Bloodsport | |
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Based on | Characters created by Sheldon Lettich |
Starring |
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Distributed by |
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Release date | 1988-present |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | >$11,500,000 (Total of 2 films) |
Box office | $65,697,460 (Total of 3 theatrical films) |
The Bloodsport franchise consists of American martial arts-sports action-thriller installments including two theatrical films, two straight-to-home video sequels, and one limited release reimagined genderswap-followup. Based on the purported true story experiences of Frank Dux, which have since been called into question, the series centers around the original story written by Sheldon Lettich. The plot involves American characters who compete in underground life-or-death mixed martial arts tournaments, while also competing for the honor of their instructors.
Though Bloodsport was a box office success in 1988, [1] it was initially poorly received critically. [2] [3] It has since earned a significant following with modern-day analysis. Film critics have called the movie Van Damme's "crowning achievement", [4] and "magnum opus"; [5] categorized as one of "the best of the best", [6] Bloodsport has earned its status as a cult classic. [7] [8] [9] [10] While the sequels have experienced mixed levels of success, the 1997 sequel was met with a warm critical response, with praise directed towards its cast namely Daniel Bernhardt's leading role. [11] While it met expectations of the audience with some calling it superior to the original, [12] its following installments were released via home video debut leading deplinishing financial income. Critical reception thereafter had likewise been meager: the 1998 follow-up received mixed reception; [13] [14] the 1999 installment was met with predominantly negative reactions; [15] [16] and the 2017 follow-up was met with praise for its graphic fight scenes, with criticism directed at its script and production values. [17] [18] The franchise as a whole has been a financial success[ dubious – discuss ] for its associated studios. [1] [19] [20]
The franchise will continue, with a new Bloodsport movie in active development, with Chad Stahelski and David Leitch's studio 87North Productions involved and the duo in early negotiations to serve as co-directors. [21]
Film | U.S. release date | Director(s) | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) |
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Bloodsport | February 26, 1988 | Newt Arnold | Mel Friedman, Sheldon Lettich & Christopher Cosby | Sheldon Lettich | Mark DiSalle |
Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite | March 1, 1996 | Alan Mehrez | Jeff Schechter | Alan Mehrez | |
Bloodsport III | May 13, 1997 | James Williams | |||
Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite | March 30, 1999 | Elvis Restaino | George Saunders | ||
Lady Bloodfight | May 5, 2017 | Chris Nahon | Bey Logan & Judd Bloch | Bey Logan | Bey Logan, Zev Foreman & Nicolas Chartier |
Untitled film | TBA | David Leitch & Chad Stahelski | Phillip Noyce, James McTeigue, Craig Rosenberg & Robert Mark Kamen | Phillip Noyce & Robert Mark Kamen | Chris Brown, Alberto Lensi & Edward R. Pressman |
Frank Dux is an U.S. Army Captain who has been trained in mixed martial arts for much of his life by sensei Senzo Tanaka. Specializing in ninjutsu, Senzo considers Dux a part of his clan and begins to train the latter for a secretive competition in Hong Kong China known as the Kumite. Though a request for leave is rejected by his superiors upon request, Dux goes to China with his sensei. Through the difficult experiences of training for and gaining access to the elite underground organization of fighters, Frank begins a romantic relationship with a journalist named Janice. As the couple grow closer together, a number of militant officers begin to suspect that Dux has gone AWOL and initiate an investigation. After completing the dangerous initiatory training regimen, Dux is accepted into the Kumite. Determined to now rise to the occasion, Frank begins to realize that unless he succeeds he may not survive. [2] [3] [22]
Criminal thief and streetfighter Alex Cardo, is arrested and sentenced to imprisonment after being caught in the act of stealing an ancient katana sword from a wealthy businessman named David Leung in East Asia. Living his days serving his sentence in a notoriously brutal prison, Alex finds he is repeatedly beaten by residents and the guards. Finding a friend and mentor figure in its walls named Master Sun, his life changes as Sun begins to train him in his practice. Disciplined extensively by his recent ally, including in the most lethal of styles which the master calls "The Iron Hand", Alex learns about a secretive fight-to-the-death tournament known as the Kumite. When he vows to win the championship for his mentor after he completes his sentence, his release comes sooner than expected. Presented with a mission by Leung, to recover the katana as an award for the winning Kumite, Alex enters the establishment determined to defeat each challenger. Battling various competitors in difficult circumstances, he begins to question weather he will succeed in his personal quest when he learns that the head guard from the penitentiary is the greatest participant in the Kumite. Despite the surmounting odds, Alex determines to keep his promise to Master Sun, with success while keeping his life. [22] [12] [23] [24]
