10 out of 10 at all, but its not a 2 out of 10 either. Its a low budget effort made with passion for the fans by the fans and it succeed in giving me a cool 2 hours. Grab a few beers, and just enjoy.
I do think the movie should had been set in the era they were going for in term of presentation tough, either the late 80s or early 90s. Movie is set in 2021 and this give you the first "gotta suspend my disbelief" when it comes to the fighter selection. Ron Hall (Matthias Hues) go on a hunt to recruit what he consider the best for his underground tournament yet half the selection is not very credible for today's standard.
The movie does have a few fighters wich look the part like David Kurzhal aka Viking Samurai, Bolo Yeung son and the vilain Dracko wich look massive and menacing. But some of them really look too old or out of place. I get that they were going for the same vibe as Bloodsport, but again, it worked because it was 1988.
So switching the time era would had been very beneficial especially that outside a few rare uses of cellphones, it wouldn't had change much at all in the movie.
The main character Michael Rivers despite being in good shape physically is on the older side, and has a rather blank presentation. Kurt Mckinney is cool to see back for the old fans of No Retreat No Surrender but he kinda look completely out of place as a fighter in this.
The movie has a lot of classic names and its kinda cool they all have something to do ultimately, they not just 10 seconds cameos, but the way they incorporated also scream a lot of "suspend your disbelieves".
For instance you got some sparring partners and trainers showing up one after the other to help our main character and they all seem like good guys, but yet the vilain don't do anything about it or seem to mind. That was the hardest thing for me to just "roll with it".
The fights definately give that Bloodsport vibe too. Some of them are a bit too short and involve knock-outs straights out of the 80s. I do think they overdo a bit the "get a kick and spit a ton of blood Triple H style on impact" but the "main fights" were overall pretty well done. I was really impressed by Viking Samurai all around. He looks great, his fights were well done and even his acting was perfectly fine.
Matthias Hues as the vilain was also a great choice. Brough some charisma and it was nice to see him longer in a role and rely more on acting that just fights.
Ultimately i did had to point the flaws but what matter the most is the fun a movie bring you and in that regard, it totally succeeded. I cracked a smile everytime someone i knew popped for the first time and the action was plenty and entertaining.
This movie was made on a very low budget, i think trough a kickstarter or something like that, so obviously they had to cut corners in term of the production, so im not gonna be too judgy on the sets and such.
So im gonna give this movie a 7 out of 10. Its not a 10 out of 10 at all, but its not a 2 out of 10 either. Its a low budget effort made with passion for the fans by the fans and it succeed in giving me a cool 2 hours. Grab a few beers, and just enjoy.