SteinMo What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Micah Lloyd Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

BA_Harrison Although Jean-Claude Van Damme's image takes prominence on the cover of the DVD (front and back), the Belgian martial arts star only shows up briefly at the very beginning of the film, and for the entertaining finalé; the real 'star' of No Retreat, No Surrender is the lesser known Kurt McKinney, who plays young, headstrong karate student Jason, who, with a little help from break-dancer RJ (J.W. Fails) and Bruce Lee's ghost (Tai Chung Kim), helps defeat the New York gangsters who have been seizing control of the country's dojos for use as fronts for their criminal activities.While the lack of Van Damage in the majority of the film could be off-putting for some, anyone who enjoys a large dollop of 80s cheeze should definitely stay on board...Directed by Cory Yuen, No Retreat, No Surrender only proves mildly satisfying as a martial arts movie, with just a few unmemorable fights between Jason and local bullies before his inevitable showdown with hired heavy Ivan Kraschinsky (Van Damme). However, when the feet and fists aren't flying, the film is side-splittingly funny, with lousy performances (McKinney is much better at kicking than acting), a dumb plot (clearly inspired by The Karate Kid), ridiculous characters, the silly supernatural element, and hilarious 80s music and fashion unintentionally making this a lot more enjoyable than it really has any right to be.The film's dumbest, and therefore most entertaining moments include a hilarious nightclub scene that sees RJ busting some moves in full Michael Jackson regalia, and the unforgettable sight of Jason training with RJ perched on his lap (their friendship clearly being taken to the next level).

Steve Shubert Oh dear god help us all... I actually watched this expecting it to be a genuine JCVD early flick; I prided myself on having found ALL of the JCVD stuff, including his early works, even though I don't consider myself to be a hardcore fan of his. In fairness, I must admit that I couldn't finish this; I'm not even sure I got halfway through it. I was expecting "cheesy"—that's part of the reason I watched it to begin with—but what I *wasn't* expecting was "Karate Kid Meets Street Fighter".I managed to watch quite a bit of it before I grabbed my phone and started searching for reviews on it. I finally managed to find one of the reviews on here that confirmed what I had already started suspecting: THIS IS NOT A JCVD MOVIE! I should have realized that when the opening credits started rolling, and his name came up at the tail end as "Introducing Jean Claude Van Damme as 'Ivan the Russian'". However, when he made his appearance early in the movie, I expected to see quite a bit more of the mafia scenes with his fighting; I was a sucker.How the producers/promoters got away with pushing this as a JCVD film, I do not know. But the acting was so horribly bad, it wasn't even amusing, not even as a ... Well, I guess I should take that back; I did sit through "Flesh-Eating Mothers" while playing pinochle with some Army buddies years ago, and I guess the acting here was similar. If you ever watched the extremely over-exaggerated Kung Fu Theater movies on Saturday mornings, imagine that being done with an American film. That's what you wind up with here.I'm tempted to go back and finish it just because so many have talked about the later fight scenes, but honestly... I got to the part where the "ghost of Bruce Lee" shows up and starts training the guy, and seriously...Whoever cast that guy as Bruce Lee must have been guilty of the stereotypical mentality, "They all look alike". Ai-yi-yi... Apart from the hairstyle and the gray gi, this guy was laughable. The constant smacks on the head during "training" were a complete ripoff of "Enter The Dragon", and were way overdone. If you're looking for early stuff featuring JCVD, then yes, this does have JCVD in it. However, if you're looking for a real action flick featuring some kickass fight scenes, don't waste your time with this putrefaction. Do yourself a favor and find "Flesh- Eating Mothers" and watch that for a real laugh.

