The screenplay is based on many of Dux's claims first covered in the November 1980 issue of Black Belt magazine.[6] The real Dux served as the action choreographer and technical advisor. After its release, many of Dux's claims were disputed, including by co-screenwriter Sheldon Lettich, who claimed Dux fabricated his fight record and the existence of the Kumite.[7][8][9]
Bloodsport was produced and released by Cannon Films on February 26, 1988. Despite negative critical reviews, it was a considerable box office success, grossing $50million on a budget of $1.5–2.3million. The success of the film helped the resurgence of the martial arts film genre in America.[10] It has also been identified as a cult film and spawned a film series which includes four sequels.
Plot
U.S. Army Captain Frank Dux, who has trained in the ways of ninjutsu since he was a boy under sensei Senzo Tanaka, is invited to the Kumite, an illegal martial arts tournament in Hong Kong. Dux goes absent without leave and leaves for Hong Kong. Two Criminal Investigation Command agents, Helmer and Rawlins, are assigned to track down and arrest Dux.
After arriving in Hong Kong, Dux befriends American Vale Tudo fighter Ray Jackson. When they arrive at the Kumite arena, Dux proves his connection to the Tanaka clan by performing the Dim Mak death touch. On the first day of the tournament, Dux breaks Kumite champion Chong Li's record for the fastest knockout. Helmer and Rawlins arrive in Hong Kong and contact local police inspector Chen.
On the second day, Chong Li brutally beats Jackson. Dux vows to avenge him. When Dux returns to the Kumite, Helmer and Rawlins are waiting for him, along with Chen and four of his officers. Dux agrees to return with Helmer and Rawlins after the tournament.
On the final day, Li kills his semifinal opponent. Fearing defeat in the final against Dux, Li conceals a salt pill in his waistband before the bout. When Dux gains the upper hand, Li blinds him by crushing the pill and throwing it into Dux's face. Dux recalls his training from Tanaka, who taught him to fight blindfolded, overcoming the handicap and defeating Li by making him say "matté". The next day, he bids farewell to Jackson before returning to the United States with Helmer and Rawlins.
I had known Frank Dux for a number of months before I came up with the idea for Bloodsport. Frank told me a lot of tall tales, most of which turned out to be bullshit. But his stories about participating in this so-called "Kumite" event sounded like a great idea for a movie. There was one guy who he introduced me to, named Richard Bender, who claimed to have actually been at the Kumite event and who swore everything Frank told me was true. A few years later this guy had a falling-out with Frank, and confessed to me that everything he told me about the Kumite was a lie; Frank had coached him in what to say.[11]
On casting the lead role, producer Mark DiSalle said, "I wanted a new martial arts star who was a ladies' man. Jean Claude [Van Damme] appeals to both men and women. He's an American hero who fights for justice the American way and kicks the stuffing out of the bad guys."[5]
Filming
Bloodsport was filmed entirely on location in Hong Kong. Shooting began on October 17, 1986.[12] It was the first American feature film made in Hong Kong since 1969.[12] Promotional materials indicated that the Kumite which Frank Dux won in 1975 was held in the Bahamas, but producers opted to set the story in Hong Kong because the city was "exciting and not over-exposed" in American films.[12]
Bloodsport's soundtrack score was composed by Paul Hertzog, who would also compose the score for Jean-Claude Van Damme's next movie Kickboxer.[14][15] The songs "Fight to Survive" and "On My Own" were performed by Stan Bush.[14][16][17] Bush's performances are replaced on the soundtrack with alternate versions sung by Paul Delph.[14] The song "Steal the Night" by Michael Bishop plays during a scene where Dux runs from Helmer and Rawlins. The song was released in the mid-2000s as a single containing a vocal and instrumental version.[18] On June 26, 2007, Perseverance Records released a limited-edition CD of the soundtrack including, for the first time, the original film versions of the Stan Bush songs.[19] In 2021 the complete soundtrack was released on picture discs by Waxwork Records.[20]
Home media
Bloodsport was released on VHS and Betamax by Warner Home Video on December 21, 1988.[21] Within a few months, it had sold some 150,000 units.[5]
Warner also released a DVD of the film in the United States on October 1, 2002.[22]
Multiple Bluray versions have been released throughout the years, the earliest in 2010 and the latest, including 4K versions, in 2023 and beyond. The older releases feature only stereo audio, while the most recent ones also surround mixes.[23][24][25]
Reception
Box office
In January 1989, the Los Angeles Times reported a U.S. box office gross of $11.7million against a budget of $2.3million.[4] In August 1989, the Chicago Tribune reported that the film pulled in $50million worldwide, including $15million in the U.S. and Canada, making it Cannon Group's most profitable film of 1988.[5]
Critical response
Leonard Klady of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Hacking through the jungle of cliche and reservoir of bad acting in Bloodsport [...] are some pretty exciting matches."[26]
Review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes reports a 50% approval rating based on 30 reviews and an average rating of 5.1/10. The site's consensus reads: "This is where it all began for the Muscles from Brussels, but beyond Van Damme's athleticism, Bloodsport is a clichéd, virtually plotless exercise in action movie recycling."[28] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 29 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[29]Slashfilm regards it as one of the most influential martial arts movies of all time.[30]
Controversy
In his book Reel Bad Arabs, media scholar Jack G. Shaheen criticized Bloodsport for reinforcing anti-Arab stereotypes. In particular, he wrote, it depicts Syrians as ugly, sexually aggressive, unintelligent, and deceitful.[31]
A remake of Bloodsport was reported to be in planning in 2011. Phillip Noyce was attached to direct a screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen. The main character was supposed to be an American Afghanistan War veteran competing in a vale tudo tournament in Brazil.[33] Director James McTeigue was attached to the project by 2013, and the filming was to be shot in Australia and Brazil.[34] As of 2023, the remake has not been produced.
Retired professional mixed martial artist and kickboxerMirko Cro Cop, inspired by Van Damme's performance in the film, began training in his parents' garage with his father's boxing equipment and weights.[36]
Bloodsport was an inspiration for the video game Mortal Kombat,[37] and Johnny Cage, one of the characters, is a parody of Jean-Claude Van Damme.[38] Van-Damme himself later voiced a Johnny Cage character skin based on his likeness in Mortal Kombat 1.[39]
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