International martial arts superstar, Jean Claude Van Damme, is going to take a stab (or should I say jab?) at the small screen in one of Amazon Video’s upcoming series, “Jean Claude Van Johnson”. JCVD plays a fictionalized version of himself who also moonlights as the most dangerous undercover contractor in the world. After having since been retired from the ‘contracting’ business, he is brought back into the fray after an encounter with a lost love.
Check out the teaser below.
The series will also star Kat Foster, Moises Arias, and Phylicia Rashad. The show will be executive produced by Peter Atencio (“Key and Peele”), Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, and JCVD himself. Atencio directed the pilot, which was written by Dave Callaham (“Mortal Kombat”).
“Jean Claude Van Johnson” will debut on Amazon Video on August 19th along with the comic book superhero series, “The Tick”, and the comedy series “I Love Dick”.
What? You don’t recognize the Lambert name? Shame on you! Ok, not really. Lambert is best known for playing an immortal in “Highlander” and Lord Raiden (the God of Thunder) in the 1995 video game movie adaptation — “Mortal Kombat”.
What better way than to bring Lambert back into the limelight than by having him team up with international martial arts legend, Jean Claude Van Damme (who, rather ironically, played Guile in the video game movie adaptation “Street Fighter” (1994)?
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. The crazy doesn’t end there though. Lambert is set to portray a villain in a sequel to a rebooted series that hasn’t even come out yet. This rebooted series begins with “Kickboxer: Vengeance”, which is set to come out in theaters on September 2nd. ‘Vengeance’ will star JCVD, Dave Bautista, Gina Carano and Alain Moussi. Check out the trailer for “Kickboxer: Vengeance” below!
The producers believe ‘Vengeance’ will be a big enough hit that they have already started principal photography on the sequel, “Kickboxer: Retaliation”. The cast continues to get more interesting though. “Game of Thrones” star Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (The Mountain) will be set as the movie big bad, with Lambert playing a godfather of underground fighting and a scientist who helped create Bjornsson’s character using HGH, steroids, etc.
Classic JCVD in “Kickboxer” (1989).
‘Vengeance’ is directed by John Stockwell (“Into the Blue”, “Blue Crush”). Well, at least I really enjoyed “Blue Crush”. The sequel, ‘Retaliation’, is set to be directed by Dimitri Logothetis.
I’m surprised there isn’t a movie title predictor for Jean Claude Van Damme’s upcoming movies. Just saying. A betting man would find as many synonyms for ‘revenge’ as possible.
From AH-nold to Van Dammaging, this is the ‘definitive’ list of no holds barred, manlier than manlier, high kicking, and needless explosion-y movies (that’ll make most women roll their eyes in complete annoyance), well, until next year or something.
Now, I do not take this task (which I brought upon myself) lightly. The people must know! There is something undeniably therapeutic when watching people tear each other apart. Whether this is to avenge a death or to prevent a post-apocalyptic future from occurring, these movies more often than not require multiple viewings.
My criteria (or benchmarks) in gathering this “Ultimate List” stems from various factors: top notch action (duh!), story, style and even some one-liners. I need to also mention that a lot of these movies are in different genres as well – sci fi/action, action/drama, fantasy/action, superhero/action, etc. You get it.
Counting down…..
11. The Raid 2
You want elaborate martial arts sequences and bone crushing moves? Look no further. This is the ‘godfather’ of martial arts movies (I’m serious). The highly popular Indonesian movie has made waves internationally and even made way for its actors/martial artists (Iko Uwais,Yayan Ruhian) to appear in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, albeit briefly. I’ve included a clip from the film to entice you. I literally had to pull my jaw from the floor after witnessing these intricate, highly stylized action sequences. Get over your hesitation of subtitled movies. If you don’t, you’ll miss out on a lot of great movies, including this gem.
10. Lethal Weapon
“I’m too old for this sh*t” – Murtaugh (Danny Glover)
This is the best buddy cop movie ever (“Lethal Weapon 2” is a close follow up). This is the movie that would later help define what a buddy cop movie should entail – reluctant partners who form a meaningful relationship, one liners, chase scenes and explosions. Not only that, this is Mel Gibson in top form. Say what you will of the guy as of late, but when you can actually ‘act’ in an action movie, it makes it all the better. The story focuses on Riggs, a LA cop who just loses his wife. Riggs, who is now understandably volatile, is reassigned to a new partner – a family man that is near retirement – Murtaugh. Together they form a bond while also uncovering a huge drug trafficking ring led by Gary ‘freakin’ Busey.
