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Bloodsport (film)
Encyclopedia
Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film
directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme
, Donald Gibb
and Leah Ayres
. The film is based on the claimed adventures of Frank Dux
, and was followed by three sequels Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996), Bloodsport III (1997) and Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite
(1999), however they were released direct-to-video
and Jean Claude Van Damme did not return in them.
(Jean Claude Van Damme), who was trained from his youth in the ways of Ninjutsu
by a Japanese master of the art, Senzo Tanaka (Roy Chiao
). Primarily to honor his mentor out of gratitude and respect for having been allowed the training in place of Senzo Tanaka's deceased and only son, Dux leaves for Hong Kong
to participate in the Kumite — an illegal and underground, freestyle, single-elimination and occasionally deadly full-contact martial arts tournament to which the world's best martial artists are clandestinely invited every five years.
The movie begins with the preparation for the Kumite somewhere in Kowloon Walled City
. Then a number of fighters are shown preparing for the Kumite with their own individual training regimens (from climbing trees, bashing coconuts, to breaking large ice blocks and boards). Frank Dux is then shown kicking a speed bag in an Army gym. An officer informs him that the commanding officer found out about Dux's involvement in the Kumite and wants to speak to him. Frank tells him he wants to take a shower first, only to go AWOL
instead.
Dux goes to the Tanakas' house to say goodbye to his mentor and remembers back to his training days. A flashback sequence shows a younger Frank Dux being goaded by two schoolmates to steal a sword in Mr. Tanaka's house. As Mr. Tanaka and his son Shingo return to the house, his schoolmates run away, leaving Dux behind. Shingo easily subdues Dux, but Mr. Tanaka calls him off and sends him back to his studies. Tanaka then tells Dux that the sword cannot be stolen; it must be earned. Dux explains that he was not stealing, but trying to put the sword back in its rightful place. Tanaka uses the sword and cuts off the bill of Dux's cap, who does not flinch during the ordeal. Impressed by his "fighting spirit", Tanaka explains to Dux's parents that he intends to train their son in exchange for not reporting him to the police. Despite being used for a "punching bag" by Shingo during training (at one point Shingo insults Dux by calling him a "round-eye"), Dux saves Shingo from two bullies at school. Shingo confides in Dux that one day he would make his father proud by going to the Kumite. After Shingo's death years later, and despite initial resistance to the idea, Tanaka agrees to train Dux as a member of the Tanaka Clan.
Back in the United States, two military law enforcement agents (Army Criminal Investigation Division) (Norman Burton and Forest Whitaker
) are summoned to track down and arrest Dux for desertion. After arriving in Hong Kong, Dux befriends fellow American contestants fighter Ray Jackson (Donald Gibb
) and Victor Lin (Ken Siu), the latter of whom acts as a manager/liaison for Jackson and Dux. In order to prove he is part of the Tanaka clan, Dux is invited to perform the "Dim Mak" (the Touch of Death or Death Touch). Dux executes this move to perfection and his invitation is honored. Jackson and Dux soon become great friends, with the older Jackson acting as a big brother of sorts to Dux.
Dux, Jackson and the defending Kumite champion, Chong Li (Bolo Yeung
) — a man with the tendency to cripple and sometimes outright kill his opponents on the platform - all make it through the first day of the Kumite. Dux earns the enmity of Chong Li after breaking his record for the fastest KO. Dux eventually becomes involved with a female American journalist, Janice Kent (Leah Ayres
), who is attempting to investigate the secretive Kumite event. Dux believes the Kumite is for the fighters only, and not for the people who read newspapers. During the break between the fighting, the agents attempt to apprehend Dux, but he eludes them.
On the second day of the tournament, Jackson is set up against Chong Li. Although Jackson quickly gains the upper hand, he chooses to gloat, rather than finish Chong Li, with the result that the other fighter overpowers him and proceeds to brutally beat him, putting him in the hospital. Dux vows that he will avenge Jackson. Kent tries to convince Dux to pull out of the tournament, citing Jackson's beating, but he refuses. That night, the agents again attempt to take Dux in, but they relent when he threatens them with their own tasers.
Dux advances to the final of the tournament to face Chong Li. When Dux gets the upper hand during the fight, Chong Li blinds him with a handful of quicklime, but Dux trains his senses to overcome the handicap and makes Chong Li shout "matté" to become the first Western winner of the Kumite. The film closes with Dux returning to the United States and statistics detailing the real-life Frank W. Dux's alleged achievements (such as the fastest KO
) are shown.
