PlatinumRead Just so...so bad

Freaktana A Major Disappointment

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Jerrie It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

jordanthomas_2009-346-914758 It's the sequel to the unwatchable Kickboxer Vengeance (which was a 2016 remake of the Jean Claude Van Damme film). It's on the same level as that film as it is dull and lacks any logic what so ever. It stars Alan Moussi as Kurt who is held prisoner and forced to fight. Scenery chewing Christopher Lambert has his wife hostage and blackmails him to fight a steroid addict (who is the size of an elephant). Little is known about any of these characters and everything is so random it just makes no sense. What's worse is the writers make no effort to explore these characters and you'll be confused as to what the hell is going on. It's full of plot inconsistencies and unresolved storylines. To be honest there isn't really a plot, it's just a bunch of fight sequences mashed together. Anyway, it's literally one fight scenario after another, and although some of them are ok, it just gets repetitive and boring. Jean Claude Van Damme returns as his trainer (who is now blind) and he just sleepwalks throughout his scenes. When it eventually gets to his training scenes, it's just massively underwhelming. Usually in these types of films, the training montages are the best bits. When it comes to the final fight the buildup was pointless as it isn't exciting as it should have been. The characters are so one dimensional that by the end, you won't even care what happens to them. Its actually so bad it's laughable. Oh it also has Mike Tyson in it.

Hellmant 'KICKBOXER: RETALIATION': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)The seventh entry in the 'KICKBOXER' martial arts action flick franchise, and the second film in the recent reboot trilogy. This one has Alain Moussi (star of the last movie) returning as Kurt Sloan, who is now kidnapped and forced back to Thailand, so he can fight a monstrous fighter named Mongkut (played byHafþór Júlíus Björnsson). Jean-Claude Van Damme (star of the original film, and the last chapter), Sara Malakul Lane, Sam Medina and Steven Swadling also reprise their roles form the last installment. Mike Tyson and Christopher Lambert also join the cast this time. Dimitri Logothetis and James McGrath once again wrote the screenplay (as they did the last sequel), and Logothetis directed the movie this time around as well. It's gotten mostly positive reviews from critics so far, and it received a VOD and limited theatrical run at the Box Office, before now becoming available on Bluray and DVD. I enjoyed it. The story takes place one year after the conclusion of the last film, and Kurt Sloane (Moussi) is now a professional MMA fighter. He's kidnapped by thugsworking for Thomas Tang Moore (Lambert), who runs the underground fights in Thailand. Moore wants Kurt to fight the new champion there, Mongkut (Björnsson), a 6'8" 400-lb. fighting machine. Kurt refuses the fight, but of course Moore has many (bloody) ways of getting Kurt to do what he wants. Master Durand (Van Damme), who's now blind, once again agrees to train Kurt for the deadly fight. The movie is a lot of fun, and it's surprisingly well made (for what it is). The production values are definitely a lot better than most Van Damme movies. It's of course not as classic as the original 'KICKBOXER' film, or any of the Van Damme classics from that era, but it still does a surprisingly good job of paying tribute to that genre. I'm really impressed with this reboot series so far, and I definitely look forward to the next one.

Steve Mcmillan I guess, nobody should expect much of movies like this, or be surprised when they don't deliver. This latest effort in the Kickboxer franchise is nothing new. Same old story-line. The movie has a great opening few minutes, very well shot action scenes, but then it descends into the usual farcical weaknesses - mainly the poor acting, direction, script and plain barmy plot. The fight sequences are quite well shot, but more attention is given to them than the actual acting and this leaves you not believing in it. Christopher Lambert looks like burst settee for much of the movie; our hero has no acting ability and Van Damme looks absolutely ludicrous. Lots of sequences and characters were plainly stolen from other movies; we have the mirror smashing scene from Enter the Dragon and Van Damme plays his role as mr miyagi, from Karate Kid. No matter that he is totally blind, he makes his way around the world, appearing to be able to see perfectly well, without eyes. So, the plot.... Well, our fighter is asked to fight a 6ft 10 inch 400lb fighter (they've added an inch to his real size for effect), when he refuses, they kidnap his girlfriend and put him in jail until he accepts. There, he is befriended by a ludicrously wacky set of prisoners, including Mike Tyson and Mr Van Damme, who for some reason sucks on a smokeless pipe for the whole movie. I suppose the hat and sunglasses mask how bad he is looking of late, but the pipe is a mystery? I don't need to spoil the ending, as I think you will have worked that one out already. There are lots of improbable characters, overplayed and badly acted - there isn't one who I can say comes out of the movie with any credibility on that score. Even Mr. Lambert doesn't convince as the baddy. This movie will appeal to anyone who likes mindless violence and can ignore the rest of the important stuff.... such as acting. It will also be attractive to the criminally insane and anyone with an IQ below 40. It's watchable, but you will find yourself open-mouthed at the sheer stupidity of it all sometimes. It does make you chuckle quite a lot. The huge fighter that our hero is to fight, is well-known to strongest man fans, but despite his impressive stature, occasionally he looks frighteningly like Ricky Gervais. It's really all stitched together with shamelessly stolen scenes and ideas from a lot of other movies over the years; ones far better done than this! I gave it a four, because I watched it all, but I was close to turning it off after about 15 minutes, because the acting was so appalling.

frompagescreen Set one year after the events of Kickboxer: Vengeance, Kurt Sloan has vowed never to return to Thailand.However things change and whilst he is preparing for an MMA title fight, he is drugged and wakes up in a Thailand prison. His captors give him a choice (if you can call it a choice) they want him to face a colossus named Mongkut and in return, Kurt Sloan will get $2million dollars and win his freedom from the prison hell hole..If he doesn't fight then his wife will die at the hands of her captors. With no real choice to make Kurt Sloan has no other choice but to undergo his most rigorous training yet, under some very unexpected mentors, in order to take on this dreaded opponent.Kickboxer:Retaliation is a fantastic addition to the Kickboxer franchise and a great addition to martial art feature films altogether. With great set pieces including a glorious several minute single take that takes place in the prison, the choreography is top notch for this franchise that began life in 1989 with the Jean Claude Van Damme starring hit. With exotic Thailand locations, fiery fight scenes and some stupendous stunt-work, Kickboxer:Retaliation is a no- holds barred-brutal when it needs to be, film featuring some of the mosst athletic and well trained stunt performers since The Raid..I was a little concerned when the plot was set up that the final 'boss fight' between Mongkut would be a blink and you miss it sort of third act set piece, however I was dead wrong.The finale that will make your eyes water and your muscles ache and whilst I didn't have a clock to check to see how long the fight ran for. It definitely seemed to run for a while but never, even for a second becoming tiring to watch.I will confess that I haven't seen Kickboxer:Vengeance however this made virtually no difference to my viewing experience when watching Retaliation and aside from a couple of mentions along the line of 'Oh I haven't seen you since....' This film stands alone just as well as Im sure it stands as part of the running saga.Alain Moussi plays the role of Kurt Sloan wonderfully and is able to show a humanity one moment, and thro someone through a window the next with perfection. Along for the co star list in Kickboxer Retaliation is Mike Tyson as Briggs, who I have to say is fantastic in the role and does get a chance to show that he still has what it takes to put someone lights out super fast. Also joining the films cast is original Kickboxer himself Jean Claude Van Damme (who also appeared in Kickboxer Vengance) however this time, and heres the kicker (no pun intended) He is a blind kickboxer and still a damn fine one at that.