Savate (1995) (V)

Director:

Isaac Florentine

Writers:

Isaac Florentine (story)
Julian Stone (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

24 August 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Western

Plot:

1865. A young French officer, travelling the U.S. in search of the murderer of his best friend, gets...

Plot Keywords:

Kickboxing | Martial Arts | Fighting | Dog | Competition

Cast

Olivier Gruner	...	Joseph Charlegrand
Ian Ziering	...	Cain Parker
Ashley Laurence	...	Mary Parker
Michael Palance	...	Mitchum
Donald Gibb	...	Cody Johnson (as Don Gibb)
Marc Singer	...	Ziegfield Von Trotta
James Brolin	...	Col. Jones
Charles Santore	...	Slim
Raliegh Wilson	...	Emmit
Rance Howard	...	Farmer
Takis Triggelis	...	Phillipe (as Takis)
Gene Wolande	...	Zachariah
Zale Kessler	...	Promoter
Scott L. Schwartz	...	Bruno (wrestler) (as Scott Schwartz)
Erik Betts	...	Brazilian fighter (as Eric Betts)

Also Known As:

The Fighter

MPAA:

Rated R for martial arts and western violence.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | USA:R | Finland:K-16 (cut) | Finland:K-18

Filming Locations:

Veluzat Motion Picture Ranch, Saugus, California, USA

Company:

PM Entertainment Group

Olivier:Not the cheese spread

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs

I'd imagine Olivier Gruner is a man who frequently ponders on the fates Lady Luck draws out for those in life.I mean,he's french,he's a top kickboxing champion and he has questionable acting ability (justified by his laughable emoting in certain parts of this movie).So what gives?Jean Claude Van Damme enjoys a large part of his career as a top ranking Hollywood action star,and all he ever acheives is a career in low budget,STV action movies.What you gonna do,huh?

The plot here has him in 1865 as mysterious army officer Josepth Charlemont,who rides through Texas in full Clint-Eastwood-High-Plains-Drifter style fashion,simply to 'pass through' (you mean there wasn't a shortcut he could have used?).However,when corrupt landowner Jack Benedict (choosing not to be credited,R Lee Ermey (he must have had a gas bill or something to pay.Oh,and,by the way,it's probably just my imagination,but is that not Bloodsport's Donald Gibb as a burly,bearded nearby homeowner?)) and his henchmen try to force people to sell their homes,he decides to teach them all a lesson.And not of the classroom kind.

The expected iffy performances and leaden production values aside,an interesting premise is not done much justice by a bland,witless script which all the fancy kickboxing action and pleasant scenery in the world really can't save.

These things are,however,welcome distractions,which,along with the compatable running time and some unintentional hilarity,make Savate all the more of a rewarding experience.**