, grossing $11,806,119 domestically on a budget of only $1,100,000, a 1,073% return on cost. Bloodsport became one of Jean Claude Van Damme's first starring vehicles and extensively showcased his athletic abilities. On display are numerous physical feats such as his trademark helicopter-style, jump spinning heel kicks, and Van Damme's ability to perform a complete split
. It is now considered a cult classic
.
, who also composed another Jean-Claude Van Damme movie titled Kickboxer
. Hertzog's score was only issued on CD a few times. Due to its rarity, it is now considered a collector's item and goes for as much as $150 on eBay
and $199 on Amazon.com
.
The movie's score contained the songs "Fight To Survive" and "On My Own", both of which were performed by Stan Bush
. However Stan Bush's songs as featured in the movie are not present on the official soundtrack, and alternate versions with vocals by Paul Delph
are present on it instead. Paul Delph received a Grammy nomination for his efforts.
The film also contained the song "Steal The Night" by Michael Bishop
, that plays during a scene when Van Damme's character runs away from Helmer and Rawlins. The song was not released until the mid 2000's, when it was made available for online
purchasing. The single contains a vocal and instrumental version.
Also of note is a previously unreleased piece of score from the movie The Gamble
, that was released on the Best of Van Damme Compilation Volume 2 CD.
On June 26, 2007, Perseverance Records
released a limited edition of the soundtrack on CD. The release is considered by fans of the soundtrack as a vast improvement over all previous releases as the CD contains for the first time, the original versions of the tracks performed by Stan Bush as heard in the motion picture.
the film currently holds a 33%, but with 71% of the audience liked the film. One had stated "Proudly plotless in a way that other low-budget actioners ought to emulate more often".
(1999), however they were released direct-to-video
and Jean Claude Van Damme did not appear in them.
is attached to direct based on a screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen
. Screen Daily reported, "The story will follow an American who goes to Brazil to recover from the violence he has experienced in Afghanistan who gets involved in a martial arts contest."
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...
, Donald Gibb
Donald Gibb
Donald Gibb , sometimes credited as Don Gibb, is an American actor with an imposing 6 ft-4in frame, best known for his roles as the hulking, dimwitted fraternity brother "Ogre" in several installments of the Revenge of the Nerds film series, and as Leslie "Dr...
and Leah Ayres
Leah Ayres
Leah Ayres is an American actress who played Valerie Bryson on the daytime serial, The Edge of Night, in the early 1980s. Ayres is well known for her role in Bloodsport, alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme...
. The film is based on the claimed adventures of Frank Dux
Frank Dux
Frank W. Dux is an American martial artist and fight choreographer. Dux established his own school of Ninjutsu in 1975, called "Dux Ryu Ninjutsu".He was the inspiration for the 1988 film Bloodsport starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.-Martial arts career:...
, and was followed by three sequels Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996), Bloodsport III (1997) and Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite
Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite
Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite is the fourth film in the Bloodsport franchise. It was released direct-to-video in 1999 and stars Daniel Bernhardt as police officer John Keller.-Plot:...
(1999), however they were released direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
and Jean Claude Van Damme did not return in them.
Plot
Bloodsport tells the story of an Canadian man named Frank DuxFrank Dux
Frank W. Dux is an American martial artist and fight choreographer. Dux established his own school of Ninjutsu in 1975, called "Dux Ryu Ninjutsu".He was the inspiration for the 1988 film Bloodsport starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.-Martial arts career:...
(Jean Claude Van Damme), who was trained from his youth in the ways of Ninjutsu
Ninjutsu
or may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
by a Japanese master of the art, Senzo Tanaka (Roy Chiao
Roy Chiao
Roy Chiao was a Chinese actor most famous for playing the minor villain Lao Che in the 1984 movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Other English speaking film appearances of his included roles in the 1988 Jean-Claude Van Damme film Bloodsport, the 1973 Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon and the...
). Primarily to honor his mentor out of gratitude and respect for having been allowed the training in place of Senzo Tanaka's deceased and only son, Dux leaves for Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
to participate in the Kumite — an illegal and underground, freestyle, single-elimination and occasionally deadly full-contact martial arts tournament to which the world's best martial artists are clandestinely invited every five years.
