Kickboxer

Jackie Chan has wooed me into the world of kung fu, and Jean Claude Van Damme (in his early years) has sold me on kickboxing. In his early career, he had many great movies like “Bloodsport” and “Lionheart”, but “Kickboxer” for me is the winner since it brings you through his training, not just the aftermath of it. In this movie, Van Damme can really demonstrate his agility and skills, rather than simply deliver his classic kick to the face which usually gets repeated from multiple angles in most of his movies. He plays a young kickboxer training with a master in order to help his American friend who was wounded. His training takes him through being stretched to do the splits between two trees and having coconuts dropped on his abdomen to thwart attack. He is young, cheesy and cocky, exactly what he needs to be to sell this role. It reeks of the 80’s with it’s retro music and yuppie outfits, but in terms of its martial arts, it’s up there on my list.