Bloodsport (Classic 80's martial arts)

Watched this on TV, have seen it before but let's face it. It's a classic.

This tells the story of real life fighter Frank Dux (like put up your dukes) competing in the very violent, full contact Kumite.

The Kumite is held every five years and is a invitation only event, it is illegal as fighters are known to have died whilst searching for the prize.

The story begins with a young Frank Dux (Van Damme) attempting to steal a Samurai sword from Mr Tanaka (Roy Chiao) and is caught. Mr Tanaka takes the sword and in a swift movement takes the peak of Dux's baseball cap with one swipe. He didn't flinch at this action and Tanaka recognises his fighting spirit.

As Mr Tanaka is new to America he sees an oportunity for Dux to support his son Shingo in high school and with his martial arts training.

Training goes on and Dux becomes the beating post for Shingo to hone his skills, Dux obviously becomes annoyed with this but there is an underlying friendship with Shingo.

Unfortunately Shingo dies and Senzo Takana announces that training "stop now". Dux inevitably wants to continue training and convinces Tanaka that he wants to do it for him and Shingo.

The next few scenes consist of Tanaka preparing Dux to fight in the Kumite, endlessly pushing him further until he becomes a warrior.

The scene then cuts to when Dux shows his commitment and honour to Tanaka by going A.W.O.L from the Army to tell him he is going to compete in the Kumite, unfortunately due to old age Tanaka is now on his deathbed. Dux pays his respects and heads to Hong Kong.

Dux meets Ray Jackson (Donald Gibb) who is another fighter in the Kunite (he is arrogant and not disciplined as a fighter) and they become friends.

During the Kumite Dux has many encounters with both fighters and the military police who have followed Dux from America to Hong Kong to arrest and return him to his base. Dux actually encounters a fellow fighter first, Sadiq Hossein (Bernard Mariano) who is obviously demanding sex from a very attractive reporter, Janice Kent (Leah Ayres) who is trying to get a story about the Kumite and proposes a bet to leave Janice alone. Dux wins the bet and the heart of Janice by very quickly taking a coin out of Hossein's hand before he can close his fingers to a fist. This is a subtle display of Dux's abilities.

In the Kumite Dux dispatches the majority his initial challengers with ease but, in showing his technique he has a pupil, Chong Li (Bolo Yeung) who is the main adversary.

In the final matches Jackson goes up against Li and initially knocks him down, believing he has won Jackson does some show boating! Not a good idea when you haven't actually knocked Chong Li out. Chong Li then goes to town on Jackson even stamping on his head to finish him off! BRUTAL! Jackson survives but is hospitalised.

Kent then tries to stop Dux from competing any further as she cares for him greatly by this point. Even to the point of getting the military police involved who try and fail to stop him.

The final match consists of Dux facing Chong Li in the arena. They both give and receive blows but, Dux is getting the upper hand. Whilst knocked to the floor, Chong Li takes a tablet of powder from his shorts, crushes it and in preparing to fight on, throws the powder into Dux's eyes blurring his vision severely. At first Li's ploy works and Dux looks on the way to being beaten.
However Dux remembers his training with Tanaka, steadies himself in the centre of the arena on his knees, screams loudly then calmly centres himself in the room away from the roaring crowd. Dux then goes onto beat Chong Li in incredible fashion without the use of his eyes and even making Chong Li tap out by saying "Matté".

Dux then receives the honour of winning in the Kumite from the Black Dragon Society or The Kokuryu-kai as he fought with inspiration.

Brilliant 80's martial arts film.

4 STARS