| This is a rather
obscure movie that starred Jean Claude Van Damme. In this
movie Van Damme is not the chief character. Instead the
main character is a teenage boy that decides he wants to
learn the ways of kung fu so that he can stand up to the
bullies that always pick on him. Training at first is hit
and miss by this young trainee; that is until the spirit
of his idol Bruce Lee appears to help him. From that point
on, its one arm pushups, one legged kicks and all other
manner of odd training techniques on the road to
excellence.
The training
sequences are done largely to an upbeat vocal score. As
the impossible is done time and time again the song "It's
no retreat, no surrender" echoes in the background.
In the scenes
climatic fight scene, the one who was before a weak
training pupil takes on one of Russia's greatest fighter's
as played by Jean Claude Van Damme. Before this match Van
Damme has licked one Karate school's best three fighters.
As this match with the film's hero proceeds, Van Damme
perches himself high on the ropes in a most painful
looking split as he bounds up and down. With a snarl and
swift movements forward, Van Damme attacks with a fury.
This time however slow but steady will be the way to
success as his adversary lands punch and kick combinations
until the mighty fighter falls from exhaustion.
This movie puts Van Damme in the opposite role of where he
usually is in most of his films. He plays the unbeatable
villain rather than the one in a million challenger. Only
the end of this movie, the part with Van Damme is worth
watching. His fights are good, and he the looks very
sturdy, showing no mercy. Van Damme is very hot. Forget
the rest of this film.
No Retreat No Surrender spawned a few sequels, but without
Van Damme they did not obtain widespread showing on TV and
video. No Retreat No Surrender 2 was to be the follow up
to the first movie, using both Kurt McKinney and van
Damme, who had helped to make the first movie so
successful. The only problem was: neither of them showed
up for work. As it turned out, Jean Claude got the part
for 'Bloodsport' so he broke the contract. |
