#Kickboxer (1989)

Van Damme seeks revenge against a kickboxer in Thailand who paralyzed his brother. He must train with a Mr. Miyagi type in a situation similar to Karate Kid and even his own movie Bloodsport from the previous year.

He trains in an Asian location and falls for a local girl, much like Karate Kid Part II. You know, these movies are all basically the same, but they work in the 80s.

Training montages are fun. Van Damme loved showing off his ability to do the splits, but it's taken its toll on him at his age, and he walks funny now. Still, these movies make me ashamed of how unathletic I am. If I took one hit to the shin, I'd be out for a week, but he's able to kick down a tree? I know it's just a movie, but still.

In the end fight, they put glass shards on their gloves to make things extra dangerous. The parody scene from Hot Shots! Part Deux instantly comes to mind. But after getting beaten mercilessly in the face with these punches, Van Damme barely has any wounds, which is kind of funny.

So once his brother is rescued and arrives to support him at the fight, all the stakes are gone. Van Damme simply beats the living tar out of this joker, despite being on the brink of a K.O. moments earlier. Don't you just love that second-wind logic?

What's the word on the sequels? I'll probably check 'em out some century.