Sometimes films are considered art because of the excellent acting, spectacular script writing, amazing cinematography, or cultural impact, and other times a movie is just simply Bloodsport.
What this particular icon of the silver screen lacks in a few of those previously stated categories, it makes up for in martial arts glory, pure ‘80s nostalgia, and direct injections of testosterone right into the viewer’s eyes. This is the film that made Jean-Claude Van Damme an overnight success – after it spent a couple of years on the shelf and had to be re-edited – and legend has it he obtained the role by showing up to a restaurant where Menahem Golan of Cannon Films, his soon-to-be boss, was exiting and simply kicked over the man’s head to show off his skills. What they created together became a staple in the movie libraries of many households, a foundation of the genre, and an inspirational piece for many.
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Stephen Wilds 