The movie begins with the preparation for the Kumite somewhere in Kowloon Walled City
Kowloon Walled City
Kowloon Walled City was a densely populated, largely ungoverned settlement in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Originally a Chinese military fort, the Walled City became an enclave after the New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898....
. Then a number of fighters are shown preparing for the Kumite with their own individual training regimens (from climbing trees, bashing coconuts, to breaking large ice blocks and boards). Frank Dux is then shown kicking a speed bag in an Army gym. An officer informs him that the commanding officer found out about Dux's involvement in the Kumite and wants to speak to him. Frank tells him he wants to take a shower first, only to go AWOL
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
instead.
Dux goes to the Tanakas' house to say goodbye to his mentor and remembers back to his training days. A flashback sequence shows a younger Frank Dux being goaded by two schoolmates to steal a sword in Mr. Tanaka's house. As Mr. Tanaka and his son Shingo return to the house, his schoolmates run away, leaving Dux behind. Shingo easily subdues Dux, but Mr. Tanaka calls him off and sends him back to his studies. Tanaka then tells Dux that the sword cannot be stolen; it must be earned. Dux explains that he was not stealing, but trying to put the sword back in its rightful place. Tanaka uses the sword and cuts off the bill of Dux's cap, who does not flinch during the ordeal. Impressed by his "fighting spirit", Tanaka explains to Dux's parents that he intends to train their son in exchange for not reporting him to the police. Despite being used for a "punching bag" by Shingo during training (at one point Shingo insults Dux by calling him a "round-eye"), Dux saves Shingo from two bullies at school. Shingo confides in Dux that one day he would make his father proud by going to the Kumite. After Shingo's death years later, and despite initial resistance to the idea, Tanaka agrees to train Dux as a member of the Tanaka Clan.
Back in the United States, two military law enforcement agents (Army Criminal Investigation Division) (Norman Burton and Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker
Forest Steven Whitaker is an American actor, producer, and director. He has earned a reputation for intensive character study work for films such as Bird and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, and for his recurring role as ex-LAPD Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh on the gritty, award-winning television...
) are summoned to track down and arrest Dux for desertion. After arriving in Hong Kong, Dux befriends fellow American contestants fighter Ray Jackson (Donald Gibb
Donald Gibb
Donald Gibb , sometimes credited as Don Gibb, is an American actor with an imposing 6 ft-4in frame, best known for his roles as the hulking, dimwitted fraternity brother "Ogre" in several installments of the Revenge of the Nerds film series, and as Leslie "Dr...
) and Victor Lin (Ken Siu), the latter of whom acts as a manager/liaison for Jackson and Dux. In order to prove he is part of the Tanaka clan, Dux is invited to perform the "Dim Mak" (the Touch of Death or Death Touch). Dux executes this move to perfection and his invitation is honored. Jackson and Dux soon become great friends, with the older Jackson acting as a big brother of sorts to Dux.
Dux, Jackson and the defending Kumite champion, Chong Li (Bolo Yeung
Bolo Yeung
Yang Sze , better known as Bolo Yeung, is a former competitive bodybuilder and a martial arts film actor. Primarily cast as the villain in the movies he stars in, he is best known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon and as Chong Li in Bloodsport, and also for his many appearances in...
) — a man with the tendency to cripple and sometimes outright kill his opponents on the platform - all make it through the first day of the Kumite. Dux earns the enmity of Chong Li after breaking his record for the fastest KO. Dux eventually becomes involved with a female American journalist, Janice Kent (Leah Ayres
Leah Ayres
Leah Ayres is an American actress who played Valerie Bryson on the daytime serial, The Edge of Night, in the early 1980s. Ayres is well known for her role in Bloodsport, alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme...
), who is attempting to investigate the secretive Kumite event. Dux believes the Kumite is for the fighters only, and not for the people who read newspapers. During the break between the fighting, the agents attempt to apprehend Dux, but he eludes them.
On the second day of the tournament, Jackson is set up against Chong Li. Although Jackson quickly gains the upper hand, he chooses to gloat, rather than finish Chong Li, with the result that the other fighter overpowers him and proceeds to brutally beat him, putting him in the hospital. Dux vows that he will avenge Jackson. Kent tries to convince Dux to pull out of the tournament, citing Jackson's beating, but he refuses. That night, the agents again attempt to take Dux in, but they relent when he threatens them with their own tasers.