After winning the Kumite, Alex Cardo works as an art dealer with an upstanding personal life who no longer has desires to compete in tournaments. When Alex declines the proposal of a millionaire named Jacques Duvalier who invites him to a Kumite that he is sponsoring, Jacques has his mentor and father figure Sun executed. Grieving his loss, and wanting revenge for the murder of his mentor, Alex is directed by David Leung to Sun's brother Master Makato. After previously meeting briefly, Sun's brother known by the Kumite as "the Judge", Makato begins to train Alex and build on the discipline he learned from Master Sun. With the decision to compete and honor the life of his mentor, he is faced with his greatest challenge yet in Duvalier's henchman; the most powerful fighter the Kumite has known named Beast. [22] [13] [25] [26] [14]
Agent John Keller takes an undercover mission at a brutal prison named Fuego Penal, to investigate the disappearances of various inmates. Within its walls he discovers that underground fights known as the Kumite are taking place under the organization of a dangerous man named Justin Caesar. Realizing that the inmates are being forced to compete to the death, Keller becomes involved with the competition. Joining the Kumite, and hoping to disassemble the corrupt establishment from the inside out, he must survive to become the champion to realize this goal. [22] [27] [15] [16]
Jane Jones is trained by a martial arts champion named Master Shu. As Jane becomes noteworthy within the underground fighting community, Master Shu begins to train her for an all-female sect of the Kumite. For months the duo train rigorously to meet the expectations of the tournament. With the skills she has practiced and mastered, she must defeat some of the world's greatest and most deadly fighters, including Ling whose sensei named Master Wai was the former best friend turned arch enemy of Master Shu. As Jane rises through the ranks, she competes for herself and for the honor of her trainer and friend. [17] [18]
In May 2011, a reboot of the franchise was announced to be in development. Phillip Noyce signed on as director, with a script by Robert Mark Kamen. The plot was said to follow an American who travels to Brazil to recover from violent experiences he had in Afghanistan, who eventually gets involved in a martial arts contest. Edward R. Pressman is serving as producer, while Mark DiSalles is attached as executive producer. [28] Jean-Claude Van Damme, who had publicly expressed interest in collaborating on the project in some capacity, will not appear in the film nor be involved. [29] In October 2012, Kamen stated that Van Damme will not be involved because the film has no connection to the original, stating: "This film resembles the original in title only. …This is a character driven, politically motivated film." [30]
By July 2013, James McTeigue signed on as director. The script, he co-wrote with Craig Rosenberg, will be a rewrite of the original draft by Robert Mark Kamen and will be based on the original story by Kamen and Phillip Noyce. The plot will detail the life of 21st century mercenaries, as they fight in the underground world of Brazilian Vale Tudo matches. The project will be a joint-venture production between Relativity Media, Pictures in Paradise Pty Ltd, and Trans-American Films International. Pressman will serve as producer alongside Chris Brown, and Alberto Lensi. Principal photography was scheduled to commence during the first quarter of 2014, in Australia and Brazil. [31]
In June 2019 after various delays, it was announced that Chad Stahelski and David Leitch had entered early negotiations to serve as co-directors of the film. Discussions for Van Damme to appear feature in the movie to some capacity was ongoing, while franchise creator Sheldon Lettich stated that the filmmakers had approached him with their pitch; acknowledging his excitement for the project. [21]
Character | Film | ||||
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Bloodsport | Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite | Bloodsport III | Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite | Lady Bloodfight | |
Cpt. Frank Dux | Jean-Claude Van Damme Pierre Rafini Y | ||||
Master Senzo Tanaka | Roy Chiao | ||||
Ray Jackson | Donald Gibb | ||||
Alex Cardo | Daniel Bernhardt | ||||
Master Sun | James Hong | ||||
Master Macado The Judge | Hee-il Cho | Hee-il Cho Gerald Okamura V | |||
David Leung | Pat Morita | ||||
Jason Cardo | David Schatz | ||||
