Kickboxer 2: The Road Back (1991)

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

It is not only a funny movie, but it allows a great amount of joy for anyone who watches it.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Former Calvin Klein model Sasha Mitchell takes over the part vacated by Jean-Claude Van Damme in director Albert Pyun's "Kickboxer 2: The Road Back," co-starring Peter Boyle, Dennis Chan, John Diehl, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, and Michel Qissi. No, Mitchell doesn't play Kurt Sloane. Instead, he plays David Sloane, the youngest of the Sloan brothers. Honestly, I don't recall anybody mentioning David three years earlier in the original "Kickboxer" with Van Damme. Mitchell makes a nice enough guy, but he doesn't conjure up any of that Van Damme charisma. Nevertheless, Hollywood will do whatever it takes to keep a franchise like this one alive and kicking. As martial arts movies rate, "Kickboxer 2" is routine stuff. The David S. Goyer screenplay recycles the original movie's narrative. One of the hero's close friends is destroyed in the arena and our hero vows to even things up for not only his friend, but also for himself. You can see every blow coming at you in the by-the-numbers plot that ripples with no surprises. Apart from Pyun's competent directing, there isn't much of anything else to think about since you've seen this story before. Happily, Dennis Chan reappears. Chan trained Van Damme in the original. He takes on the responsibility of preparing David. The nemesis of the Sloane Clan shows up in a truly preposterous plot reversal. As it turns out, David is managing the gym now that Steve and Kurt once owned. We are told that Kurt got sick of fighting and left the business. David behaves like a true role model. He mentors children at his gym and takes aside one little smart aleck to teach him life's lessons. Unfortunately, David isn't much of a business man, and his friend Jack (John Diehl of "NBC-TV's "Miami Vice") struggles to keep the doors open and the bills paid. An antsy student who trained under David, Brian Wagner (Vince Murdocco), wants to become a contender in the kickboxing world. After our hero turns down an offer from an unscrupulous promoter Justin Maciah (Peter Boyle of "Young Frankenstein") to join him in the kickboxing world, Brian accepts Maciah's offer. Brian trains rigorously and becomes a champion. Maciah's new associate, Sanga (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa of "Rising Sun"), pressures Maciah into switching fighters. Indeed, Maciah breaks some pretty big rules when he allows an unauthorized boxer on his premise. Brian has been matched up with one fighter, but at the last moment, Tong Po (Michel Qissi of "Kickboxer") replaces him. Tong Po, you may remember, was the culprit in the original "Kickboxer" who gave Jean-Claude something to worry about. Pyun likes to reuse footage of feet, hands, knees, and legs battering opponents in rapid succession. Spittle and blood fly during their evocative scenes. The energetic fights salvage this opus. Dennis Chan has some amusing lines, but he doesn't give Sasha the treatment that he inflicted on Van Damme. Altogether, "Kickboxer 2: The Road Back" is strictly standard-issue. Why a gifted actor like Peter Boyle wanted to be in this derivative film is anybody's guess.

It's good to see a fresh new star take the lead in a sequel to one of the films, that put Van Damne on the map of blockbuster action stars. We do better here, with a new unknown, Mitchell, who of course can act better, than the robotic Van Damme. With quite a backdrop of story, since it's predecessor, Mitchell interestingly enough stars as David Sloan, brother to Kurt Sloan (Van Damne from the first one). See we have the same unbeatable badass who did in Van Damne, so the bar is set remarkably high, it's scary, for David to overthrow this long haired, ugly looking oaf, who took his brother's life. Sweat and blood merge, in some quite violent bits, it takes it's time, getting to. We have some corrupt outside forces here too (the right actors in the roles) responsible for torching David's gym, and taking a little boy with it, where the grand fight of vengeance, literally, becomes one to the death, in and outside the ring. Hear is another Rocky, beat the unbeatable, film, where this one is quite fun, due to the interaction of Mitchell and the little punk kid, or just Mitchell. Too, we have the great Dennis Chan who just grows on you, someone too good for these kind of films, as is the great character actor, John Diehl as Sloan's manager in a likable performance. The older teen girl who trains with David and lives at the gym, is something of interest too. This boxing gym is sort of a refuge, for tough "living on the street" kids. This sequel quietly delivers, but does have it's tame and flat spells with a lead who really didn't grow out of obscurity.

