Monday Morning Maybe

Add your email and we'll match picks to the services you stream at home.

Poster for The Challenge

The Challenge

Seen it?

1982 | 109 min | Action, Drama

Weeknight Watchearly rating

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

With a box office flop and middling reviews (53% on Rotten Tomatoes), it's a mixed bag. 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 action fans. If you loved Beast or The Last Samurai, start here.
The mood
Exciting.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 49 min.
What might put you off
Rated R: meant for adults.

Rick, a down-and-out American boxer, is hired to transport a sword to Japan, unaware that the whole thing is a set up in a bitter blood-feud between two brothers, one who follows the traditional path of the samurai and the other a businessman. At the behest of the businessman, Rick undertakes samurai training from the other brother, but joins his cause. He also becomes romantically involved with the samurai's daughter.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsBelow par

    53% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Box office & staying powerWeak

    $4 million worldwide

  • Buzz & cultural impactBelow par

    About 22K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

More like this

Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks

Cast & crew

Directed by John Frankenheimer

  • Scott GlennRick
  • Toshirō MifuneToru Yoshida
  • Donna Kei BenzAkiko Yoshida
  • Atsuo NakamuraHideo Yoshida
  • Calvin JungAndo
  • Clyde KusatsuGo
  • Sab ShimonoToshio Yoshida
  • Kiyoaki NagaiKubo
  • Kenta FukasakuJiro
  • Shōgo ShimadaToru Yoshida's Father