Synopsis
Eric and Kurt Sloane are the descendants of a well-known Venice, California-based family of martial artists. Kurt has always been in older brother, Eric's shadow, as he lacks the instincts needed to become a champion. Against Kurt's concerns, Eric accepts a paid offer and travels to Thailand to challenge the Muay Thai champion Tong Po and fails with dire consequences. Kurt sets out for revenge. He trains with his brother's mentor, Master Durand, for a Muay Thai fight against the merciless champion, Tong Po. Durand first thinks Kurt is impossible to train, but through a series of spiritual exercises and tests, Durand discovers that Kurt has a deeper strength that will carry him through his final showdown with Tong Po.
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Cast
- Alain MoussiKurt Sloane
- Dave BautistaTong Po
- Sara Malakul LaneLiu
- Jean-Claude Van DammeMaster Durand
- Darren ShahlaviEric Sloane
- Georges St-PierreKavi
- Gina CaranoPromoter
- Phi VuBody Guard
- T.J. StormStorm
- Sam MedinaCrawford
Recommendations
- 60
Variety
This revamp (which ignores several interim direct-to-video sequels Van Damme did not participate in) is a bit shorter, a tad more stylish, and utilizes the same clichés a little less ponderously. - 50
Village Voice
This reboot smartly doesn't try to escalate the material to bigger and better status, keeping things small and scrappy and relying on the fighters to be the best special effects. - 50
The A.V. Club
Almost as schlocky as the original, but not nearly as fun. - 40
The New York Times
Sure, the new action workout Kickboxer: Vengeance — a reboot of a foot-fighting franchise from the 1980s and ’90s — follows a tiresome martial-arts movie formula. But amid the hoary conventions are agreeable inklings of an alternate sensibility. - 40
Total Film
The requisite training montage is half-decent, and the split-screen end credits replay Van Damme’s infamous dancing in the original, with Moussi mirroring his every bad move. - 38
Slant Magazine
It relies less on in-camera stunts than editing that renders vague gibberish of the altercations. - 30
Los Angeles Times
While Moussi has ample skills as a fighter — and is plenty handsome to boot — he lacks Van Damme’s charisma. It turns out that just slapping the title “Kickboxer” onto a movie isn’t enough to revive a B-movie favorite. The actual kickboxer matters. - 16
The Film Stage
Perhaps only of merit to the hardest of hardcore Van Damme completists, Kickboxer: Vengeance is a rehashed, lackadaisical outing in need of goofy silliness and campy flair.
