Reviewed February 3, 2019
I really enjoy cheesy 80s and 90s fighting movies, especially those starring the Muscles from Brussels, Jean-Claude Van Damme. This one holds a particularly high place for me, for a few reasons. The story is that an American street hustler ends up shanghai’d on a boat, ends up learning Muy Thai fighting after being sold into slavery, and eventually schemes his way into a legendary fighting tournament featuring the greatest international warriors in the world by hitching a ride with the American representative. Takes place in the 1920s (ish), so the film has some interesting style added in to the story which otherwise would have been forgettable. Van Damme is actually pretty good in this one, with his acting getting better and better by this point in his career (the Quest actually was one of his last hits, and his career started declining into worse and worse movies from this point). His fighting movies tended to feature an imposing rival and this one is no different, with a brutal and gigantic Mongolian fighter earning his ire. One of the things I love about this movie is that all the fighters have distinct styles, matching with their country of origin, and it plays out during the tournament. The fights are short but very memorable, and it really keeps your blood pumping. Supporting cast of Roger Moore (shady English pirate/gentleman), Janet Gunn as reporter Carrie Newton, and the criminally underrated James Remar as Maxie Devine (the American champ), all really add to the film.
Is it dumb? Yes. Are there great fights? Yes. Is it a heck of a lot of fun if you want a good movie featuring creative fights and a throwback style? Yes.
Getting Reel with Mr. Sunshine 