9. The Dark Knight
“Where’s Rachel?!!” – Batman (Christian Bale)
Not only is this one of the best superhero films to date, it also features breathtaking set pieces in which the action takes place. In the movie (if by some weird circumstance you haven’t seen the film), Batman is challenged by a villain like never before, the Joker. He would rather watch the world burn and gets off by toying with people, especially Bats and Harvey Dent. He presents them with a moral dilemma to see if he can ‘corrupt them’. A fascinating tale and look into a conflicted Batman and his deeper, moral fiber. Also, let’s not forget the snatch and grab scene in Tokyo, Bats battling a bunch of guys using cell phone sonar signals, or the chase scene that ultimately lead to Bats using his bat bike.
8. Rambo: First Blood
“Why you gotta be pushing me?” – John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone)
When a war veteran, John Rambo (Stallone), goes looking for a friend in a small Washington town, he ends up meeting Sheriff Teasle (Brian Dennehy), who sees him as a threat to the peaceful way of life. When Teasle and his fellow officers try to take him in and clean him up, Rambo has PTSD of his time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and unleashes his fury on the entire department. This sets up a man hunt throughout the mountains and, consequently, a one man war against Teasle and the entire police department. However, Rambo’s affliction runs deeper than anyone else really knows. Not only can Rambo fight but he can survive….anywhere. This makes him a total bada$$. Gosh, I wish I had his knife – it comes with a rope and a compass. There’s a reason there’s three sequels to this movie.
7. Bloodsport
“You’re Next!” – Chun Li (Bolo Yeung)
This is what made Jean Claude Van Damme, the muscles from Brussels, an international superstar. An underground fighting tournament is held in Hong Kong every year and Frank Dux (JCVD) attends to honor his shidoshi (master). Along the way, he meets a brash, goofy fellow competitor, Jackson (played by Donald Gibb) while also trying to thwart military officers (Forest Whitaker and Norman Burton) who want him for going AWOL. What makes this one of the best action movies? Van Damme. Sure, he can’t act but his athleticism and martial arts skills are of such a high caliber that he transcends as a major star. Of course, there are the varieties of different martial artists in this that include: a Thai kickboxer, a monkey style fighter, a sumo wrestler, and kung fu fighters. My favorite scene is the unorthodox training of Frank Dux (a la learning how to fight while blindfolded and that machine that enables him to do the splits) as it was integral in him defeating Chun Li (sorry, spoiler!) after a substance temporarily blinds him. Not to mention, the movie has a kick a$$ soundtrack that always gets me in the mood to work out!
6. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
“Come with me if you want to live.” – T800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger)
Yes, I believe this is the superior film of the film series. Even the special effects of this still resonate today. Man, liquid metal never looked so cool. Arnie is a good T-800 this go around who is sent back in time and must protect John Connor to ensure there is a resistance against the machines in the future. Things get muddled when the machines send back a more advanced robot – the T1000 (Robert Patrick). Excellent action sequences are highlighted by the one on one robot smack downs and basically whenever Arnie shoots off any large gun. A huge plus goes to Arnie as his wooden acting plays well to his T800 character. Just ignore any of the ‘Terminator’ films that came after this.
5. Die Hard
“Do you really think you have a chance against us, Mr. Cowboy?” – Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman)
This is one of the all-time classics. An on vacation cop, John McClane (Bruce Willis), visits his estranged wife on Christmas Eve while at her corporate party at a Japanese owned high rise. Things are fine until terrorists crash the party and take everyone hostage. Eventually, McClane realizes he’s the only one to save them. Who can forget that fight between McClane and Karl or the mere fact that he’s running around slaying the bad guys with no shoes on? This is chalk full of suspense and, yes, many one-liners. One of the best Christmas movies out there (although my personal favorite Christmas movie remains “Bad Santa”).
4. Face/Off
“Interception. Looks like our side’s got the ball.” – Castor Troy as Sean Archer (John Travolta)
How can I not include this movie? You’ve got a whacky Nicolas Cage and a whimsical Travolta. Yes, people complain about the implausibility of the premise – switching faces and what not (hmm… isn’t “Game of Thrones” exploring that with the Faceless God?). They are sadly missing the point here. In order to have fun with this movie, you have to overlook this and play what the notion of ‘what if’. What if my worst enemy (do people have a lot of enemies?) and myself switched bodies? The ramifications would be tremendous. That’s why this movie stands on its own.
The premise centers on an FBI agent, Sean Archer (Travolta), who goes after a global terrorist, Castor Troy (Cage), who also killed his son. As the film’s tagline would suggest, ‘in order to defeat him, I must become him’. If only I used the same M.O. with my enemies!
Moreover, initial casting of this movie was going to be Sylvester Stallone and Arnie Schwarzenegger. Can you imagine? Anyways, with Travolta and Cage we at least get stronger performances that help carry the emotional turmoil these characters go through.