Zoran N. This is probably more praise for a cinema masterpiece rather than a review. People often struggle to answer the question of what is their favourite movie of all time and often say they have too many they can't choose. No Retreat No Surrender (NRNS) is by far, the number one movie which has ever been made, nothing else comes close. I, like many other fans, used to rush home after school as a kid to watch NRNS on the old VHS tapes. I made multiple copies just in case someone taped over the first copy. Now in my 30's, to me this movie feels like it has just been recently released. Every year I wait for the various lists of the best movies of all time to be released, with fingers crossed, hoping NRNS will make the list. However, year after year I am left disappointed. I soon move from disappointment to excitement by pressing play with NRNS in the DVD player. I am baffled by the reviews which criticize the quality of this movie and label it B-grade. I am now in my 30's and still watch this movie a number a few times a week without fail. I frequently use the name Jason when I introduce myself to people and especially when I am ordering something from Boost Juice and they ask for a name to go with the order or when making a restaurant reservation. The walls of my room display various NRNS posters and I regularly wear the red Adidas tracksuit worn by Jason in the movie. The only thing which has stopped me getting a NRNS tattoo is a rare skin condition preventing me to do so. Jason had posters of Bruce Lee; I have posters of Jason. This movie has produced some of the best characters we have seen on the screen. J.W. Fails plays the inspirational best friend, RJ, who reminds Jason not to give up. And I am sure we have all known someone like the jerk Dean Ramsay. He reminds me of Johnny from Karate Kid who is forced to sweep the leg at the All Valley Championships. Tim Baker plays a superb role as Jason's dad and Ron Pohnel is quite impressive as Seattle's local hero, Ian Reilly. Van Damme is quite clinical as one of the villains and displayed some high quality fight scenes. The Oscar in my opinion for best actor should have been awarded to Kurt McKinney who played Jason. His natural acting ability and skillful fighting techniques, as well as providing us with great training scenes and an awesome final fight should have seen him lift that Oscar. As a result of the training scenes, I can now do one handed pushups and I am still working on the two finger pushup, just like Jason does in the movie. I have seen many brand name martial arts movies such as the Karate Kid, Kickboxer series, American Ninja series, Blood Sport and Wrong Bet(Lionheart), as well as numerous not so known flicks such as To Be The Best, Best of the Best and College Kickboxers. All great movies however, NRNS is in a league of its own. It has, like for many other reviewers on here, changed my life. Everything Bruce Lee's ghost taught Jason, made so much sense and it was so easy to understand. Example: When your shoulder moves, I see it...be quick and direct..unexpected moves are hard to counter. These lessons can be used in everyday life, not just in martial arts. So as you can see, this movie is not just entertaining, it is original, well scripted, educational and truly a masterpiece. A big thank you to Corey Yuen(Director) and the writers and producers, as well as the cast and crew. Finally, a big thank you to Kurt for giving us Jason Stillwell, the greatest character to have ever hit the big screen.

elshikh4 Let me begin by saying that the evil boy was too comic to be evil. And the mike, while being so visible, was too evil to be comic !The acting is dead in this movie. I don't know why everybody was smiling all the time?! The movie's Bruce Lee is a shame. Anybody adores the man must feel rage for the idiot way he's honored in this. Kurt McKinney looked like a young Jim Carry yet dull. The actor who played his father looked 2 years older than him (you can't give birth while you're 2 !). So according to this cast; I couldn't tell who was funny and who wasn't, because frankly they were all FUNNY !The direction is beyond the Razzie, it's more primitive than (Foxy Brown). On second thought (Foxy) shines as a classic compared to this ! There are just cadres with people somehow talk and move in them. The smell of arty is anywhere but here. Yet, the black rectangles, to cover the mike's many appearances, proved to be something I didn't watch in any cinema to date !I kept telling myself during the whole movie; was that (The Karate Kid), released one year earlier to great success, but with no budget, no artwork, and lousy Bruce Lee's impersonator instead of Mr. Miyagi ?! It's now proved that the director of (No Retreat..), Corey Yuen, had watched (The Karate Kid), liked the movie, but thought that the fight sequences could have been a lot better. So why not remaking it within 2 years of it, with better fight sequences and worse EVERYTHING ! FYI it was released in Europe under the name of (Karate Tiger) ! I couldn't stand what's called authentic fighting, since the movie itself was evicting me successfully. To tell you the truth I went laughing all through it. I recalled (Be Kind Rewind – 2008), as if I was watching one of its Sweded versions; which were cheesy remakes of famous Hollywood movies, unbelieving its homemade-like movie-making. It's a rare time when such a movie with low quality spawns sequels like that (4 till 1992). So why did people, in 1986, love this Sweded Karate Kid ?!In fact, it was the age of the American Martial Arts movies. After being used to be made in Asia of the 1970s, it turned into a fashion in America of the 1980s. Rocky (1976) started it, then the boom came with The Karate Kid (1984), American Ninja (1985), No Retreat, No Surrender (1986), Bloodsport (1988), Best of the Best (1989), Kickboxer (1989), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) with, save Kickboxer, at least 2 sequels for every movie. Regardless of any artistic level, the Americans, in that era, were desperately hungry for this type of movies. Because after many hippie existential anti-heroes in the 1970s, there was a need for a tough hero, who acts more than thinks. Notice too that it's mostly starring teens, which is a Star Wars & E.T. effect that clicked rightly. And it mirrored a desire for different taste of action, the Martial Arts, as something else the usual goods of Hollywood back then. Add to that a possible extra reason; concerning how during the 1970s the Asian Martial Arts movie had established some kind of fan base in America, so by the mid-1980s it was about time to produce it yet by American money and talents.On the other hand it assures that sometimes, some desperate times, success has nothing to do with things like artistic level. Or maybe the 1980s was the time of innocence, so simply the innocent viewers loved an innocent movie; not "one for the 1980s" in my book though ! Because when I watched (No Retreat..) for the first time, in 2011, while being in my thirties I got turned off utterly, seeing nothing that could intercede for it. It's for an American-teen-in-the-1980s exclusively I think ! P.S : It's hard to believe that its director, Corey Yuen, partially directed (The Transporter – 2002). Not too hard when you know that he handled the martial arts and action sequences only !