Kickboxer
Seen it?1989 | 98 min | Action, Thriller
Weeknight WatchWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
It made about 33 times its budget, but just 36% on Rotten Tomatoes held it back. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and action fans. If you loved Kill Bill: Vol. 2, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
- The mood
- Tense.
- The pace
- Fast-moving, at 1 hr 38 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Critics were cooler on it than audiences.
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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsWeak
36% on Rotten Tomatoes, 33 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.8 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$50 million worldwide on a $2 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 162K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Double Impact Weeknight WatchAlso stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, in another revenge thriller, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Bloodsport Weeknight WatchAlso stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, in another sports action film, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
The Quest
Monday Morning MaybeAlso stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, in another sports action film. Fair warning: it's a Monday Morning Maybe.
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed revenge action film.
Boyka: Undisputed IV Weeknight WatchAnother sports action film, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Mark DiSalle, David Worth
- Jean-Claude Van DammeKurt Sloane
- Dennis AlexioEric Sloane
- Dennis Chan Kwok-SanXian
- Haskell V. Anderson IIIWinston Taylor
- Rochelle AshanaMylee
- Michel QissiTong Po
- Steve Lee Ka-tingFreddy Li
- Gam BiuTao Liu
- Ricky LiuBig Thai Man
- Thomas Sin Ho-YingHuge Village Man #1