3. Raiders of the Lost Ark
“I hate snakes, Jock!” – Indiana Jones
Renowned archeologist, Dr. Jones, is hired by the US government to obtain the Ark of the Covenant, which supposedly still holds the Ten Commandments. It just so happens that Hitler’s officers are also after the same thing. Together, with the help of his ex-flame, the two go on a globetrotting adventure while also playing a cat and mouse game with the Nazis. Filled with complex action sequences (especially that chase scene), fist fights and that famous scene where Indy shoots a man with sword skills. To me, this is my favorite character that Harrison Ford plays.
2. The Matrix
“Are you telling me I can dodge bullets?” – Neo (Keanu Reeves)
Forget the sequels. When you entice your audience so much and grandstand with a plethora of ideas, any attempt at answering the questions you raise will only be met with much criticism. Look, movies should ‘entice’ us to think differently, but it is when they take a firm position on anything, they throw out anyone’s preconceived notions that they had answered in their heads. Anyways, to include this movie is a no-brainer. It has everything you want. Incredible visuals, top notch fight sequences, and an original plot line that intrigues us. Neo is a lonely computer programmer/hacker that always felt like his life was ‘amiss’. This is the case until he meets the mysterious Morpheus, who informs him that he has been living in a dream world constructed by machines. On top of that, he finds out that he is the prophesized ‘one’ who will lead to resistance against the machines. The film makes us question our reality and our purpose. Large scale ideas mixed with interesting characters and action/adventure, and you have got a hit.
1. Point Break
“Wars of religion always make me laugh because basically you’re fighting over who has the best imaginary friend.” – Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves)
The framework for this masterpiece was actually stolen by the “The Fast and Furious” movie. An undercover FBI agent, Johnny Utah (Reeves), is tasked with investigating potential bank robbers – that also wear US presidents’ masks. As his lead hints that the robbers may also be surfers, he tries to get in good with the local surfers. This puts him into contact with the ultra-cool Bodhi Satva (Patrick Swayze). The two form a highly unique friendship, one that sees Utah changing his outlook on life and becoming an adrenaline junkie to experience his spiritual side. With that, the other dimension of this movie separates it from the pack because not only do we get excellent surfing and sky diving scenes, but there is an embedded philosophical take on how being close to injury or death is what it means to feel alive.
Outside of this, we have a bunch of awesome one-liners and a zangy Gary Busey, who plays Utah’s partner, Pappas. Think, this is the same year (1991) that Keanu Reeves starred in “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey”. Right around this time, Reeves was being eyed for more serious roles that eventually paved the way for stardom with films like “Speed”, “The Matrix”, and “John Wick”.
So, there you have it. I’m positive I left a movie out that I’m sure someone will give me hell for. Oh, and yes, “Point Break” is my favorite action movie. It has everything that I love – action, bromance, spiritualism, adrenaline filled stunts, and one-liners.
Feel like I left something out? Let me know via @popculturecrunc , @nitropetersen or feel free to drop a comment below or email us at pccbits@gmail.com.
This edition pits two movies that largely take place in prisons! We have “Tango and Cash”(1989), a movie that teamed Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell, and “Death Warrant”(1990), a movie that helped solidify Jean Claude Van Damme as an international action superstar. Other similarity is the fact that these are straight up action movies. It’s one-liners and high flying kicks in this showdown!
Round 1 – Story
As outlandish as both of these films are, you can’t help but admire that they are fun to watch. After all, the greatest thing about movies is the idea that it offers an escape. From that standpoint, both of these films succeed. The plot is almost always plain vanilla with action movies and that’s alright! Give me the one-liners and ‘splosions! However, there must be a victor in this round.
“Tango and Cash”
Well, my gun is bigger than yours!
Captain Schroeder: If you really wanted to stare death in the eye, you shoulda gotten married.
Two prominent cops in California are known for ceasing tons of drugs from reaching the streets. One of them is Lietenant Ray Tango (Stallone) from Beverly Hills, an uptight cop who also plays the stock market and Gabriel Cash (Russell) from Downtown L.A., who plays it loose and could really care less about how he’s perceived by the public. Of course, both Tango and Cash are set up for murder and end up being transferred to a maximum-security prison (which is where many of the criminals Cash and Tango put away in the past). As you can imagine, many of the criminals have it out for the former cops and make elaborate deals with the prison guards so that they can have their way with them. Cash remains determined to get out and works with Tango to do just that. Together, they go after the people that were instrumental in them being set up and, ultimately, the drug dealer (s) – Yves Perret (Jack Palance), Quan (James Hong – he’s Lopan in “Big Trouble Little China”) and Lopez (Marc Alaimo). Oh, and Teri Hatcher plays Tango’s sister/Cash’s love interest. Double oh, and Kurt Russell dresses up as a woman in this (it was meant to be ‘cheeky’ but just comes off really bizarre when re-watching).
