20 Reasons Why You Rock: Bloodsport
Whenever I ponder my favorite action movies of all-time, 1988’s Bloodsport is always near the top of my list every single time. Like many action fanatics and movie goers, Bloodsport is the movie that introduced me to the greatness that is Jean-Claude Van Damme and it is the movie that put JCVD on the map.
In the years that followed Bloodsport, seeing the latest Jean-Claude Van Damme movie was a highly anticipated event in my world each year. But as great as movies like Kickboxer, Lionheart, Double Impact, Hard Target and Timecop are, I can’t help but wonder if without the success of Bloodsport if the world would have ever seen them. But thankfully that’s a world we don’t have to live in because Bloodsport rocked…
#1. Bloodsport starts off the best way any movie could start off in my humble opinion and that is with the Cannon logo on the screen. Van Damme was about to join the likes of Charles Bronson, Chuck Norris and Michael Dudikoff in the Cannon action hero stable!
#2. The opening credits are like a sizzle reel for the 1988 Kumite. Not only do we see some of the competitors who will be traveling to Hong Kong for the competition in training in their various forms of martial arts, we get to see the venue that will host the event being prepped for what the late, great Gorilla Monsoon would describe as a HAPPENING!
#3. We barely meet Jean-Claude Van Damme’s character Frank Dux before we get a lengthy flashback sequence that provides the history of how Frank Dux came under the tutelage of Senzo Tanaka. But more importantly this is where we get to see one of the worst performances in cinematic history as Pierre Rafini plays Young Frank Dux with his Giants mashup gear and an awkwardness that only a rank amateur could provide… not surprisingly this was the only bit of “acting” that Rafini did but you can’t deny he left his mark on anyone who has ever watched Bloodsport.
#4. The flashbacks transform into training montage or should I say an epic training montage as grown up Frank Dux convinces Senzo Tanaka to teach him and let him carry on the Tanaka tradition after the tragic death of Senzo’s son, Shingo.
#5. When you think of martial arts tournament movies, you think of Bloodsport and Enter the Dragon… there are two men who can lay claim to being in both films, Bolo Yeung of course and the other less obvious one… Roy Chiao. Chiao played Shidoshi Senzo Tanaka in Bloodsport and was the Shaolin Temple Abbot in Enter the Dragon.
#6. Providing the movie with some comic relief are government agents Helmer (Norman Burton) and Rawlins (Forest Whitaker). Norman Burton who was one of the many actors to portray Felix Leiter in the James Bond franchise and he had a memorable spot in Pray for Death.
#7. Frank Dux is not an easy character to relate to… how many of us are government assets with a wealth of martial arts abilities fighting in an underground, no holds barred, mixed martial arts tournament!?! I’d say zero… but when Frank Dux and Ray Jackson (Donald Gibb) bond while playing a video game, Frank instantly becomes relatable to regular schmoes like you and me… plus, it is a fun way for the Dux and Jackson characters to meet.
#8. Speaking of fun… Victor Lin (Ken Siu), the handler for the North American fighters is truly one of the unsung heroes of the movie and a fun character as well. Put up your dukes indeed!
#9. Thumbs up for “Ok, USA!”
#10. When the Kumite officials question Frank Dux’s connection to Shidoshi Senzo Tanaka, they request that Dux perform the Dim Mak to prove he truly is a member of the Tanaka Clan. It is an impressive piece of business for sure, but Frank still had at least one skeptic….
#11. Reigning Kumite champion Chong Li (Bolo Yeung) is a man of few words, which makes his review of Dux’s Dim Mak demonstration all the more important when he points out that “brick not hit back”. This is some great foreshadowing of the Kumite finals.
#12. Bloodsport was the birth of some JCVD movie traditions…. first off the way Frank finagles himself into a dinner date with intrepid reporter Janice (Leah Ayres) is Exhibit A in Van Damme being a smooth operator with the ladies. The next morning when Janice is basking in the afterglow of her night with Frank and checking out his muscular behind is Exhibit A in Van Damme being a show off.
#13. Bloodsport was not the first movie where Jean-Claude Van Damme performed his trademark splits (that honor goes to No Retreat, No Surrender) but the shot of him doing the splits out on the ledge with the view of Hong Kong Harbor is iconic.
#14. In professional wrestling terms, the Kumite was really well booked… the first day sees Chong Li instantly prove why he is the reigning champion, Ray Jackson is a brawler’s brawler and after his win he lays the groundwork for his encounter with Chong Li later in the tournament and last but not least, in his first match Frank Dux sets a new world record for fastest knockout, a record previously held by Chong Li!
#15. Obviously the movie could not show every fight in its entirety or Bloodsport would be several hours long instead of the Cannon friendly 92 minutes…. but there’s one way to jam as much Kumite action in a short amount of time and that is through the use of a montage featuring Stan Bush’s “Fight to Survive” …Kumite! Kumite!
#16. The music of Michael Bishop, specifically his song “Steal the Night”, is a key part in the next big sequence when Helmer and Rawlins catch up with Frank at the hotel lobby and we get a foot chase through Hong Kong that could easily double as a Mentos commercial.
#17. The second day of the tournament means a second day montage, this one to Paul Hertzog’s aptly named “Second Day”. Hertzog was the composter on two JCVD movies, Bloodsport and Kickboxer and deserves some love for his contributions to both films.
#18. A major turn of events takes place on the second day of the Kumite when Chong Li battles Ray Jackson and purposely ends up hospitalizing the big brute and steals his bandana as a sick trophy… now Frank isn’t only fighting for his Shidoshi, but his friend Jackson too… seems like with that much motivation there’s no way Frank won’t make it to the finals…
#19. After all the hype and all the action that preceded it, the finals between Frank Dux and Chong Li does not disappoint, with Frank winning in the most definitive way possible sending the crowd home happy.
#20. Last but not least are the Frank Dux “facts” that are shown on the screen before the end credits, they may be funnier than all the “Chuck Norris facts” even if that was not the intention.