Agent John Keller | Daniel Bernhardt | ||||
Jane Jones | Amy Johnston | ||||
Master Shu | Muriel Hofmann | ||||
Ling | Jenny Wu | ||||
Master Wai | Kathy Wu | ||||
Title | Crew/Detail | ||||||
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Composer | Cinematographer | Editor(s) | Production companies | Distributing companies | Running time | ||
Bloodsport | Paul Hertzog | David Worth | Carl Kress | Cannon International | Warner Bros. Pictures U.G.C. Worldwide Distribution | 92 min | |
Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite | Stephen Edwards | Jacques Haitkin | J. Douglas Seeling | FM Entertainment International N.V. | Transcontinental Film Corporation | 86 min | |
Bloodsport III | Kevan Lind | Ron Cabreros | FM Home Video | 92 min | |||
Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite | Alex Wurman | George Mooradian | Frank Sacco | Avalanche Home Entertainment | 100 min | ||
Lady Bloodfight | Mark Kilian | Michel Abramowicz | Chris Nahon Frédéric Thoraval | B&E Productions Voltage Productions | Voltage Pictures Vertical Entertainment | 100 min | |
Untitled film | TBA | TBA | TBA | Relativity Media 87North Productions Pictures in Paradise Pty Ltd Trans-American Films International | Warner Bros. Pictures | TBA | |
Film | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Budget | Worldwide total gross income | Ref. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North America | Other territories | Worldwide | All-time North America | All-time worldwide | ||||
Bloodsport | $11,806,119 | $53,193,881 | $65,000,000 | #4,784 | #6,536 | $1,500,000 | $63,500,000 | [1] [32] [33] |
Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite | $684,351 | — | $684,351 | #8,983 | #14,898 | Information not publicly available | <$684,351 | [19] |
Bloodsport III | — | — | — | — | — | Information not publicly available | Information not publicly available | |
Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite | — | — | — | — | — | Information not publicly available | Information not publicly available | |
Lady Bloodfight | — | $13,109 | $13,109 | #17,945 | #26,036 | $10,000,000 | -$9,986,891 | [20] |
Totals | $12,490,470 | $53,206,990 | $65,697,460 | x̄ #6,342 | x̄ #9,494 | >$11,500,000 | ≥$54,197,460 |
Title | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
---|---|---|
Bloodsport | 48% (25 reviews) [34] | 29/100 (5 reviews) [35] |
Bloodsport II: The New Kumite | — [36] | — |
Bloodport III | — [37] | — |
Bloodport 4: The Dark Kumite | — [38] | — |
Lady Bloodfight | 40% (5 reviews) [39] | — (2 reviews) [40] |
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg, known professionally as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor. Born and raised in Brussels, his father enrolled him in a Shotokan karate school at the age of ten, which led Van Damme to hold the rank of 2nd-dan black belt in karate, and compete in several karate and kickboxing competitions. As a teenager, he won the middleweight championship of the European Professional Karate Association in 1979 and the Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title in 1978. With the desire of becoming an actor in Hollywood, he moved to the United States in 1982, where he worked on several films, until he got his break as the lead in the martial arts film Bloodsport (1988).
Frank William Dux is a Canadian-American martial artist and fight choreographer. According to Dux, a ninjutsu expert named Senzo Tanaka trained him as a ninja when he was a teenager. He established his own school of ninjutsu called Dux Ryu Ninjutsu, and has said he won a secret martial arts tournament called the Kumite in 1975. His alleged victory at the Kumite served as the inspiration for the 1988 film Bloodsport starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Dux's victory at the Kumite has been disputed, as has the existence of both the Kumite he described and Senzo Tanaka.
Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film directed by Newt Arnold. The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, with a supporting cast of Leah Ayres, Forest Whitaker, Donald Gibb, Roy Chiao, and Bolo Yeung. The film centers on Frank Dux, a United States Army Captain and ninjutsu practitioner who competes in an underground full-contact martial arts tournament called the Kumite in Hong Kong. Based on Dux's real-life claims, the film was marketed as a true story. It was one of Van Damme's first lead roles and showcased his abilities, launching his career as a mainstream action star.
Yeung Sze, better known as Bolo Yeung, is a Hong Kong former competitive bodybuilder, martial artist, and actor. Primarily known for playing villains in action and martial arts films, he is regarded as one of the most influential actors in martial arts cinema.
Donald Richard Gibb is an American actor, best known for his roles as the hulking, dimwitted fraternity brother Ogre in several installments of the Revenge of the Nerds film series, as Kumite fighter Ray Jackson in Bloodsport, and as Leslie "Dr. Death" Krunchner on the HBO sitcom 1st & Ten.
