Directed by:
Jean-Claude Van DammeScreenplay:
Paul MonesCinematography:
David GribbleComposer:
Randy EdelmanCast:
Jean-Claude Van Damme, Roger Moore, James Remar, Janet Gunn, Aki Aleong, Louis Mandylor, Ryan Cutrona, Jack McGee, Abdel Qissi, Kristopher Van Varenberg (more)Plots(1)
Christopher Dubois (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a street criminal on the run from the police, thrust into a forbidding realm of gun smugglers, pirates and an ancient, underworld martial arts competition. The legendary contest, known as the Ghan-gheng, pits the world's deadliest fighters against each other in a furious winner-takes-all battle. Forced to compete, Dubois faces the ultimate test of manhood where one wrong move could cost him not only the competition, but his life. (101 Films)
(more)Reviews (1)
The screenwriter might be a jerk, but the arena is so mysterious and captivating that I cannot rate it worse than average. It captivates mainly thanks to the showcase of all possible nationalities and fighting styles. The action itself is solid, the fights are dynamically shot and decently scored. The ending is very over-the-top, but it can still be endured. Jean Claude Van Damme showcases his routine and does not deviate from his mediocrity. The music by Randy Edelman is quite solid. On the other hand, Roger Moore is a disappointment. His character is poorly written, and he himself does not deliver a particularly dazzling performance. The New York setting is nothing special, so the only thing that truly dazzles is the aforementioned tournament.
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