After his partner was killed, Canadian Detective Burke (ah, so that explains the accent Van Damme) goes after the man responsible, Christian Naylor (aka ‘the Sandman’ –played by Patrick Kilpatrick). After barely surviving himself, Burke was able to subdue Sandman by shooting him several times (but not killing him). A year or so passes and Burke is on a different assignment in California– to go undercover at a prison for the unexplained deaths that are occurring there. Trying to investigate on the ‘outside’ is Beckett, who is also posing as Burke’s wife. This ‘posed’ marriage turns into something more as Burke and Beckett turn up the heat! Anyways, eventually Beckett finds that the deaths are to be blamed on the State Attorney General (George Dickerson). The mysterious killings were actually for organs to be sold to the most desperate bidder (for the highest price!). Not just that, the State Attorney General even finds time to transfer the Sandman to the Californian prison in order to kill Burke. This is what sets up the final showdown between the two men again. Of course, the Sandman gets Van Dammaged.
Who has the edge? Oddly “Death Warrant”. Although the acting was subpar, the more complex storyline wins out here. Characters are written so as to appear more believable and help bring the grittiness of prison life to the forefront. Also, this was David S. Goyer’s first screenplay that was bought by a major movie studio. To those not in the know, Goyer went on to write “The Dark Knight” trilogy, the “Blade” series, “Man of Steel”, etc.
Round 2 – Performances
“Tango and Cash”
Kurt Russell in drag.
Gabriel Cash: I don’t know about you, but I have an aversion to getting F.U.B.A.R…
Even outside of the fun banter that is had between Stallone and Russell, there are a lot of really great supporting actors as well that include Geoffrey Lewis (“Double Impact”) as Captain Schroeder, Michael J. Pollard (“Bonnie and Clyde”) as tech guru Owen, Michael Jeter (“The Green Mile”, “Jurassic Park III”) as Skinner (the audio expert) and Clint Howard (“Apollo 13”, brother of Ron Howard) as Slinky. And look, this movie (although it had production problems) is a lot of fun because of the performances. The story puts our main characters in dire situations but you always know that they’d find a way to triumph while slinging one-liners all over the place. I cannot see this movie working without Russell and Stallone reveling in their dialogue.
“Death Warrant”
Sandman playing with Van Damme….BIG mistake!
Shouldn’t Van Damme lose in every ‘acting’ category? He may have the charm but he’s not fooling anyone. His kicks do the talking! Well, thankfully he has enough supporting actors that are good enough to help him ‘blend’ in with the rest of em’. He’s supported by the likes of actors Robert Guillaume (Rafiki in “Lion King”) and Abdul Salaam El Razzac (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”) as two of Van Damme’s prison friends. You may also recognize Joshua John Miller as the computer hacker. He’s that creepy looking guy that always seems to play a tormented spaz/d*ckhole in all of his other roles – “Near Dark” and “Teen Witch”.
Who has the edge? “Tango and Cash” simply has more memorable characters that standout. Plus, who can say no to Stallone and Russell talking sh*t to each other?
Round 3 – Money Talks
“Tango and Cash” (source: Box Office Mojo)
Domestic Gross: $63.4 million
Budget: $55 million
Profit: $8.4 million
“Death Warrant” (source: Box Office Mojo)
Domestic Gross: $16.5
Budget: $6 million
Profit: 10.5 million
Who has the edge?“Death Warrant” is more profitable but that doesn’t mean it was seen by more people. Just looking at the numbers, about 5 times as many people went to see “Tango and Cash”. From that perspective, it is highly likely that “Tango and Cash” did a lot more business once you account for VHS sales. Since we are only accounting for box office and profit resulting when factoring in the film’s budget, “Death Warrant” wins out here.
Round 4 – Rotten Tomatoes
“Tango and Cash” – Audience Score: 52%
“Death Warrant” – Audience Score: 35%
Note: Since these films are older, there wasn’t any ‘critic’ consensus.
Who has the edge? “Tango and Cash”
Round 5 – Legacy
“Tango and Cash”
Headline is in the newspaper! It’s got to be real!
Gabriel Cash: You don’t know anything about electricity, do you?
Are one-liners (well, successful ones) the key to a film’s legacy? You bet! Well, they are one of the keys! This has a bunch of them. Not just that but it is a man’s action movie. It wasn’t courting to any other demographic at all and that’s why it shines. That strange, synth induced music by Harold Faltermeyer also helps this stand out. Not just that, I wouldn’t mind re-watching this movie. It’s fun to watch and can easily serve as something to play in the background with friends over.
