Gymkata (1985)

Today Matt and Todd venture into Gymkata:“The skill of gymnastics… the KILL of karate!” Starring champion gymnast Kurt Thomas as champion gymnast Jonathan Cabot, the film follows his training to compete in The Game: a cross‑country gauntlet of traps, assassins, and inexplicable pommel horses placed in the wild. The prize for surviving? One wish from the Khan of Parmistan. The U.S. government’s wish? Permission to install a satellite base for Reagan’s “Star Wars” program.The movie flopped on release, but time has been kind to this fever dream. It's unusual blend of Cold War paranoia, martial‑arts enthusiasm, and “why not?” energy makes it a flawed but undeniably entertaining ride. If you’re tolerant of cheesy cinema, or actively seek it out, Gymkata delivers a very fun time. It’s infamous, fairly so, but what else are you watching this weekend anyway? Decide for yourself whether it’s at least “so bad it’s good.”Directed by: Robert ClouseStarring:Kurt Thomas as Jonathan CabotTetchie Agbayani as Princess RubaliRichard Norton as Commander ZamirEdward Bell as PaleyBob Schott as ThorgWhit Bissell Award Winner Buck Kartalian as The KhanWhit Bissell Award Winner for sound by Cutter’s Inc.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