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11 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
The best fighting movie ever made!, 26 August 2000
10/10
Author: elianator (elianator@yahoo.com) from NJ, USA

It's an absolute shame that a movie this awesome isn't even available in print anymore, considering all of the other crap that is being re-released on DVD. It's also a shame that this movie, along with all of its contributors, have never received any notice (with the exception of Billy Blanks). And I'm being serious. Sure this is a b-movie, but how can anyone who's seen it overlook how much fun it is to watch? _The King of the Kickboxers_ is incredibly entertaining, and that's the whole point of any movie, with or without a compelling plot and acting.

Everything about this movie is awesome. The dialogue is corny and the acting is campy, but how can you complain? This just gives you something to laugh at. Most mainstream viewers will cringe at the poor acting and turn away from this movie, not even realizing that it can be funny.

Those people will then miss out on the incredible fighting scenes, which are quite frequent. There isn't a single movie out there with moves as cool as the ones here. You'd never expect to see stuff like this anywhere other than in your imagination, but somehow, the fighters managed to throw attacks at lighting speeds and launched multiple kicks in mid-air without landing (not even Michael Jordan gets this much hangtime)! All the scenes are fast-paced and beautifully coordinated, with camera angles that really get you into the action.

Even the limited music is excellent. It is not only pleasing to listen to, but effectively helps to set the mood of the scenes. It can give you a creepy feeling at times, and is best used in the final fight scene where the drum beat kicks in to get you into the mood of the action and later as it shifts to a triumphant tone, you can't help but cheer for the good guy as he makes his comeback victory.

And finally, the plot is perfect for this type of film--simple and limited. Most of the movie is dedicated to the action scenes, while plot developments painlessly interrupt to help support the characters so you can develop feelings about them. The whole movie had the feel of a video game. The protagonist battles through his enemies and works his way up to reach who is ultimately the bad guy and defeats him. The bad guy even has his own finishing move (an awesome one at that) that the good guy must look out for. This is all just like a video game; another reason why I love this movie!

This is by far the best fighting movie ever, and I've seen quite a few of them. And after serious consideration, I've concluded that this is one of the best movies ever made in any genre. Do whatever you can to see this movie. And if you've already seen this movie but hated it, do me and yourself a favor and watch it again, this time with my review in mind.

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5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Cheesy kung-fu fun from Hong Kong producer N.G., 2 July 2004
Author: Captain_Couth (sirjosephu@aol.com) from Sacramento, CA

The King of the Kickboxers (1991) was another U.S./Hong Kong co-production from N.G. and the other folks at Seasonal Films. Like most of N.G.'s productions, the kung-fu films that usual come from Seasonal are cheesy with a heavy dose of high energy fighting. That's what I like about his films. He doesn't even try to be serious or make an attempt to elevate the source material. This film is no exception.

An arrogant fighter is given an assignment to find out who's making "real" kung-fu movies in Thailand (like Mexico where life is cheap). He's also intrigued by the mission because of what happened to him the last time he visited Bangkok. Whilst in Bangkok he learns about the presence of a vicious Kickboxer (Billy Blanks). Not only does he get a free trip to Thailand but he can settle an old score.

Filled with many references to Kickboxer and parodies of other Seasonal Films productions. King of the Kickboxers is a very entertaining film. The film-makers and the actors seem to be having a whole lot of fun making this one. So sit back and relax. When watching this video gem remember "It's only a movie!"

Highly recommended!

A

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Pay close attention here..., 9 August 2004
Author: kphurley-1 from USA

This film is so focused on the fighting they forget the name of the main character...we are introduced to a cop named "Jake", but then the woman he is trying to save at the end can't be bothered to remember what his name is; she calls him "Jack" NUMEROUS TIMES.

There are so many other cheesy lines which have been mentioned in these reviews...how funny is it when Avedon, looking like he's going to burst into tears, sternly demands Blanks to LET THE GIRL GO!! Great stuff.

BTW...I believe Blanks' finisher is U, U, D, D, L, R, L, R, B, A.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Cheesy Martial Arts goodness!, 19 June 2006
6/10
Author: Snoog from United Kingdom

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Loren Avedon stars as Jake Donahue…try and guess from the name what his occupation is…yes; correct, he's a cop. Not only that, he's your stereotypical cop on the edge who plays by his own rules, and you can bet that his actions on the streets always have the "mayor up the commissioners a**".

During a visit to Thailand when he was a kid, he witnessed his Kick Boxing champ of a brother get the tar beat out of him by big bad a** Khan (Billy Blanks)…His brother died, and then Jake got a spanking too ("Something to remember me by!" – Khan). This event turned Jake into the man he is today…a right p****d off barrel of p**s and vinegar.

After Jake spanks a bit too much a**e whilst undercover, his captain assigns him to investigate a snuff movie racket in Thailand. Whilst viewing a couple of the movies (one of which just so happens to be No Retreat, No Surrender 3 which starred Avedon) he sees Khan, the man who murdered his brother. Goddamn, Donahue really wants this case bad now, the Mother Hubbard has a score to settle…and off to Thailand he goes.

Whilst there he meets Prang (played by good 'ol Keith Cooke) an apparent drunk tramp that once came very close to defeating Khan. And of course, after the usual "No, I will not teach you" tomfoolery, Jake becomes Prangs student to prepare himself for his eventual showdown with Khan in what can only be described as "Kung Fu Thunderdome".

It's all great stuff; you've got all the ingredients for a great b-movie action flick.

Clichéd cop good guy? Yes! Shouty police captain? Yes! Training montage? Yes Cheesy bad guy? Yes! T*t shot? Yes! Swift one liners? Yes! Lots of action & violence? Of course!

