Kickboxer 2: The Road Back (1991)

David's brother, Kurt, defeats Po in Kickboxer (1989). A year after Po kills Kurt, David, who has a kickboxing gym in LA, is manipulated into a match against Po.

Director:

Albert Pyun

Writers:

Mark DiSalle (characters), Jean-Claude Van Damme (characters)

Stars:

Sasha Mitchell, Peter Boyle, Dennis Chan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sasha Mitchell	...	David Sloan
Peter Boyle	...	Justin Maciah
Dennis Chan	...	Xian Chow
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa	...	Sanga
John Diehl	...	Jack
Michel Qissi	...	Tong Po
Heather McComb	...	Lisa
Vince Murdocco	...	Brian Wagner
Humberto Ortiz	...	Joey
Matthias Hues	...	Neil Vargas
Emmanuel Kervyn	...	Kurt Sloan
Joe Restivo	...	Ring Announcer
Vincent Klyn	...	Thai Thug
Brian Austin Green	...	Tommy
Brent Kelly	...	Carl

Storyline

This movie is supposed to be a sequel to the movie which starred Jean-Claude Van Damme. Only now the movie revolves around the brother of the character that Van Damme played. David Sloan is the brother Van Damme's Kurt Sloan. He runs a Karate gym. Now Mr. Sangha, the Thai government official who handles Tong Po, the brutal kickboxer whom Van Damme in the previous movie, wishes that Tong Po would have another shot at Kurt Sloan, so he could vindicate himself but Tong Po in a fit of rage shot and killed him thus depriving him of an opportunity to face him again. But when they hear of David, they decide that he will be the one whom Tong Po will face to regain his honor. But when David is injured, Xian David's teacher is brought over to help him with his recovery. And when he recovers, they set David up to fight Tong Po; who will survive?

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Plot Keywords:

kickboxer | sequel | death of brother | karate | sequel to cult film | 

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Taglines:

A lethal kickboxer killed his brother. Now David Sloan must seek revenge the only way he knows how... in the ring

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Genres:

Action | Sport

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The arena in which the major fights take place is the Bren Events Center of the University of California, Irvine. Many of the spectators are UC Irvine students.

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Goofs

David and his manager talk about taking some exhibition kick-boxing bouts like Kurt used to take. This is impossible, because Kurt Sloane never competed in kick-boxing in US. Even though he did have previous martial arts experience, his background was in karate, not kick-boxing. He only had two kick-boxing matches before he was gunned down by Tong Po, and both of them were in Thailand.

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Quotes

Brian Wagner: Hey, David.
David Sloan: Hey, Brian.
Brian Wagner: How's the leg?
David Sloan: Itches.
Brian Wagner: Look, David, I wanna help you out. You know I got plenty of money.
David Sloan: What? Do ya think your kidding me or not? Forget about it.
Brian Wagner: I'm fighting Lou Lescanno, for the championship Wednesday night.
David Sloan: I hear you had a fight not less than two weeks ago.
Brian Wagner: I can handle it.
David Sloan: Yeah, I bet. What are you taking vitamins to keep up your strength?
[...]

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Alternate Versions

In Australia, the theatrical prints were cut to obtain a commercial M rating. Much of the close ups of injuries and wounds were cut from the fight scenes. All previously removed footage was reinstated for an R rated video version a few months later.

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Connections

Referenced in Fists of Iron (1995)

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Soundtracks

My Brother's Eyes
Performed by Eric Barnett

User Reviews

"Kickboxer 2" unworthy of a sequel to "Kickboxer"

This film is a prime example of why some sequels discredit the original film. In this case, "Kickboxer" should have stood alone but instead was followed by B-movie reject "Kickboxer 2". The film was bad in every way possible with horrible acting performances by Sasha Mitchell, Peter Boyle, Matthias Hues, Michel Quissi, & Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. Each actor was "wooden" & underachieving as well as overpaid for this film. Sad fight choreography, even worse cinematography, & ridiculous script writing doomed this film to failure.

It's not worth bothering with reliving much of the story because there isn't much to tell. Sloan(Mitchell) goes back to the UKA circuit to make $ for his decrepit gym to keep it open. Sloan wins his bout against enemy & current UKA champion Vargas(Hues), renounces the title belt, & announces his retirement again. Angered by his defeat, Vargas & his goons sneak into Sloan's gym, beat him up badly, & set fire to the building. Badly injured & financially strapped, Sloan endures a lengthy hospital stay. Once out of the hospital, Sloan finds a hotel room to recuperate & wallow in self-pity. A knock on the door presents Xian Chow, former Muay Thai trainer of brother Kurt Sloan. Chow offers to help train Sloan but he resists. Soon, Sloan & Chow work together with great results. Fellow kick boxer & gym rat Brian Wagner(Vince Murdocco) takes on corrupt fight manager Justin(Boyle) & fight czar Sanga(Tagawa) to turn pro. Wagner wins his first few fights, makes some money, & asks Sloan to come to his championship fight. Sloan agrees & takes Mrs. Wagner along to see him fight for the first time. Confident & arrogant, Wagner waits for his opponent to step to the ring. A last minute announcement calls for a replacement fighter who happens to be the ruthless Thailand Muay Thai champion Tong Po(Quissi). Tong Po punishes Wagner for several rounds before killing him in the ring. After a visit to the hospital with Wagner's mother, Sloan learns the truth about Tong Po & his brother's death in Thailand. Angry & in grief, Sloan vows to have revenge. When Sanga offers a challenge for a fight with Tong Po in the Ancient Way, Sloan accepts without reservation. The two men enter the ring, wrap their hands in rope & resin, dip their fists in broken glass, & prepare to fight to the death. The tall, muscular, & ruthless Tong Po beats up on Sloan for several rounds before finally displaying the Muay Thai fighting spirit needed to pound the Thai champion into a knockout. Revenge has been had by Sloan & he reopens his gym for the neighborhood roughs.

"Kickboxer 2" will not dazzle, uplift, or have you cheering for the hero. It is simply mindless entertainment, & I MEAN MINDLESS!!! This film will lurk in the depths of one of the worst martial arts action B-movies in film history. Just thought you should know that!!!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 June 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kickboxer 2

Filming Locations:

200 E Anaheim St, Wilmington, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$444,239, 16 June 1991

Gross USA:

$1,250,712

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,250,712

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kings Road Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color