Bloodsport

I decided to watch Bloodsport this morning as a result of a terrible case of insomnia. I had forgotten what a huge star Jean-Claude Van Damme used to be. In this 1988 film--probably one of his best known--the muscular fighter plays the part of Frank Dux, an American who fights in the secret kumite fights in Hong Kong. These fights are no-holds-barred and some fighters leave the ring with broken bones, while others leave dead.

Based on a true story, this film chronicles Dux's youth in Hong Kong, as he is embraced by a martial arts master and taught the secrets to his craft. It is very Karate Kid in this sense. Dux enters the kumite fights in honor of his teacher and vows to make him proud.

There are several spectacular fight scenes which showcase Van Damme's martial arts skills and make the movie a true action classic. It is balanced out by a romantic interest played by Leah Ayres and the crazy antics of his friend and co-fighter, played by Donald Gibb, who is also known as Ogre from Revenge of the Nerds.

The film did have its corny moments characteristic of some '80s flicks: bad fashion, an overabundance of cool catchphrases, sappy melodrama and vanity poses by Van Damme (he must have done the splits about a hundred times!). But the film served its purpose as a martial arts action flick with some heart.