The Last Kumite,2024.
Directed by Ross W. Clarkson.
Starring Mathis Landwehr, Matthias Hues, Kurt McKinney, Billy Blanks, Cynthia Rothrock, Michel Qissi, Abdul Qissi, David Kurzhal, Kira Kortenbach, Mona Moula and Mike Derudder.
SYNOPSIS
Michael Rivers, a skilled martial artist is forced to fight in an illegal fighting tournament in order to save his daughter. Along the way he discovers other martial artists have been forced to fight to save their loved ones.
The brainchild of Sean David Lowe, a music producer turned YouTube host (specialising in the NBA), The Last Kumite is a nostalgia-stuffed throwback to films like Bloodsport, Kickboxer and the legion of straight-to-video flicks which followed in the wake of Van Damme repopularising the tournament fighter action movie. On the back of a successful crowdfunding campaign, Lowe has delivered a film in an impressive turnaround, with roles for several 80s and 90s video action stalwarts such as Cynthia Rothrock, Matthias Hues, the Qissi brothers (who oft featured as antagonists to Jean-Claude Van Damme), Billy Blanks and Kurt McKinney. All the old guard roster has either headlined or been the chief villain in an Enter the Dragon-esque film in the late 80s or early 90s. It’s more than familiar territory.
The question is, does the film deliver on its promise? The story is fairly basic as you’d expect from the sub-genre, with a group of elite fighters strong-armed into fighting in a deadly underground tournament, with the lives of their loved ones on the line. They’re told they’ll be fighting to the death, although there’s a distinct lack of actual death matches in a tournament that whilst violent never sees (as was a popular 90s video staple) fighters forced into delivering fatal blows. Of course, some fighters do meet a grizzly end at the hands of the chief antagonistic bruiser, Dracko (Mike Derudder) and there’s plenty of bloody fisticuffs in between. Do we come to these films for narrative consistency? Not especially. We come for brawling and training montages and on that front, The Last Kumite definitely delivers.
Mathis Landwehr plays the protagonist, Michael Rivers who fights to save his young daughter and forms a posse with a small group of fighters, including McKinney who try to find a way to survive the tournament and break their imprisoned loved ones from the clutches of nefarious overlord, Ron Hall (Matthias Hues). The set-up to the actual tournament does take a shade too long to get going with a film running probably 10 minutes too long and some extraneous scenes in the first act and a half. Still, once this kicks into gear the film really does capture the essence of these films. It doesn’t come close to par with the best of the genre (the Van Damme specials for example) but it definitely hits par with films like Bloodfist, the enjoyable series overseen by the late great Roger Corman, which made Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson (who sadly doesn’t pop up here) a star.
To say I’m the perfect intended audience for this film is probably an understatement. Films like this were my bread and butter, growing up in the heady days of the Ma and Pa video store. A friend’s older brother and his VHS collection were well stuffed with tournament brawlers that introduced me to Blanks, Rothrock, Mckinney et al. Furthermore, I’m a guy with a deep nostalgic love of old-school 80s soundtracks and cheesy rock. I grew up on Paul Hertzog scores and Stan Bush rock anthems. On that front, one of the major strengths of Lowe’s Lover Letter is the fact Hertzog dusts off his synths to score it, perfectly capturing his inimitable 80s era style and Bush conjures a great title track that doesn’t feel like a simple homage but like it actually did come from the era (and there’s a difference). When I’m writing my own films I often have Hertzog and Bush accompanying.
The legends come in and get their moments to shine. Blanks might actually deliver his best performance and McKinney was always better than many of his contemporaries on that front, shining here once again. Hues enjoys himself as the villain, chewing scenery and his imposing presence is still evident. In terms of the new kids on the block, Landwehr’s physical prowess is impressive even if he doesn’t quite have the screen charisma of some of the vintage genre specialists. He still does enough to make us route for his character.
Elsewhere, Youtuber David Kurzhal, better known as Viking Samurai has never been afraid to speak his mind on any subject, be it in defiant praise of Steven Seagal or bemoaning the state of modern action movies (and he does have a point). So stepping in front of the camera brings with it the moment he has to put his money where his mouth is. He’s already done that in the ring with a boxing exhibition and he puts himself in the firing line here. The guy has the physical attributes for sure (nailing the fight scenes and delivering some Van Damme-inspired 360 kicks) and he does a solid job with his character. With more films on the immediate horizon, it’s a promising start and they’re all rose-tinted throwbacks to early 90s video action that will hopefully deliver what so many modern DTV films lack; a sense of fun.
Director Ross W. Clarkson has been around the block, most notably as one of the best cinematographers in the straight-to-video action arena, as well as a dynamic camera op. He does a decent job of capturing energy through the fights and montages to inject dynamism into proceedings (also helped by Oliver Harper, another YouTuber who edits the film). The biggest strength of this film is the passion put into getting it made. It’s from a place of love for films like Bloodsport and there is plenty of sincerity here. There are some moments that feel rushed compared to others, but this is the nature of making films on low budgets. Clarkson’s eye makes the better moments, with more elaborate light setups etc, count.
Ultimately it’s that sincerity, often lacking in production-line churned-out fare (from the likes of Emmett and Furla), that makes The Last Kumite a hell of a lot of fun. If you have no affinity for the tournament brawlers of yesteryear, you may struggle, but genre fans will find a lot to enjoy. I loved it and bring on the sequel!
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Tom Jolliffe
