Back to trending
Kickboxer

Kickboxer

Action · Thriller · Drama · 1989

If your enemy refuses to be humbled... Destroy him. Accompanied by his brother Kurt, American kickboxing champion Eric Sloane, arrives in Thailand to defeat the Eastern warriors at their own sport. His opponent: ruthless fighter and Thai champion, Tong Po. Tong not only defeats Eric, he paralyzes him for life. Crazed with anger, Kurt vows revenge.

Movie details

Kickboxer

“An ancient sport becomes a deadly game.”

1989 Action · Thriller · Drama 1h 38m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

If your enemy refuses to be humbled... Destroy him. Accompanied by his brother Kurt, American kickboxing champion Eric Sloane, arrives in Thailand to defeat the Eastern warriors at their own sport. His opponent: ruthless fighter and Thai champion, Tong Po. Tong not only defeats Eric, he paralyzes him for life. Crazed with anger, Kurt vows revenge.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Kickboxer?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Road House

Road House

Action · 2024

Ex-UFC fighter Dalton takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems.

Bloodsport

Bloodsport

Action · 1988

An American Army Major goes AWOL to Hong Kong for an outlawed martial arts contest called the Kumite.

Damage

Damage

Action · 2009

An ex-con battles it out in the cage to pay for the operation that would save the daughter of his victim. Along the way he finds fatherly love, and friendship, in the most unlikely of places.

Blind Fury

Blind Fury

Action · 1989

A blind Vietnam vet, trained as a swordfighter, comes to America and helps to rescue the son of a fellow soldier.

A Prayer Before Dawn

A Prayer Before Dawn

Drama · 2018

The amazing true story of Billy Moore, an English boxer incarcerated in Thailand’s most notorious prison. Thrown into a world of drugs and violence, he finds his best chance to escape is to fight his way out in prison Muay Thai tournaments.

The King of the Kickboxers

The King of the Kickboxers

Action · 1990

Jake, a New York policeman poses as an actor to expose the making of martial-arts death movies in Thailand.

Double Impact

Double Impact

Thriller · 1991

Jean Claude Van Damme plays a dual role as Alex and Chad, twins separated at the death of their parents. Chad is raised by a family retainer in Paris, Alex becomes a petty crook in Hong Kong. Seeing a picture of Alex, Chad rejoins him and convinces him that his rival in Hong Kong is also the man who killed their parents. Alex is suspicious of Chad, especially when it comes to his girlfriend.

Skin Trade

Skin Trade

Thriller · 2014

After his family is killed by a Serbian gangster with international interests. NYC detective Nick goes to S.E. Asia and teams up with a Thai detective to get revenge and destroy the syndicates human trafficking network.

Southpaw

Southpaw

Action · 2015

Billy "The Great" Hope, the reigning junior middleweight boxing champion, has an impressive career, a loving wife and daughter, and a lavish lifestyle. However, when tragedy strikes, Billy hits rock bottom, losing his family, his house and his manager. He soon finds an unlikely savior in Tick Willis, a former fighter who trains the city's toughest amateur boxers. With his future on the line, Hope fights to reclaim the trust of those he loves the most.

Never Back Down

Never Back Down

Drama · 2008

Jake, full of anger after his father's death, is just starting to find a place for himself at his new Orlando high school - until Ryan, head of an underground MMA fight club, picks Jake out as a prime opponent. After being trounced by Ryan in front of the entire school, Jake begins training under the firm, moral guidance of a MMA master, where he learns how to fight... and how to avoid a fight. But it becomes obvious that a rematch will be inevitable if Jake wants to stop Ryan and his bullying, once and for all.

Where it lives

Watch in your region.

Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.

Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.

Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

David Worth · Mark DiSalle

Written by

Glenn A. Bruce · Mark DiSalle · Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Kurt Sloane

D

Dennis Alexio

Eric Sloane

Dennis Chan Kwok-San

Dennis Chan Kwok-San

Xian

Haskell V. Anderson III

Haskell V. Anderson III

Winston Taylor

Rochelle Ashana

Rochelle Ashana

Mylee

Michel Qissi

Michel Qissi

Tong Po

Steve Lee Ka-Ting

Steve Lee Ka-Ting

Freddy Li

Court is in session

Put Kickboxer on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.