Film Review – Kickboxer: Vengeance

1989’s “Kickboxer” isn’t hallowed ground, but it does hold a place in the big screen development of star Jean-Claude Van Damme, with the B-movie managing to find some box office hustle, helping the young bruiser climb the Hollywood ladder. Over 25 years later, it’s time for a remake, or reboot in fact, with “Kickboxer: Vengeance” looking to restart the Muay Thai machine for a new generation of genre fans, even bringing Van Damme back into the fold after he passed on a series of dismal sequels. Unfortunately, instead of reviving the original picture’s bright, kick-happy spirit, “Kickboxer: Vengeance” goes dark and dull, showing little interest in becoming the participatory event the first feature pulled off rather well. It’s nice to see Van Damme back in action, but there’s almost nothing memorable about the new take beyond a few fight sequences. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com