Kickboxer 2: The Road Back (1991)

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

KICKBOXER is one of my favourite Van Damme movies. It has many classic moments, from the heightened revenge plot, to those classic, tortuous training sequences to the outstanding ending, one of the best-filmed fights of all time. It's a classic feel good movie. This sequel is none of those things and is in most respects an awful film. Van Damme passed on the chance to reprise his role, so we're saddled with the spurious 'missing brother' claim and the resultant film must be one of the most pointless ever made.In essence, Tong Po didn't die at the end of the first film. He's back and seeking revenge, along with some loyalist Thais (a nation cast as the bad guys here, somewhat unusually). Mitchell, playing Van Damme's brother, ends up fighting Tong Po in a severe re-match, but before then there's lots of boring stuff about 'doing what's right', following one's path and all that nonsense. The first hour of the film is boring and the action sequences are few and far between; even they are mishandled. In one ring match, we watch as Mitchell beats the hell out of his opponent, with slow-motion blood sprays and the like; he's portrayed as a sadistic bully-boy, and this is the guy we're supposed to root for! Mitchell reaches a new low for an action hero in a genre already populated by guys cast for their brawn rather than brains.Much of the blame for this film's failure must rest at the door of Albert Pyun, who really is one of the poorest directors in modern cinema. Absolutely all of the films I've seen that he's directed have been bad: I'm thinking CYBORG, TICKER, OMEGA DOOM, DOLLMAN, along with many others. In none of those films has the direction been good. Here, he shows himself to have no idea of pace or how to handle a decent fight scene, often shooting on the other side of the ropes in the ring battles! Sure, the blood and gore quotient is upped from the first movie, but it goes to show that that alone doesn't make a decent film.In one, single respect does KICKBOXER 2 surpass the original, and that's in the casting. This film has an excellent cast. It's a shame they're not put to better use. The likes of Peter Boyle are here, along with Dennis Chan reprising his role from the first, even though he's utterly wasted. There's an early turn for Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as a stock bad guy, and man-mountain Matthias Hues pops up for a match. Michel Qissi also returns as the villainous Tong Po, but even though he looks the same he has none of the power or impact that his character had in the original; that goes to show how Pyun's direction sucks. In the end, this film is a wasted opportunity and time would be better spent watching the first film again rather than sitting through this mess.

You...and the whole world, need to see this movie. Truly an inspiring work of art, I was blessed to have stumbled upon this gem at an early age. Little did I know this masterpiece would shape my entire mindset; from living a life based on attaining peace of mind to...what am I saying, you just need to watch this. Best 90 minutes of your life. If you are reading this, then there is a reason for you reading this. What can I say, this is an old flick, low budget, bad reviews, but just give it a chance. You won't be disappointed. Kickboxer 2: The Road Back...You will only move forward by watching this movie. Life changing indeed. PS...I've willingly watched this movie over 100 times, including right now. Brings back old memories, reminds me of incredible life lessons, and opens up my lungs to new found smooth breaths. I can't thank this movie enough. It is my dream that the love that I have and benefit I received from this movie can touch another soul. What are you waiting for, watch it for free online. You owe it to your future self. He will thank you for it. Guaranteed.

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.

I have "Kickboxer" waiting in my TiVo. Should I have seen it first? It's better to watch something new before I have to save it for later. And yet I could have watched "Kickboxer" and deleted it, and saved the other movie.So this is my introduction to the series.I didn't find out for years I liked Jean Claude van Damme. And I was surprised this wasn't him. It looked like him. But it was actually Cody from "Step by Step"--and he wasn't a silly buffoon! David Sloane runs an inner-city gym, and he cares about helping kids who are less fortunate. And that's a problem. He can't afford to pay the bills. He might have to go back to fighting, and a tragedy pretty much decides he will. But he has a very capable teacher.David's friend Brian wants to fight. And he does some things that are less than ethical.I was surprised Sasha Mitchell was so good as a fighter--and not bad as an actor either. Now I saw two movies about boxing the same day, and Ving Rhames gave a far superior performance, but Mitchell is good enough.The real standout performer is Dennis Chan as the man who gets David back in fighting shape.Humberto Ortiz impressed me as a street kid with an attitude who David might be able to help. I would have been happier if the whole movie had been like the first few scenes, with the focus on David teaching the kids rather than fighting and corruption.I didn't recognize Peter Boyle, not having ever seen an episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond", but it's just as well. He was not a nice man. And one of his goons was much worse.Michel Qissi didn't have to say a word. He was a real bad boy in the ring. For those who say boxing isn't violent, you haven't seen boxing like this. THIS is violent.It's not a masterpiece, but if you like fighting, you might like this.