zardoz-13 Former Calvin Klein model Sasha Mitchell takes over the part vacated by Jean-Claude Van Damme in director Albert Pyun's "Kickboxer 2: The Road Back," co-starring Peter Boyle, Dennis Chan, John Diehl, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, and Michel Qissi. No, Mitchell doesn't play Kurt Sloane. Instead, he plays David Sloane, the youngest of the Sloan brothers. Honestly, I don't recall anybody mentioning David three years earlier in the original "Kickboxer" with Van Damme. Mitchell makes a nice enough guy, but he doesn't conjure up any of that Van Damme charisma. Nevertheless, Hollywood will do whatever it takes to keep a franchise like this one alive and kicking. As martial arts movies rate, "Kickboxer 2" is routine stuff. The David S. Goyer screenplay recycles the original movie's narrative. One of the hero's close friends is destroyed in the arena and our hero vows to even things up for not only his friend, but also for himself. You can see every blow coming at you in the by-the-numbers plot that ripples with no surprises. Apart from Pyun's competent directing, there isn't much of anything else to think about since you've seen this story before. Happily, Dennis Chan reappears. Chan trained Van Damme in the original. He takes on the responsibility of preparing David. The nemesis of the Sloane Clan shows up in a truly preposterous plot reversal. As it turns out, David is managing the gym now that Steve and Kurt once owned. We are told that Kurt got sick of fighting and left the business. David behaves like a true role model. He mentors children at his gym and takes aside one little smart aleck to teach him life's lessons. Unfortunately, David isn't much of a business man, and his friend Jack (John Diehl of "NBC-TV's "Miami Vice") struggles to keep the doors open and the bills paid. An antsy student who trained under David, Brian Wagner (Vince Murdocco), wants to become a contender in the kickboxing world. After our hero turns down an offer from an unscrupulous promoter Justin Maciah (Peter Boyle of "Young Frankenstein") to join him in the kickboxing world, Brian accepts Maciah's offer. Brian trains rigorously and becomes a champion. Maciah's new associate, Sanga (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa of "Rising Sun"), pressures Maciah into switching fighters. Indeed, Maciah breaks some pretty big rules when he allows an unauthorized boxer on his premise. Brian has been matched up with one fighter, but at the last moment, Tong Po (Michel Qissi of "Kickboxer") replaces him. Tong Po, you may remember, was the culprit in the original "Kickboxer" who gave Jean-Claude something to worry about. Pyun likes to reuse footage of feet, hands, knees, and legs battering opponents in rapid succession. Spittle and blood fly during their evocative scenes. The energetic fights salvage this opus. Dennis Chan has some amusing lines, but he doesn't give Sasha the treatment that he inflicted on Van Damme. Altogether, "Kickboxer 2: The Road Back" is strictly standard-issue. Why a gifted actor like Peter Boyle wanted to be in this derivative film is anybody's guess.

videorama-759-859391 It's good to see a fresh new star take the lead in a sequel to one of the films, that put Van Damne on the map of blockbuster action stars. We do better here, with a new unknown, Mitchell, who of course can act better, than the robotic Van Damme. With quite a backdrop of story, since it's predecessor, Mitchell interestingly enough stars as David Sloan, brother to Kurt Sloan (Van Damne from the first one). See we have the same unbeatable badass who did in Van Damne, so the bar is set remarkably high, it's scary, for David to overthrow this long haired, ugly looking oaf, who took his brother's life. Sweat and blood merge, in some quite violent bits, it takes it's time, getting to. We have some corrupt outside forces here too (the right actors in the roles) responsible for torching David's gym, and taking a little boy with it, where the grand fight of vengeance, literally, becomes one to the death, in and outside the ring. Hear is another Rocky, beat the unbeatable, film, where this one is quite fun, due to the interaction of Mitchell and the little punk kid, or just Mitchell. Too, we have the great Dennis Chan who just grows on you, someone too good for these kind of films, as is the great character actor, John Diehl as Sloan's manager in a likable performance. The older teen girl who trains with David and lives at the gym, is something of interest too. This boxing gym is sort of a refuge, for tough "living on the street" kids. This sequel quietly delivers, but does have it's tame and flat spells with a lead who really didn't grow out of obscurity.

Richard Latanville Kickboxer 2, the Road back I think is better film then Kickboxer 1 in the storyline. Yes in 2 to 4, there is no Van Damme. But we get this guy (Sasha Mitchell) who made Step by Step worthwhile, and did Spike of Bennsonhurst before that. He carried the torch of a franchise beautifully. His Tae Won Do black belt makes him the perfect candidate.The movie reprise Michel Qissi as Tong Po. And has the late Peter Boyle, who is known for the dad on Everyone loves Raymond. I don't know why people flame this movie. Because no Van Damme? Get over it. This movie is better then Hottie and the Nottie by a million miles don't complain about this film just because.

Seth Nelson When a viewer comes upon a random title, such as "Kickboxer 2: The Road Back," one would think that the movie would stink because only retarded young men would stay up late and watch movies like this every Friday night, right?Actually, you're wrong.This movie defines the true American hero. Move over, Rambo! Move over, Terminator! Move over, Jackie Chan!!!!! The Kickboxer is here to put those bad thugs in the trash - where they belong!!!!! Being a series of action movies which had its start back in the 1980s, it has what these movies usually have - retro exciting music, body slams, blows in the face, pounds to the stomach, showing what being an American can really be - everything like this makes this sequel to the first "Kickboxer" terrific!While I thought of this movie as genius, many people did not, unfortunately.10/10