Dux advances to the final of the tournament to face Chong Li. When Dux gets the upper hand during the fight, Chong Li blinds him with a handful of quicklime, but Dux trains his senses to overcome the handicap and makes Chong Li shout "matté" to become the first Western winner of the Kumite. The film closes with Dux returning to the United States and statistics detailing the real-life Frank W. Dux's alleged achievements (such as the fastest KO
Ko
Ko or KO may refer to:* Ko , a Tamil action movie directed by K.V. Anand released in April 2011* Ko , the romanization of the Japanese kana こ and コ* Ko Mountain, the second highest peak in Sikhote-Alin*Ko, Lamphun, Thailand...
) are shown.
Overview
The film performed well at the box officeBox office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
, grossing $11,806,119 domestically on a budget of only $1,100,000, a 1,073% return on cost. Bloodsport became one of Jean Claude Van Damme's first starring vehicles and extensively showcased his athletic abilities. On display are numerous physical feats such as his trademark helicopter-style, jump spinning heel kicks, and Van Damme's ability to perform a complete split
Split (gymnastics)
A split is a human body configuration in which the legs are parallel to each other and extended in opposite directions. Splits are performed in various athletic activities, including dance, figure skating, gymnastics, martial arts, contortionism, synchronized swimming, cheerleading and yoga...
. It is now considered a cult classic
Cult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
.
Cast
- Jean Claude Van Damme as Frank DuxFrank DuxFrank W. Dux is an American martial artist and fight choreographer. Dux established his own school of Ninjutsu in 1975, called "Dux Ryu Ninjutsu".He was the inspiration for the 1988 film Bloodsport starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.-Martial arts career:...
- Donald GibbDonald GibbDonald Gibb , sometimes credited as Don Gibb, is an American actor with an imposing 6 ft-4in frame, best known for his roles as the hulking, dimwitted fraternity brother "Ogre" in several installments of the Revenge of the Nerds film series, and as Leslie "Dr...
as Ray Jackson - Ken Siu as Victor (credited as "Kenneth Siu")
- Bolo YeungBolo YeungYang Sze , better known as Bolo Yeung, is a former competitive bodybuilder and a martial arts film actor. Primarily cast as the villain in the movies he stars in, he is best known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon and as Chong Li in Bloodsport, and also for his many appearances in...
as Chong Li - Leah AyresLeah AyresLeah Ayres is an American actress who played Valerie Bryson on the daytime serial, The Edge of Night, in the early 1980s. Ayres is well known for her role in Bloodsport, alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme...
as Janice Kent - Roy ChiaoRoy ChiaoRoy Chiao was a Chinese actor most famous for playing the minor villain Lao Che in the 1984 movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Other English speaking film appearances of his included roles in the 1988 Jean-Claude Van Damme film Bloodsport, the 1973 Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon and the...
as Senzo Tanaka - Michel QissiMichel QissiMichel Qissi is a Moroccan-Belgian actor, perhaps best known for his role as Tong Po in the 1989 martial arts film Kickboxer.-Biography:Qissi was born in Oujda, Morocco and moved to Brussels, Belgium as a child. He began training in boxing at seven years old, and became an amateur champion in his...
as Suan Paredes (credited as "Michelle Qissi") - Norman Burton as Helmer
- Forest WhitakerForest WhitakerForest Steven Whitaker is an American actor, producer, and director. He has earned a reputation for intensive character study work for films such as Bird and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, and for his recurring role as ex-LAPD Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh on the gritty, award-winning television...
as Rawlins - Bernard Mariano as Sadiq Hossein
- Philip ChanPhilip ChanPhilip Chan Yan-Kin is a Hong Kong actor, film director, producer, screenwriter and music composer of Taishan area origin.He worked as a Royal Hong Kong Police Force police inspector before entering the entertainment industry...
(陳欣健) as Captain Chen - Paulo TochaPaulo TochaPaulo Tocha is a martial artist, actor and fight choreographer.-Biography:Tocha was born in Africa, he's Portuguese/Italian and he grew up in Mozambique and Johannesburg, South Africa . He moved to Thailand because he wanted to learn "real" Muay Thai boxing...
as Paco - Keith DaveyKeith DaveyKeith Douglas Davey, was a Canadian politician, Senator, and campaign organizer.Born in Toronto to Charles Minto Davey and Grace Viola , Keith Davey attended high school at North Toronto Collegiate Institute...
as Eddie - John LawJohn LawJohn Law may refer to:*John Law *John Law DD was an English mathematician*John Law *John Law , Hong Kong film director...
as Chan Lulu
Soundtrack
Bloodsports soundtrack score was composed by Paul HertzogPaul Hertzog
Paul Hertzog is an American film composer. In his brief career in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hertzog composed the soundtracks for two Jean-Claude Van Damme movies, Kickboxer and Bloodsport, as well as the scores for Breathing Fire and My Chauffeur...