Chalk this up to something you’d watch when you can’t fall asleep or during your Sunday Morning Hangover ritual. Van Damme plays a bad ass as he tries to weed out criminal activity within a large population of criminals. Not just that, he’s gotta put up with everyone’s violent nature and survive. Also, I gotta say, the Sandman is a cool villain but he’s so gosh darn one-dimensional that when you think about it, you might say “huh, well, he just really wants to kill Van Damme and remind him that he can’t be killed while doing it”. I’m getting sidetracked. Perhaps I’m fonder of the fight scenes than everything else that was in this more serious film.
I know why these ‘types’ of movies went away – movies kept getting bigger and bigger and when studios have a lot of money involved they want to make sure they get the most ‘bang’ for their buck. You can also add that the ‘PC Police’ will shame you if something comes across even subliminally offensive. I seriously would not mind an action movie in the vein of the late 1980s/early 1990s. No, “The Expendables” doesn’t count. Stallone is tapping only into what stars made those movies great and not the kinds of movies that were back then.
Who has the edge? “Tango and Cash”. Why? Read above!
It’s Van Damme and company versus Christopher Lambert and his ‘warriors’ in this edition of Cinematic Showdown. It was the 1990s and video game adaptations were just starting to take off (not really) with “Super Mario Bros.” (a movie hate crime), “Double Dragon” (please stop), and “Wing Commander” (nope). Suffice it to say; what is arguably the most seen of these adaptations were “Mortal Kombat” and “Street Fighter”. Both of these are based off wildly successful video game series (duh!) and both had adaptations that came out within a year of each other. With these similarities, I thought it fitting to throw these two in the ring with each other.
Notes:
“Mortal Kombat” was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, who later went on to annoy you with the “Resident Evil” films. Certainly not to ever be confused with prolific director, Paul Thomas Anderson (“Boogie Nights”, “There Will Be Blood”).
“Street Fighter” was directed by Steven E. de Souza. He hasn’t done anything high profile since ‘Fighter’. This is probably for good reason.
Factors to consider in this showdown:
1.Story – How well are these characters brought to life? Is the movie engaging?
2.Performances – This aspect sticks out the most. We have the talents of Robin Shou (also known for “Beverly Hills Ninja”), Bridgette Wilson (before she was Mrs. Pete Sampras), Christopher Lambert (the “Highlander”), and Jean Claude Van Damme (who is arguably one of the biggest martials arts stars in the world). I hope you know I’m being sarcastic! I wouldn’t call any of these actors ‘real actors’.
3.Fight Choreography – This is a unique category that is obviously a big part of both of these movies.
4.Box Office – How much money did these movies make?
5.Rotten Tomatoes – aggregator website that statistically creates a consensus amongst other known critics.
6.Legacy – How is the film viewed today? Is it remembered fondly?
1.Story
“Mortal Kombat”
It begins very serious (with Liu Kang having a nightmare – Shang Tsung killing his brother, Chan, for some unknown reason) and then deviates (and quickly) into sheer out there land. It is fitting since these stupid warriors are being recruited by Thunder God, Raiden (a laughing Christopher Lambert), to some alternate dimension (called Outworld) in a fight to the death competition called (you guessed it) ‘Mortal Kombat’.
These warriors (Kang, Cage, and Sonya) all really joined the tournament because they seek revenge or, in Johnny Cage’s case, seek to show the public that he’s not just some action movie star but can kick a$$ off screen. The Cage subplot doesn’t make sense either as the entire tournament is not taking place on Earth, where no one can be witness to his ‘feats’ or his splits/balls punch to Goro.
Trivia: Van Damme was the inspiration for Johnny Cage in the “Mortal Kombat” video game ironically.
I still don’t know the rationale behind having Raiden on screen but not fighting. I mean, he’s one of the gods but also an inter-dimensional recruiter of some kind? Okay, I’ll relax. It’s just a video game movie. ‘A’ doesn’t always have to equal ‘B’. Ok, so in the end everyone gets redeemed and the Earth is saved, well, until Shao Kahn appears stating he wants everyone’s souls or something. The story was run of the mill but it was gratifying and fun to watch. My personal favorite was the Liu Kang and Reptile fight.
“Street Fighter”
Whereas “Mortal Kombat” may have been a predictable film, “Street Fighter” was a roundabout mess. In it, you have obscure characters briefly appearing in the film (Dee Jay, Zangief, Dhalsim) to one of the worst performances to go ‘out on’ – referring to Raul Julia’s General M. Bison (this was Julia’s last film). The plot surrounds how two forces are at war with one another in a Southeast Asian city (Shadaloo City) – Dictator Bison versus the Allied Nations (a multinational military) led by Colonel Guile (Jean Claude Van Damme). Bison requests that the Allied Nations must divvy up $20 billion or he will kill off hostages. This doesn’t bode well with Guile.
