It’s been almost three decades since Jean-Claude Van Damme shot to fame and the success of 80s classic action movie “Kickboxer” propelled the art of Muay Thai to international prominence.
In its 2016 reboot “Kickboxer: Vengeance,” the Muscles from Brussels makes a welcome reappearance, but this time he returns as “Master Durand,” the mentor of his original character, Kurt Sloane.
The remake is expected to hit theaters in September and bring back the glory of the 80s movie that little boys around the world worshipped back then.
“People who see Kickboxer: Vengeance will realize that Jean-Claude can still move: that ‘Van Dammage’ is definitely in evidence,” said co-producer Gary Wood, the former Martial Outlaw actor who now lives in Thailand, in an interview with Coconuts.
Meanwhile, the lead role of Kurt Sloane will be taken over by newcomer Alain Moussi, a former stuntman who has some resemblance to a young Van Damme, even working as his double in previous movies.
From the left: Gary Wood, Alain Moussi, and Tommy Tang. Photo: Courtesy of Tommy Tang
While many actors could have had problems making the shift to another role, the co-producers agreed Van Damme was cool and graceful about it.
“He accepted the new kid in town. He embraced him,” said Tommy Tang, the Thai-American celebrity chef who now works as a co-producer for the film.
Canadian Moussi, who has had a few minor acting roles as well as 38 film credits as a stuntman, including a stint in “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” will finally make his debut as a leading man.
A perfectly delivered and blocked kick between Alain Moussi and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Photo: Kickboxer: Vengeance
Having a real stuntman starring in the film, alongside other celebrated Muay Thai, UFC and MMA champions, meant that there were no stunt doubles in the remake: the fight scenes you see on screen are genuine, boasted the two co-producers.
“There are no wires in this film. Every physical thing that you see in ‘Kickboxer: Vengeance’ is the real thing. There’s no green screen,” Wood said.
“In fact, he [Moussi] did a lot of crazy things.”
Tang described one fight sequence where Moussi declined to use a crash mat so that the shot would look more authentic. The actor ended up landing on a concrete pavement, scraping a layer of skin off his body. Ouch.
“He’s tough. Otherwise we wouldn’t have got the shot.” Tang said.
Wood added: “He’s the real thing. Alain Moussi is a gifted, special person. He’s kind, sweet and spiritual. His approach to martial arts contains all the most honorable aspects that can be frequently absent [in other people].”
There is no doubt that Moussi’s martial art skills will live up to fans’ expectations, but who can forget Van Damme’s iconic “American dance” from the original movie? Can Moussi replicate that successfully?
Wood and Tang said they “could not talk about it,” when asked if and how the iconic scene would appear, but Moussi has certainly been practicing, judging from the moves he showed us at the Kickboxer press conference last year.
As well from Moussi, the film features a roster of fighters and stunt-turned actors including UFC champion Georges St-Pierre, Sam Medina (“Olympus has Fallen”), MMA fighter Gina Carano (“Fast & Furious 6,” “Deadpool”) and WWE performer Dave Bautista (“Guardians of the Universe,” “Spectre”) who will play main baddie and Muay Thai master “Tong Po,” the madman fighter who kills Kurt’s brother in the ring.
“Most martial arts film are all actors acting like martial artists, but in this one they’re martial artists, acting like actors,” Tang summed up.
Will “Kickboxer: Vengeance” be a success?
“We’re optimistic. But the universe has its way of slapping you in the face,” Wood joked.
While it is too soon to judge, the filmmakers must be confident because they have already jumped into making a sequel “Kickboxer: Retaliation,” which will also be filmed in Thailand in May and released in theaters next year.
True beauty of Thailand and quality tourism?
Photo: Kings Road Entertainment
In the original movie, Kurt followed Eric, his overtly-confident fighter brother, to Thailand on a quest to defeat Tong Po.
But before all the fighting, their first stop after a typical tuk tuk ride was the infamous Soi Patpong. Just five minutes into the movie, Eric got himself a hooker in front of a real go-go bar, Kangaroo Club.
