No Retreat, No Surrender

Original title: No Retreat No Surrender

1985
PG
1h 25m

IMDb RATING

5.6/10

20K

YOUR RATING

Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kurt McKinney in No Retreat, No Surrender (1985)

Play trailer3:19

1 Video

99+ Photos

Dark Comedy Martial Arts Action Comedy Crime Drama

Jason, a Bruce Lee fan, sees his karate instructor/dad beaten by martial art thugs. They move to Seattle where, after humiliations, he trains with Bruce Lee's ghost so he can defend himself ... Read allJason, a Bruce Lee fan, sees his karate instructor/dad beaten by martial art thugs. They move to Seattle where, after humiliations, he trains with Bruce Lee's ghost so he can defend himself and others against thugs.Jason, a Bruce Lee fan, sees his karate instructor/dad beaten by martial art thugs. They move to Seattle where, after humiliations, he trains with Bruce Lee's ghost so he can defend himself and others against thugs.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.6/10

20K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
The scenes with Bruce Lee's spirit were filmed with Tae-jeong Kim and Kurt McKinney speaking different languages. Kim's voice was later dubbed into English. The actors read cue cards behind the cameras, and didn't know what they were saying to each other.

Goofs
When Jason first meets Bruce Lee he greets him as "Sensei Lee". Lee was Chinese, so the correct term is "Sifu." "Sensei" is a Japanese title.

Quotes
RJ Madison: Alright. No retreat, no surrender!

Crazy credits
Jean-Claude Van Damme's character is Ivan, but in the ending credits, next to his name reads, "Karl Brezdin".

Alternate versions
The new 2004 UK region 2 DVD from Universal features a different opening and logo and film score compared to either the UK or US home video releases. The DVD also features scenes that were not present in either the US or UK video release(s) Scenes that were added
after Jason's father leg is broken there is a brief scene of him in the hospital thinking about who done it to him and not wanting to put his family in danger because of the syndicate and his decision to leave L.A.
Ian receiving a phone call from the syndicate telling him to meet them at his dojo in half an hour
Various scenes were extended plus additional dialogue is heard that didn't feature in either the UK or US home video release Scenes that were deleted:
Jason's date with Kelly at the space needle and a brief scene of them looking through the window of a pet shop
After Jason comes home from Ian's dojo there is a scene where Jason meets Kelly for the first time after moving from L.A. to Seattle. Those scenes were included in the video releases. The DVD run time on the back of the DVD is incorrectly stated as 79 minutes the correct run time is 94 minutes
Also, the final fight between Jason and Ivan is slightly longer using flashbacks to Jason's training explaining how they come into use in the last fight, such as when Jason was practicing on the mokujin (wooden dummy) and used that knowledge to counter Ivan's attacks. This also explains the awkward jump cuts during this fight in the shorter prints.
This version also contains a completely different score feature stock music from various Hong Kong films, such as Project A and My Lucky Stars, plus an alternate theme song called "Hold On To The Vision". Also, there is a different voice actor used for "Lee Dai Goh" which sounds properly more Asian rather than the deeper Americanized voice used in the shorter prints.

Connections
Featured in The Best of the Martial Arts Films (1990)

Soundtracks
Hold on to the Vision
(Main Theme)
Music and Lyrics by Frank Harris and Jo Mortensen
Produced by Frank Harris
Sung by Kevin Chalfant

User reviews150

Featured review

Cheesey 80's action brilliance!!!!!!!!!

From the stilted dialogue, through the ridiculous storyline, the amazing disco sequence and a rousing finale the sheer spirit of this FUN FUN FUN movie shines through. Forget all the computer generated fights of today, this how it was and should be. Over the top, funny, satisfying and possible. They don't make 'em like this anymore, and more's the shame.