Meanwhile, two con artists, Ryu (Byron Mann) and Ken (Damian Chapa) try to swindle criminals Sagat (Wes Studi) and Vega (Jay Tavare) but are eventually captured by Guile and his men. Guile recruits them to help find Bison in exchange for their freedom or something. They all end up staging the death of Guile to throw off everyone. Then there’s the other subplot with Chun-Li and her TV broadcasting friends – Balrog and E. Honda wanting revenge against Bison and Sagat but this idea is tossed aside when Guile and his men assault Bison’s base and everyone gets to fight each other. In the end, Guile’s best friend, Blanka, ended up a Frankenstein monster (which was created by Dhalsim (Roshan Seth)), Ryu and Ken redeem themselves, the hostages are safe, and Guile bests Bison. It all ended abruptly with all the fighters striking poses from “Street Fighter II”.
Who has the edge? “Mortal Kombat”. Not even close here. With an actual coherent storyline, ‘Kombat’ uppercuts “Street Fighter”.
2.Performances
“Mortal Kombat”
There are a lot of ‘over the top’ performances in this gem, especially Christopher Lambert, who would rather laugh at his own jokes and impart (what he calls) wisdom on his recruits. Boy, let me tell you though, the performances are all a lot of fun. The movies big bad, Shang Tsung (Cary Tagawa), is written to strictly utter quick, albeit effective one-liners like — “Flawless Victory”, “Your soul is mine!” or “Finish Him!”. From a fan of the video games, this is easy to revel in.
“Street Fighter”
Never give Van Damme a speech in a movie. My goodness! He was supposed to ‘rally’ his troops in a ‘pivotal’ scene of the film. He is almost completely indiscernible due to his strangely thicker than normal accent. Now, if you research a little bit about the production of this film, you’ll find out that Van Damme was going through a divorce and abusing the sh*t out of cocaine. There have been known production problems and many cast members were essentially put on hold between breaks while filming in Thailand (and many were enjoying the country’s prostitutes when they weren’t filming). Even the casting budget, outside of Raul Julia and JCVD, only left so much for the rest of the cast (this explains the lack of star power, especially with the most popular characters of the video game series – Ryu and Ken).
Who has the edge? “Mortal Kombat”. The reason rests with the fact that even though the performances weren’t that believable, you can at least tell that everyone was having a good time. Also, Christopher Lambert is the best worst actor (whenever he speaks English that is).
3.Fight Choreography
“Mortal Kombat”
No one is especially impressive here except Robin Shou, who is an actual martial artist. This is likely why he is featured in more than one fight in the film. However, when you couple the fight scenes with incredible, upbeat music and elaborate (enough) sets and the fight scenes are more impressive than what they really are. Heck, nothing can really beat that “Mortal Kombat” soundtrack.
“Street Fighter”
Benny “the Jet”Urquidez was actually hired to physically train the actors. The Jet is actually a karate champion in his own right. Of course, you have the European Kickboxing Champion and action superstar, Van Damme headlining the film. Although Van Damme may not be able to act (at all), he more than makes up for it in his physicality, athleticism, and screen presence.
Who has the edge? “Street Fighter” actually has more credibility in this arena but certainly doesn’t look as cool without a killer soundtrack to back up action sequences like ‘Kombat’ does.
4. Box Office
“Mortal Kombat” – Production Budget: $18 million (Source: IMDb); Worldwide Take: $122,195,920 (Source: Box Office Mojo)
“Street Fighter” – Production Budget: $35 million ; Worldwide Take: $99,423,521 (Source: Box Office Mojo)
Who has the edge? “Mortal Kombat” bicycle kicks “Street Fighter” to easily being the more profitable film.
5.Rotten Tomatoes Scores
“Mortal Kombat” – 33% Most thought the film had subpar acting and laughable dialogue. (Couldn’t agree more!)
“Street Fighter” – 12% Most critics blamed the campiness and uneven story line.
Who has the edge? “Mortal Kombat”. Geez, those are both some rotten scores. Do these critics know they are watching movies that aren’t meant to be taken ‘that’ seriously?
The WIN: “Mortal Kombat”. That was almost a ‘Flawless Victory’!
I look back on “Mortal Kombat” and smile. It still remains a really fun movie. You’d probably have to pay me to rewatch the disasterpiece that is “Street Fighter” though. What a wasted opportunity. To many, ‘Kombat’ is the best video game film adaptation we have had thus far (yes, even over “Resident Evil”). Will the upcoming “Warcraft” film (debuting June 10th), based off of the “World of Warcraft” online games, be able to take the throne? I remain skeptical. I just hope they have another “Mortal Kombat” film that’ll feature more fatalities, animalities (you transform into your spirit animal and kill your opponent) and babalities (opponents are transformed into babies).
