The Last Kumite (2024) (Cynthia Rothrock, Kurt McKinney and Matthias Hues)

[mpm74]

Martial arts screen icon Cynthia Rothrock (No Retreat, No Surrender 2) is re-teaming with her Sworn to Justice co-star Kurt McKinney (No Retreat, No Surrender) for The Last Kumite. And the star power doesn’t stop there…

This all-star martial arts film will also feature Matthias Hues (Ultimate Justice), Michel Qissi (Kickboxer), Billy Blanks (King of the Kickboxers), Abdel Qissi (Lionheart) and newcomers Aurelia Agel (John Wick 4), Emilien De Falco (Undisputed 4) and Mathis Landwehr (Lasko).

Details: https://cityonfire.com/cynthia-rothrock-kurt-mckinney-and-matthias-hues-to-take-part-in-ross-w-clarksons-the-last-kumite/

 

[AlbertV]

This sounds very promising...Mathis Landwehr is an amazing martial artist and for those who might not know the name Emilien de Falco, he played Uri Boyka's opponent Viktor Gregov in Boyka: Undisputed's first fight. He is quite a fantastic kicker. 

 

 

 

[sifu iron perm]

interesting!

 

Cynthia is still pushing the crowdfunding for Black Creek co starring a few good of the 90's action stars!

 

 

[AlbertV]

David "Viking Samurai" Kurzhal is also on board. Some on-set photos

[AlbertV]

Bloodsport and Kickboxer composer Paul Hertzog is scoring the film and Stan Bush has a new song in the film, "No Surrender". 

Edited December 15, 2023 by AlbertV

[sifu iron perm]

looks like they shot in digital. Looks too polished. 

The Action clips looking decent! 

Edited December 1, 2023 by sifu iron perm

[AlbertV]

Capelight is releasing a 4K/Blu-Ray Bundle of The Last Kumite in May in Germany. New trailer to support it.

 

Edited March 16 by AlbertV

[AlbertV]

This is definitely a throwback film because even character names are referenced in the film (highlighted references) in officual synopsis:

After karate champion Michael Rivers (Mathis Landwehr) wins the last tournament of his career, shady businessman Ron Hall (Matthias Hues) offers him to compete in an illegal, deadly kumite in Bulgaria against the best martial artists in the world. Michael refuses, but quickly regrets the decision when he learns that his daughter Bree has been kidnapped and that he can only save her by taking part in kumite. When he arrives in Bulgaria, he finds out that he is not the only fighter who has been forced to participate by the kidnapping of a loved one. To defeat the undefeated kumite champion Dracko, Michael trains relentlessly with Master Loren (Billy Blanks) and Dracko’s former sensei Julie Jackson (Cynthia Rothrock). But will it be enough to win the kumite and free Bree?

I should mention that Mike Moller is the film's fight choreographer. 

https://cityonfire.com/cynthia-rothrock-kurt-mckinney-and-matthias-hues-to-take-part-in-ross-w-clarksons-the-last-kumite/ 

Edited March 16 by AlbertV

[slinky#1]

I wish they had more money and time for the fights and feeling of the story here. Liked seeing the old faces though. 

[AlbertV]

The Last Kumite will be released on 4K Blu-Ray in the US on June 11 from MPI Home Video in association with Capelight Entertainment.  and is now officially on Digital (can rent it on Amazon Prime and others)

The film co-stars German Wrestling Championship's Mike D. Vecchio aka Mike Derudder as Ron Hall's Kumite champion Dracko.

The movie got rave at its world premiere in Germany in late April.

 Here's a sample of Paul Hertzog's score

 

Edited May 16 by AlbertV

[AlbertV]

You can rent the film on Amazon Prime for $4.99 before it's physical release on June 11. 

I'm watching it today. 

Edited May 30 by AlbertV

[AlbertV]

I just finished the film. Okay, it definitely is homage to the 80's/90's tournament film and there is a good cast involved here. Originally, Aurelia Agel and Emilien de Falco were to be in the film, but they were replaced respectively by stuntwoman Mounia Moula and YouTuber David Kurzhal aka Viking Samurai. One of the things I know people are going to complain about is that the Kumite itself doesn't start until the 65-minute mark of the 105-minute runtime and in some ways, it makes sense. We get training, backstories, and more. 

Mike Moller did a pretty good job with the fights. They're not so much the hyperkinetic style we are used to, but knowing this was an 80s/90s homage, utilized it to his advantage. The fights bring that flavor with Michael's 1st fight paying homage to a specific fight in Bloodsport while David Kurzhal does an impressive helicopter kick. Kurt McKinney actually does well in his fights. 

My only major gripe is that they wasted David Yeung's character as he is seen training and has only one fight, where he does a riff on Ray Jackson from Bloodsport only to get beaten by a capoeirista. 

Is The Last Kumite perfect? No. Is it enjoyable for what they had to work with? Yes and I love Stan Bush's song "Running the Gauntlet". 

Edited June 3 by AlbertV

[ShaOW!linDude]

Watched this last night. Personally, I liked it. Does it have mind-blowing choreography like what we've become used to from the likes of Tony Jaa, Scott Adkins, or Iko Uwais? No. But as the fight choreographer, Mike Moller did a fantastic job created fight sequences that pay homage to the MA movies of the 80'-90's. The action is grounded and solid. There are good impacts and nice combos. The training sequences are a nice throwback touch and there are a good bit of them. Yeah, the tournament action doesn't really start until the final third of the movie, but when it kicks in, it delivers. I really enjoyed seeing Billy Blanks in this. And I've always been an admirer of Mathis Landwehr as a screen fighter, and he's very impressive here.

Guys, please support this effort: buy the Blu-ray, DVD, or digital download. Watching some of the Blu-ray extras, everyone involved is a fan and lover of the 80's-90's MA film genre, and they were thrilled to have the opportunity to work on something like this for like-minded fans. If you're tired of the wire-filled action yawn fests that China seems to continually turn out, this is what you're looking for. It's not a perfect film by any means, but it contains a lot to enjoy for MA movie fans. No CGI. No stunt doubles. No hyper-cut jumbled action sequences. Just pure talent and skill. The old guard of MA films is trying to pave the way for new talent and give action that both they and we remember and enjoy.