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IMDbPro

Bloodsport

  • 1988
  • R
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
89K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,427
3
Jean-Claude Van Damme, Forest Whitaker, and Bolo Yeung in Bloodsport (1988)
Follows Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the death can occur.
Play trailer1:35
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionBiographyDrama

"Bloodsport" follows Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the dea... Read all"Bloodsport" follows Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the death can occur."Bloodsport" follows Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the death can occur.

  • Director
    • Newt Arnold
  • Writers
    • Sheldon Lettich
    • Christopher Cosby
    • Mel Friedman
  • Stars
    • Jean-Claude Van Damme
    • Donald Gibb
    • Leah Ayres
  • See production, box office & company info
    • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    89K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,427
    3
    • Director
      • Newt Arnold
    • Writers
      • Sheldon Lettich
      • Christopher Cosby
      • Mel Friedman
    • Stars
      • Jean-Claude Van Damme
      • Donald Gibb
      • Leah Ayres
    • 302User reviews
    • 98Critic reviews
    • 29Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:35
    Watch Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:41
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos165

    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme and Leah Ayres in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme and Bolo Yeung in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme and Roy Chiao in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme and Bolo Yeung in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme and Bolo Yeung in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport (1988)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jean-Claude Van Damme
    Jean-Claude Van Damme
    • Frank
    • (as Jean Claude Van Damme)
    Donald Gibb
    Donald Gibb
    • Jackson
    Leah Ayres
    Leah Ayres
    • Janice
    Norman Burton
    Norman Burton
    • Helmer
    Forest Whitaker
    Forest Whitaker
    • Rawlins
    Roy Chiao
    Roy Chiao
    • Tanaka
    Rani Gill
    • Special Lady
    Philip Chan
    Philip Chan
    • Captain Chen
    Pierre Rafini
    • Young Frank
    Bolo Yeung
    Bolo Yeung
    • Chong Li
    Ken Siu
    • Victor
    • (as Kenneth Siu)
    Kimo Lai Kwok Ki
    • Hiro
    Bernard Mariano
    • Hossein
    Bill Yuen Ping Kuen
    • Oshima
    Shun-Yin Leung
    Shun-Yin Leung
    • Mrs. Tanaka
    Joshua Schroder
    • Chuck
    • (as Jousha Schroder)
    • …
    Keith Davey
    • Eddie…
    Sean Ward
    • Shingo
    • Director
      • Newt Arnold
    • Writers
      • Sheldon Lettich
      • Christopher Cosby
      • Mel Friedman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is one of the few films featuring scenes filmed inside Kowloon Walled City before its destruction.
    • Goofs
      When Dux and Jackson are playing Karate Champ together, a closer look at the screen reveals that it is in single-player mode.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Boxer: Jackson, you going to go to Hong Kong?

      Jackson: I love anything full contact. I need a few more scars on my face.

      Boxer: But I heard you can get killed at that Kumite.

      Jackson: Only if you fuck up.

    • Crazy credits
      Before the credits the following can be found: This motion picture is based upon true events in the life of Frank W. Dux. From 1975 to 1980 Frank W. Dux fought 329 matches. He retired undefeated as the World Heavy Weight Full Contact Kumite Champion. Mr. Dux still holds four world records: Fastest Knockout - 3.2 seconds Fastest Punch with a Knockout - .42 seconds Fastest Kick with a Knockout - 72 mph Most Consecutive Knockouts in a Single Tournament - 56 Subsequently Mr. Dux founded the first American Ninjitsu System. Dux-Ryu.
    • Alternate versions
      Finnish version is censored (over 20 minutes). The cuts include almost every fight of the movie, Jackson's first fight is heavily cut, every Chong Li's fight is cut to pieces. The whole sequence where the "Kumite"-song is heard and it shows several fights is removed, and the final conflict between Dux (J-C Van Damme) and Chong Li (excellent Bolo Yeung) is extremely cut (several minutes).
    • Connections
      Edited into Jean-Claude Van Damme, Coup sur Soup (2023)
    • Soundtracks
      Fight to Survive
      Music and Lyrics by Shandi Sinnamon (as Shandi) and Paul Hertzog
      Performed by Stan Bush
      Stan Bush appears courtesy of Scotti Brothers/Epic Records

    User reviews302

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Cult
    I love this man. His acting wasn't very good. (I do think though it improved over time... a little.)

    Bloodsport was inspiration for a whole generation to start learning martial arts. A Cult movie. I grew up some of my life in Asia and it amuses me to see those buff cliché white men jumping around through colourful, but grubby marketplaces/ back alleys. In fact the whole movie is simple and has even a nice tidy cliché structure: Man starts terribly, improves through tough training and develops into sexy fighting machine. Some people who commented on this movie said he is no Bruce Lee. But that is the beauty of it. He is somebody from a western country trying to measure up and fit into the eastern culture. Good stuff.
    helpful•55
    6
    • australianfreak1
    • Oct 18, 2005

    Top picks

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    FAQ5

    • Why was Frank Dux so valuable to the military?
    • Why do Jackson and Dux have to qualify if they've been invited to participate? An invitation should prove that they're good enough.
    • What martial art did Frank Dux use?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 29, 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Bloodsport - Eine wahre Geschichte
    • Filming locations
      • Kowloon Walled City, Hong Kong, China
    • Production company
      • Cannon International
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,100,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $11,806,119
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $515,721
      • Feb 28, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $11,806,119
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Ultra Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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