The Quest is a 1996 American martial arts adventure film starring and directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme, in his directorial debut. It co-stars Roger Moore, James Remar and Janet Gunn. The plot, set in 1925, follows New York thief Chris Dubois who is sold into slavery by Lord Edgar Dobbs (Moore) and, after receiving Muay Thai training in Siam, enters an ancestral martial arts tournament in Tibet to earn back his freedom.
Double Impact is a 1991 American action film written and directed by Sheldon Lettich, and written, produced by and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chad and Alex Wagner. The film marks Van Damme's third collaboration with director Sheldon Lettich and second collaboration with Bolo Yeung. Double Impact was released in the United States on August 9, 1991.
Lionheart is a 1990 American martial arts film directed by Sheldon Lettich, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Deborah Rennard, Harrison Page, Lisa Pelikan and Brian Thompson. It also features the acting debut of Ashley Johnson. Van Damme plays a French Foreign Legionnaire stationed in Africa, who must desert to the United States and enter the underground fighting circuit to raise money for his murdered brother's family.
Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite is a 1996 martial arts sports directed and produced by Alan Mehrez, from a script written by Jeff Schechter. It is the standalone sequel to Bloodsport (1988), and the second installment in the titular film series. The movie stars Daniel Bernhardt, a new character in the series; and was released through limited theatrical distribution, before debuting on home video in 1996. The film was met with a warm critical response, with praise directed towards its cast namely Daniel Bernhardt's leading role. It met expectations of the audience with some calling it superior to the original. The film has garnered a cult following.
Bloodsport III is a 1997 martial arts sports action film directed and produced by Alan Mehrez, from a script written by James Williams. It is a direct sequel to Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite, and the third installment overall in the titular film series. The movie starred Daniel Bernhardt, reprising his role as Alex Cardo. It was released direct-to-video in 1997.
Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite is a 1999 martial arts sports action film directed by Elvis Restaino, from a script written by George Saunders, while Alan Mehrez once again serves as producer. It is the fourth installment overall in the Bloodsport film series. Daniel Bernhardt returns to the series, albeit in the new role of John Keller. It was released direct-to-video in 1999.
Bloodfist is a 1989 American martial arts film directed by Terence H. Winkless, starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Rob Kaman, Billy Blanks and Cris Aguilar. The plot sees an American former kickboxer travel to Manila, where he re-enters competition to avenge the murder of his brother and fellow fighter.
Scott Edward Adkins is a British actor and martial artist. He gained prominence with his villainous portrayal of the Russian prison fighter Yuri Boyka in the American martial arts film Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006), a role he reprised in its sequels Undisputed III: Redemption (2010), which won him an Action on Film Award for Breakout Action Star, and Boyka: Undisputed (2017), which won him a Jackie Chan Action Movie Award for Best Action Movie Actor.
Sheldon Lettich is an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He is best known for his collaborations with Jean-Claude Van Damme and his work in the action film genre.
Paul Hertzog is an American film composer and educator. In his brief career in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hertzog composed the soundtracks for two Jean-Claude Van Damme movies, Kickboxer and Bloodsport, as well as the scores for Breathing Fire and My Chauffeur. Hertzog was a teacher at Hart High School in Santa Clarita, California, where he taught English and Music Theory.
Michel Qissi is a Moroccan Belgian actor, filmmaker, and martial artist best known for his action films. Qissi is the co-founder of The World Cinema Combat Federation (WCCF), an organization he formed with Grand Master Beom Jhoo Lee which teaches fight choreography in filmmaking.
Daniel Bernhardt is a Swiss actor, stuntman, martial artist, and former model. He is known for his work on various action films. He made his acting debut in the leading role in the martial arts film Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996), and appeared in two of its sequels, Bloodsport III (1997) and Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite (1999).
Jean-Claude Van Johnson is an American action comedy-drama television series starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and produced by Ridley Scott with his production studio Scott Free Productions and Amazon Studios. It premiered on August 19, 2016. On January 18, 2018, the series was cancelled after one season. It received generally positive reviews from critics.
Lady Bloodfight is a 2016 martial arts film directed by Chris Nahon and starring stuntwoman Amy Johnston as an American fighter who travels to Hong Kong to participate in an all-woman Kumite. It is the fifth installment in the Bloodsport film series, and is a standalone sequel to the previous movies.
All in all, Lady Bloodfight is basically a bastardized sequel to Bloodsport or a gender flipped remake if that's more to your liking.