This AMC original series wastes no time with setting up an unrealistic premise and giving us dazzling martial arts scenes. The setting takes place in (you guessed it) Badlands where there are seven power hungry barons and their subjects. The subjects are supposedly brainwashed to believe that they are ‘taken care of’ when in fact they are slaves. One of the big takeaways from this dystopia is the fact that all guns have been banished. This, of course, leaves room for tons of martial arts goodness but little in room for the plausible world they are attempting to create. You’re telling me that none of these barons have a gun(s)? The very idea of weapons would cause a baron to be the ideal ruler by force.
Outside of that blaring misstep (I know, without it there’d be less hand to hand combat), the pilot was subpar in story and excellent in beautifully crafted fight scenes. This action is spearheaded by actor Daniel Wu, who plays Sunny, the highest ranking assassin under the rule of Quinn (one of the barons). Sunny comes across a helpless teenage boy, M.K., while on a mission. Sunny convinces M.K. to come back to the Badlands with him in order to survive the harsh existence outside of it.
We then begin to know a little more about Sunny and the fact that he’s killed over 400 people (told by the tattoo markings on his back). Funny enough, Sunny is starting to question the idea of his existence as a feared killer. There’s even a line by one of the supporting characters that tells him “all of that killing will begin to weigh on a man”. I couldn’t help but think that shouldn’t this be the opposite? This makes no sense that, after killing so many people, he’d then begin to question himself or grow a conscious. This is the most frustrating part of the pilot. I even don’t buy, for a second, that this guy is the most feared assassin in the land. Even when he fights, it’s always on the defensive. The creators, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (Shanghai Noon, Smallville) should have taken note that anti-heroes need a convincing backstory that gives them attributes that aren’t heroic rather than just stating: “he’s the lead assassin”.
Anyways, so Sunny and M.K. become intertwined due to a shared emblem they hold sacred. This emblem is implied throughout as resembling a paradise of a city that many do not believe exists. Then there comes the other badass baron, the Widow. She’s after M.K. for the special ‘gift’ he possesses. One that she believes will help her defeat the rival baron, Quinn, once and for all. Trust me; you don’t want to mess with these barons. The Widow and Quinn are ruthless and will do anything for power.
I will say that the creators are attempting to build a world in which can potentially be rich with characters and story arcs. I couldn’t help (by the 2nd episode) but think of Game of Thrones in terms of sub plots and explorations of once surface characters. I know that most shows are following this sort of formula and I believe it will help (immensely) with this show. This is because motivations behind every character are very one dimensional. With the inclusion of different characters, we can forgive the shallow writing and focus more on the tension that builds once the fists (and legs) start flying.
Don’t worry that there might be too much to catch up on. This season only runs for six episodes (just like The Walking Dead’s premiere season). Also, I couldn’t help but notice that the sets for the show looked highly familiar. Call it keen movie sense. I came to realize that the sets were the same ones used in Django Unchained –the real location being a Louisiana plantation. Of course, that’s not to say there isn’t high production value…there is. With the distinguished backdrops, the action can look more like art, save for those brutal, bone breaking sequences.
If you enjoy martial arts without much regard for a more creative story, then I highly recommend this series. Who knows? The series could get a lot better. Pilot episodes are never perfect unless you’re looking at the TV series Dexter. Also, I must say that the 2nd episode was much better than the pilot. I’m eager to see what else is in store to satisfy my inner action junkie.
The show stars Daniel Wu (New Police Story), Emily Beecham (28 Weeks Later), Sarah Bolger (The Tudors), Oliver Stark, Aramis Knight (Ender’s Game), and Marton Csokas (The Equalizer). I highly believe that AMC has another hit on their hands with this. You can check it out Sundays at 10/9c on AMC (season finale on December 20th).
I remember a year or two ago when I first saw Ip Man on Netflix. It was a neat idea to do a movie about the grandmaster that ended up teaching the most famous martial artist ever – Bruce Lee. We got an origin story and a cool showcase of Wing Chun. This was followed by the silly Ip Man 2 and then we get this. Mike Tyson, of all people, is throwing down with the grandmaster (Donnie Yen) and just like the trailer says: “Let’s see whose fists are the fastest, yours or mine?”
Check out the teaser trailer, which is basically highlights over the last two films and sets the stage for the third. In real life, Ip Man (actually Yip Man) was 5’ 4” so I don’t see him lasting more than 5 seconds against any form of Iron Mike Tyson.
I guess there will also be a CGI Bruce Lee in this as well. I mean, really? Stop the madness! Anyways, the movie is set to drop sometime Christmas 2015.
Kicking a$$ and taking names! Who doesn’t love a good martial arts movie? There’s a bunch to choose from! Hopefully this article will prompt you to seek out these gems. I would do a top 10 but that’s too round of a number. On to the Top 9!!
