Bloodsport

1988
18
1h 32m

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

98K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer1:35

B-Action Action Biography Drama Sport

"Bloodsport" follows Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the dea... Read all"Bloodsport" follows Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the death can occur."Bloodsport" follows Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the death can occur.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

98K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

2,919

505

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Frank
(as Jean Claude Van Damme)

Donald Gibb

Jackson

Leah Ayres

Janice

Norman Burton

Helmer

Forest Whitaker

Rawlins

Roy Chiao

Tanaka

Rani Gill

Special Lady

Philip Chan

Captain Chen

Pierre Rafini

Young Frank

Bolo Yeung

Chong Li

Ken Siu

Victor
(as Kenneth Siu)

Kimo Lai Kwok Ki

Hiro

Bernard Mariano

Hossein

Bill Yuen Ping Kuen

Oshima

Shun-Yin Leung

Mrs. Tanaka

Joshua Schroder

Chuck
(as Jousha Schroder)
…

Keith Davey

Eddie…

Sean Ward

Shingo

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Jean-Claude Van Damme actually knocked out Bernard Mariano with his elbow. The scene made it into the movie.

Goofs
When Lin is escorting Frank and Ray to the "Narrow Corridors" before entering the Kumite for the first time, he greets the older Asian man who famously says "OK USA!" At that time, Lin has a scruffy beard. When they get to the Kumite to meet the judges, he is clean shaven. Later on in that scene, his beard returns.

Quotes
[first lines]
Boxer: Jackson, you going to go to Hong Kong?
Jackson: I love anything full contact. I need a few more scars on my face.
Boxer: But I heard you can get killed at that Kumite.
Jackson: Only if you fuck up.

Crazy credits
Before the credits the following can be found: This motion picture is based upon true events in the life of Frank W. Dux. From 1975 to 1980 Frank W. Dux fought 329 matches. He retired undefeated as the World Heavy Weight Full Contact Kumite Champion. Mr. Dux still holds four world records: Fastest Knockout - 3.2 seconds Fastest Punch with a Knockout - .42 seconds Fastest Kick with a Knockout - 72 mph Most Consecutive Knockouts in a Single Tournament - 56 Subsequently Mr. Dux founded the first American Ninjitsu System. Dux-Ryu.

Alternate versions
Finnish version is censored (over 20 minutes). The cuts include almost every fight of the movie, Jackson's first fight is heavily cut, every Chong Li's fight is cut to pieces. The whole sequence where the "Kumite"-song is heard and it shows several fights is removed, and the final conflict between Dux (J-C Van Damme) and Chong Li (excellent Bolo Yeung) is extremely cut (several minutes).

Connections
Featured in The Art of Action: Martial Arts in Motion Picture (2002)

Soundtracks
Fight to Survive
Music and Lyrics by Shandi Sinnamon (as Shandi) and Paul Hertzog
Performed by Stan Bush
Stan Bush appears courtesy of Scotti Brothers/Epic Records

User reviews320

Featured review

7/10

One of the Best Van Damme´s Films

The military Frank Dux (Jean Claude Van Damme) abandons his base to participate in the Kumite, a dangerous secret competition in Hong Kong. Before embarking in the airplane, Frank visits his martial arts trainer Senzo Tanaka (Roy Chiao), who is terminal, and promises to win the tournament to honor him. Frank travels to Hong Kong and befriends the fighter Ray Jackson (Donald Gibb) that is lodged in the same hotel and has a love affair with the journalist Janice Kent (Leah Ayres). However the American officers Helmer (Norman Burton) and Rawlins (Forest Whitaker) chase him to bring home back to the base without injuries. Meanwhile Frank and the dirty Japanese fighter Chong Li (Bolo Yeung), who won the last Kumite, are winning their fights and coming to the ultimate fight.

"Bloodsport" is an early Van Damme´s film and also one of his best films ever, disclosing the refuted story of the American martial artist Frank Dux. The screenplay is funny and engaging with excellent fight choreography. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Grande Dragão Branco" ("The Great White Dragon")