Sasha Mitchell stars as David Sloan, working at a Martial arts Gym but when a business man Justin (Peter Boyle) wants him to go into the ring again and he takes out his best fighter they burn down his business and injure his leg. He then meets Xing Chow (Dennis Chan) who trained Kurt Sloan and isn't happy to meet him at first but soon Xing begins training him.Meanwhile Sanga (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) wants Tong Po (Michel Qissi) to have a rematch with David Sloan to regain his honour since he killed Kurt and Eric Sloan in a rage of being defeated. So David Sloan and Tong Po have a rematch using the tradition of broken glass on their hands.it was nice to see Dennis Chan reprising his role as Xing Chow and Michel Qissi as Tong Po, Sasha Mitchell was cool as David Sloan and was great in this. Kickboxer 2 is a impressive sequel that shouldn't disappoint. 10/10

This film is a prime example of why some sequels discredit the original film. In this case, "Kickboxer" should have stood alone but instead was followed by B-movie reject "Kickboxer 2". The film was bad in every way possible with horrible acting performances by Sasha Mitchell, Peter Boyle, Matthias Hues, Michel Quissi, & Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. Each actor was "wooden" & underachieving as well as overpaid for this film. Sad fight choreography, even worse cinematography, & ridiculous script writing doomed this film to failure.It's not worth bothering with reliving much of the story because there isn't much to tell. Sloan(Mitchell) goes back to the UKA circuit to make $ for his decrepit gym to keep it open. Sloan wins his bout against enemy & current UKA champion Vargas(Hues), renounces the title belt, & announces his retirement again. Angered by his defeat, Vargas & his goons sneak into Sloan's gym, beat him up badly, & set fire to the building. Badly injured & financially strapped, Sloan endures a lengthy hospital stay. Once out of the hospital, Sloan finds a hotel room to recuperate & wallow in self-pity. A knock on the door presents Xian Chow, former Muay Thai trainer of brother Kurt Sloan. Chow offers to help train Sloan but he resists. Soon, Sloan & Chow work together with great results. Fellow kick boxer & gym rat Brian Wagner(Vince Murdocco) takes on corrupt fight manager Justin(Boyle) & fight czar Sanga(Tagawa) to turn pro. Wagner wins his first few fights, makes some money, & asks Sloan to come to his championship fight. Sloan agrees & takes Mrs. Wagner along to see him fight for the first time. Confident & arrogant, Wagner waits for his opponent to step to the ring. A last minute announcement calls for a replacement fighter who happens to be the ruthless Thailand Muay Thai champion Tong Po(Quissi). Tong Po punishes Wagner for several rounds before killing him in the ring. After a visit to the hospital with Wagner's mother, Sloan learns the truth about Tong Po & his brother's death in Thailand. Angry & in grief, Sloan vows to have revenge. When Sanga offers a challenge for a fight with Tong Po in the Ancient Way, Sloan accepts without reservation. The two men enter the ring, wrap their hands in rope & resin, dip their fists in broken glass, & prepare to fight to the death. The tall, muscular, & ruthless Tong Po beats up on Sloan for several rounds before finally displaying the Muay Thai fighting spirit needed to pound the Thai champion into a knockout. Revenge has been had by Sloan & he reopens his gym for the neighborhood roughs."Kickboxer 2" will not dazzle, uplift, or have you cheering for the hero. It is simply mindless entertainment, & I MEAN MINDLESS!!! This film will lurk in the depths of one of the worst martial arts action B-movies in film history. Just thought you should know that!!!