Best of the Best (1989)
9. Best of the Best (1989)
I think the best way to describe this movie would be to say it’s like “Bloodsport” meets “Road House”. The martial arts sequences were solid but the staging of the fights is what makes this outshine a lot of other martial arts movies. USA is being pitted against Korea in a what would seem like a life and death tournament (it’s not). Eric Roberts hilariously over acts in almost every scene and James Earl Jones makes it rain with his one of a kind voice.
The Matrix (1999)
8. The Matrix (1999)
You can’t deny this movie. With choreographer, Yuen Woo-ping, he can make any actor look like a legitimate martial artist. That’s not to say that the actors didn’t train hard to accomplish authentic fight scenes, it’s just the truth. On screen, the fight sequences are gripping and are used to enhance the provocative sci-fi/action/martial arts classic. The subway fight scene is easily one of the most watched fight scenes.
Drunken Master (1978)
7. Drunken Master (1978)
To me, this is ‘the’ best Jackie Chan movie. It perfectly embodies Jackie’s sense of humor, his amazing stunt work and his great fighting skills. The story is simple — Jackie takes up tutelage by a dude that embraces the martial art of getting wasted and kicking the shit out of people. Every fan of Jackie’s work needs to make sure to see this.
Ip Man (2008)
6. Ip Man (2008)
Donnie Yen really shines as Ip Man, the first person to teach Wing Chun. Ip Man actually went on to later teach a young Bruce Lee. Filled with action sequences as Yip Man showcases his martial art and maintains many students but that’s before the Japanese invade his country and force many of the citizens to hard labor and try to force Ip Man to teach his martial art.
Hero (2002)
5. Hero (2002)
Jet Li stars in this beautiful martial arts film that makes you question if “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” deserves all the praise it received. The story is set with the backdrop of China and its warring seven kingdoms and how the king, Qin, was determined to become emperor of China, even going as much to ensure that those that protect him will be wealthy and powerful. Jet Li stars as Nameless, an assassin who looks to have done the bidding of a tyrant in this beautifully shot, perfectly choreographed martial arts drama.
Enter the Dragon (1973)
4. Enter the Dragon (1973)
Certainly not the greatest movie but when it comes to all out Bruce Lee action this one certainly is the one most people refer to and for good reason. This is the movie that introduced Bruce Lee to American audiences (if you don’t count “The Green Hornet” TV series) as a star. Teamed with John Saxon (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Jim Kelly, and even Bolo Yeung (Chun-Li from Bloodsport), Bruce Lee infiltrates a martial arts tournament in order to take down a narcotics dealer who is also responsible for the death of his sister. Cheesy fun, totally 70s and filled with great displays of martial arts.
3. Bloodsport (1988)
This is what made Jean Claude Van Damme the muscles from Brussels. A simple enough concept — man enters fight to the death tournament in order to honor his sensei. What makes this so great is not just JCVD’s splits or his martial arts skills but also his screen presence. You either have it or you don’t. JCVD has this in spades and he can’t really even act!! And what about that epic scream in the final fight? Just amazing. This concept would go on to serve many of JCVD’s other movies.
2. Ong Bak : Muay Thai Warrior (2003)
This may be at the top of many fans’ lists as everyone was taken aback by Tony Jaa and his amazing skills. The story follows how a many tries to seek out a stolen statue so that villagers can end a draught. Yeah, it sure does sound stupid but who are we kidding, we’re in this to watch the action dammit! Jaa simply has to be seen to be believed. Also, the music by RZA is of special note to this being amazing. Regarding Tony Jaa, he simply has to be seen to be believed. He was once considered to be the next Bruce Lee at one point and time but rumors suggest he had a nervous breakdown. He is trying to make a comeback as of late with his small role in “Furious 7”.
1. The Raid 2 (2014)
Easily the best martial arts movie I’ve ever seen. There was an immense amount of choreography that was required for this movie. You will literally be floored by how good this is. Although this is a sequel, it is superior in every way to its predecessor, The Raid: Redemption. These are movies out of Indonesia and are filmed in such a way that perfectly captures the tone and stakes of its story. Just check out this fight scene for crying out loud. This was just one of the many action sequences and it gets even crazier than this!
“Mortal Kombat” 
“Street Fighter”
“Mortal Kombat”
“Street Fighter”
I look back on “Mortal Kombat” and smile. It still remains a really fun movie. You’d probably have to pay me to rewatch the disasterpiece that is “Street Fighter” though. What a wasted opportunity. To many, ‘Kombat’ is the best video game film adaptation we have had thus far (yes, even over “Resident Evil”). Will the upcoming “Warcraft” film (debuting June 10th), based off of the “World of Warcraft” online games, be able to take the throne? I remain skeptical. I just hope they have another “Mortal Kombat” film that’ll feature more fatalities, animalities (you transform into your spirit animal and kill your opponent) and babalities (opponents are transformed into babies).
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