Hopefully Thai fans will watch the reboot and walk out of theaters with a bigger sense of pride in their country, after Tang, who previously said the original movie failed to show the “true beauty of Thailand,” stressed that the remake would be different.
“Kickboxer: Vengeance will show some beautiful shots and clean looks of Thailand in Bangkok, Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi,” Tang said.
“The background [of the fights in the movie] are old temples. People will see the locales [of Thailand] and come visit.”
Wood added: “We’re showing the most beautiful portraits of the country that will fit the story.”
After all, things have changed since the original film was released 26 years ago, in the age before the internet and budget airlines, when the world’s knowledge of Thailand was limited to two things: brothels and temples.
Photo: Kings Road Entertainment
The original movie failed miserably to faithfully represent the iconic locations it used. Although the real name of the Bangkok brothel was used, ancient Ayutthaya temples Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Ratchaburana were renamed in the movie to “Stone City,” a fictional location where warriors like Van Damme came to practice their kicks — an easily-digestible storyline designed for Hollywood and Western audiences.
The filmmakers also noted that the reboot features more Thais in the movie than the original, as part of efforts to present the country more faithfully and win support from the local audience.
While zero Thai performers landed a speaking role in the original, not even as extras, Tang said about 200 Thai crew and actors feature in the remake.
It’s safe to say that every character in the film that is supposed to be Thai in the movie is actually played by a Thai — including Kurt’s love interest “Mylee,” who will played by Thai-English actress Sara Malakul Lane, the former soap star.
Cast members struck the ‘iconic’ kickboxer pose at the press conference on July 1, 2015. From the left: Sam Medina, Sara Malakul Lane, Alain Moussi and Georges St-Pierre
Sara, who escaped submissive leading-lady roles in Thai soaps to Hollywood, will not “bleed like Mylee” in the original. The new Mylee role has been rewritten as an international kickass cop instead of a grocery store owner whose most important role in the story was making dinner and getting raped by the villain.
Speaking of Thai talent, another name thrown around during the production of the first film was Tony Jaa, who was approached for the reboot but was unavailable.
The co-producers ruled out Jaa making an appearance in “Kickboxer: Retaliation,” but did confirm that the sequel would feature an even bigger cast than “Vengeance.”
While it is too soon to tell how accurately Thailand will be represented, Tang at least hopes the modern version will make Thai filmmakers realize they have great resources, adding that many Hollywood films shot in Southeast Asia use Thai crews because of their awesome skills.
“The movie will help a lot of Thai producers and directors see that they can do this. They’re more than capable. If they [Thai people] can do it for Hollywood, they can do it for a Thai film,” he said.
“But they need a good writer,” he joked.
Wood added: “Awesome movies are made in the Philippines and in other areas of Asia, but I think the most skilled people making movies in Asia are the Thais.”
The two are currently scouting locations for the sequel. They refused to tell Coconuts where, explaining that prices could be jacked up due to publicity. But Tang hinted that we’d get to see more rural areas and ensure that the Tourism Authority of Thailand would get some much-needed advertising.
“Film or television is the best advertising you can get to promote a country,” Tang said.
“The idea is that we will try to see how we can promote the country without mass commercialization. Audience will see the parts [of Thailand] they didn’t know existed. Tourists will come and go to the rural areas.”
The co-producers said the filmmakers decided to shoot in Thailand mostly due its beauty, but said the government needs to step up their game and provide bigger tax incentives in order to compete with other Asian countries.
“Giving incentives will be a quick buck for Thailand because it will help TAT for hundreds of years. As long as people click in to see this [the movie], they see Thailand,” said Tang.
“After we’re long dead, the films will still be here.”
Kickboxer: Vengeance is scheduled to be released in US theaters in September 2016. The movie is expected to debut in Thailand by the end of the year.
Additional reporting by Sofia Mitra-Thakur
Check out Alain Moussi’s dance and more of Sara Malakul Lane in Coconuts TV’s recap from the last year’s press conference of “Kickboxer: Vengeance.”
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