Bloodsport (1988) (with Logan)

Today Matt & Todd are joined by Logan again to step into the arena for a film we love: 1988’s Bloodsport.The words are few, but you came here for the Bloodsport, and you get it. A mix of martial arts styles, excellent fight scenes, and a dash of slapstick make this the cinematic equivalent of your older brother’s Karate Kid. For aspiring combat‑sport athletes, it might even be their Rocky.If you’re not familiar: Bloodsport tells the inspired by true events story of veteran, martial-artist, and pirate-liason Frank Dux’s legendary performance at an underground, full‑contact tournament known as the Kumite. Bloodsport is directed by Newt Arnold and stars:Jean-Claude Van Damme as Frank DuxDonald Gibb as Ray Jackson a fellow western Kumite fighter.Leah Ayres as Janice Kent an investigative journalistNorman Burton and Forest Whitaker as CID Agents tracking the AWOL DuxWhit Bissell award winner Bolo Yeung as Chong Li (Dux's massive opponent)Whit Bissell award winner Ken Siu as Victor Lin (Dux' manager)Impressive fight choreography by Frank Dux himself with David Worth (who would later direct Kickboxer ) as cinematographerJoin us as we celebrate the punches, the splits, the slow‑motion faces of agony, and the pure Cannon‑era charm of a movie that knows exactly what it is and absolutely commits to it.Matt has over 100+ lists for movie suggestions on ⁠Letterboxd⁠You can reach out on Bluesky: @MovieMattSirois Terrible movies often find him, even under under the alias Marcus at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Movie Asylum of the Weird, Bad and Wonderful⁠.Follow who we follow:⁠⁠⁠⁠Once Upon a Geek⁠⁠⁠⁠ and  ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Fade Out Podcast⁠⁠