The fight scenes are really top notch when compared to other American b-movie fare of the time, they're pretty speedy and intricate…OK so they're not 15 minute long epics, and the 3 foot tall Chinese guy that doubles for Avedon's more acrobatic moves sticks out like a sore thumb, but they're still entertaining. It's just a shame that Keith Cooke doesn't get more to do, but what he does do is fantastic. During his main fight scene he shows off his trademark kicking skills with lightning fast accuracy with no signs of under cranking. As Robert Clouse once said, "Cooke is a fast with his feet as Bruce Lee was with his hands," I certainly wouldn't argue with that.

Avedon is someone I've always thought was a great on screen fighter, and very underrated too. He's fast and looks very powerful, although his occasional screams of fury and taunts can be a little on the Edam side of things, but ah, it just adds to the charm of the movie in my opinion…if I wanted top quality acting I would be watching something else wouldn't I?

Of course we can't leave out Mr Tae Bo Billy Blanks, yes before he made his fortune with his work out videos he was starring in movies like this. He's great in the movie, sneering constantly, speaking like a robot and kicking plenty a**e. He's a big fella and apart from some occasional cheese, he can be quite intimidating at certain points of the movie.

I can heartily recommend this, depending on your preferences you'll either be grinning from ear to ear or cringing and frowning till your face looks like an anus.

(Taken from my forum - http://sjcultmovies1.proboards23.com)

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2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
This should be called "Kickboxer : The Remake", 20 January 2001
8/10
Author: The__Watcher from Mirage

I thought this movie was really like "Kickboxer"(Van Damme). It had the same kind of plot. It had the same destination , Thailand. I think it was a major copy of Kickboxer , but it was enjoyable. It had good training music and the fights were done so good , but the acting was real bad , overall I give this 8/10.

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Loren Avedon 4 life brother!, 23 October 2009
10/10
Author: peterpants66 from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

So you thought you could go to Thailand and win a kickbox fight and everything would be all right, WRONG. There's tradition and honor and snuff films being made on the side and your brother is dead now What-cha-goona do brother? Your going to train your but off and avenge his death. This movie goes beyond good, Loren Avedon is the brother of a champion kickboxer whose brutally slain by a seemingly unavoidable three kick combination that bad guy turned abdominal maximizer Billy Blanks throws with reckless abandon. This is a martial arts movie where people look like there really getting hurt. And if you haven't seen No Retreat No Surrender 3 blood brothers, do yourself a favor and try that one. Just about anything L.A. is in im into, he knows how to woo the lady's and he knows how to throw a mean roundhouse kick. The back story gives way to the training sequence which ends up with the showdown. And plenty of repeatable quotes in between. My favorite is at the end when Loren meets Blanks again for the final battle, after he throws a picture of his brother to blanks, yeah THROWS a picture, has to be seen. They go into this hypnotic exchange and the whole thing bubbles over into mega kickbox violence ending. Ten thumbs up don't rent it Own it.

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Ring Of Fire..., 16 June 2009
7/10
Author: Frank Markland from United States

Loren Avedon stars as Jake Donahue, a kung fu cop who is sent by interpol to take down a group of snuff filmmakers and get revenge for his brother's death, who was also killed by the snuff film star. King Of The Kickboxers is a tough film to review, on a lot of levels it's utterly dreadful but the fights are so utterly spectacular that one tends to give the benefit of the doubt and enjoy the film as a great martial arts film. Loren Avedon has some great moves and thankfully never takes the movie too seriously, and despite his cocky bravado manages to come off as sort of likable. Billy Blanks is also a great villain, and both Richard Jaeckel and Don Stroud provide credibility to a silly plot. As it goes, King Of The Kickboxers works in the same way a cheap Bruce Li film works except the fights are on par with Jackie Chan's 80s work and here goes why I recommend the movie in spite of good taste. Then again, if we can't appreciate trash what can we enjoy?

* * * out of 4-(Good)

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1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Snuff + Kung-Fu: Great fun!, 2 February 2007
Author: ultra_tippergore from United States

This is how martial arts film should be (excluding Ricky-Oh that is the best movie ever).An undercover "kickboxer" cop travel to Thailand to investigate some kung fu movies were they really kill people, "snuff kung fu" movies. He also have a personal interest, one of the killers is the guy who killed his brother 10 years ago. The movie is similar in structure to Kickboxer(the one with Van Damme) but this one is ten times more entertaining...you know, the guy who seeks revenge, training and fighting. The dialogs are ridiculous like in every movie of this kind but some fights are very cool. but the plus of the "snuff" movies is the key. Also, the character played by Billy Blanks as the "executor" in the snuff films looks like an inspiration to Machine in 8mm.Very recommended!

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1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Finest movie ever made., 20 January 2004
Author: Don Siddell (dcsiddell@hotmail.com) from long island, ny

Laughed til my shoes fell off, keith strandburg is a genius. The comedy alone in this movie is worth it, the great fight scenes are just a bonus. If I had the chance to make out with Loren Avedon, I probably would, and I'm not even gay. superb video game element. as a side note: to get the billy blank's finishing move use - DOWN for 2 seconds plus UP and B.

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1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
I love it, 7 December 2003
Author: Vogler from Germany

I can't explain it, but I love this movie. What gives that movie the edge is the performance of Keith Cooke and Billy Blanks. Loren Avedon cannot keep up with them although he plays the main character (who is quite arrogant in my opinion). The film features decent fights with moody music, all overacted and unrealistic but highly entertaining. When Jake, still in the US, watches that movies and complains about their low quality, its "No retreat, no surrender 3" (starring Loren Avedon, too) and one might find a small piece of self-irony, too.

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