, who also composed another Jean-Claude Van Damme movie titled Kickboxer
Kickboxer (film)
Kickboxer is a 1989 martial arts film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and former world Kickboxing champion, Dennis Alexio. Like Van Damme's previous film, Bloodsport, it showcases Van Damme's martial arts fighting abilities...
. Hertzog's score was only issued on CD a few times. Due to its rarity, it is now considered a collector's item and goes for as much as $150 on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
and $199 on Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
.
The movie's score contained the songs "Fight To Survive" and "On My Own", both of which were performed by Stan Bush
Stan Bush
Stan Bush is an American singer-songwriter and musician whose most notable work includes the songs "Dare" and "The Touch" from the soundtrack to the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie, and "She's Got the Power", featured in the American voice dub of the animated series Sailor Moon...
. However Stan Bush's songs as featured in the movie are not present on the official soundtrack, and alternate versions with vocals by Paul Delph
Paul Delph
Paul Delph was a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, producer, engineer, and studio musician whose catalog includes work with many well-known recording artists from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s. Delph died from complications of HIV/AIDS at his parents home in Cincinnati, Ohio. His ashes...
are present on it instead. Paul Delph received a Grammy nomination for his efforts.
The film also contained the song "Steal The Night" by Michael Bishop
Michael Bishop (bassist)
Michael Bishop is an American musician, and Bishop attended Thomas Dale high school. Most notably, he was the bass guitarist for the American heavy metal band GWAR. As a member of GWAR, he was the first to play the role of "Beefcake the Mighty") . In addition to GWAR, Bishop played bass and sang...
, that plays during a scene when Van Damme's character runs away from Helmer and Rawlins. The song was not released until the mid 2000's, when it was made available for online
ONLINE
ONLINE is a magazine for information systems first published in 1977. The publisher Online, Inc. was founded the year before. In May 2002, Information Today, Inc. acquired the assets of Online Inc....
purchasing. The single contains a vocal and instrumental version.
Also of note is a previously unreleased piece of score from the movie The Gamble
The Gamble
The Gamble is a 1916 American silent short drama film written and directed by Thomas Ricketts. Set on a farm, the film stars Harold Lockwood and May Allison....
, that was released on the Best of Van Damme Compilation Volume 2 CD.
On June 26, 2007, Perseverance Records
Perseverance Records
Perseverance Records is a record label which releases film scores on CD and online. Releases are usually accompanied by extensive, well-researched booklets...
released a limited edition of the soundtrack on CD. The release is considered by fans of the soundtrack as a vast improvement over all previous releases as the CD contains for the first time, the original versions of the tracks performed by Stan Bush as heard in the motion picture.
Reception
The film was met with mostly critical derision. On the website Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
the film currently holds a 33%, but with 71% of the audience liked the film. One had stated "Proudly plotless in a way that other low-budget actioners ought to emulate more often".
Sequels
Bloodsport was followed by three sequels, Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996), Bloodsport III (1997) and Bloodsport 4: The Dark KumiteBloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite
Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite is the fourth film in the Bloodsport franchise. It was released direct-to-video in 1999 and stars Daniel Bernhardt as police officer John Keller.-Plot:...
(1999), however they were released direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
and Jean Claude Van Damme did not appear in them.
Home media
Bloodsport was released in a Region 1 DVD by Warner Home Video on October 1st, 2002.Planned remake
A remake of Bloodsport is being planned. Phillip NoycePhillip Noyce
Phillip Noyce is an Australian film director.-Life and career:Noyce was born in Griffith, New South Wales, attended Barker College, Sydney, and began making short films at the age of 18, starting with Better to Reign in Hell, using his friends as the cast...
is attached to direct based on a screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen
Robert Mark Kamen
Robert Mark Kamen is a screenwriter who has been writing major motion pictures for over twenty-five years. He is best known as creator and co-creator of the Karate Kid and Transporter franchises, as well as the 2009 action thriller Taken....
. Screen Daily reported, "The story will follow an American who goes to Brazil to recover from the violence he has experienced in Afghanistan who gets involved in a martial arts contest."