X-Treme Fighter
January. 01,2004 PG-13A well-meaning genius creates a virtual reality game that leaves his grandson trapped within when a virus invades. The boy's father (Don Wilson) enters the virtual fighting game in order to combat the virus and save his son before they're both trapped forever.
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Reviews
Admirable film.
Absolutely brilliant
Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast
Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
Don "The Dragon" Wilson stars as Jack Tanaka a father of a teenager who goes inside a video game to save his son from a virus which controls his mind. Along the way Wilson is helped by fellow fallen action stars Cynthia Rothrock and Lorenzo Lamas. You would think a movie with so many trained martial artists, in a video game plot which would be nothing but wall to wall fights would be at least mildly diverting campy fun, and if made ten years ago you would be right. X-Treme Fighter is the pits. A movie so bad that it makes one pine for the days of Expect No Mercy, Arcade and Virtual Combat. Indeed those three movies I often sited as the worst examples of said genre where "Guy ends up playing video game in real life when game comes alive." but next to the really lame X-Treme Fighter, these come off as the work of Tron or Dreamscape. It's a really awful picture. Starting with the fight sequences, the video game itself has nothing that would indicate that it takes place in a video game world, outside of the phony costumes. The fight sequences are all very badly staged, for a movie featuring so many martial artists, all of them past their expiration date, don't put out any effort to indicate that anyone choreographed these fights without anything but the least amount of effort. The plot element ripped off from hundreds of movies is derivative and ridiculous. However that's not what bothered me. What bothered me was the complete lack of effort in giving us enjoyable villains, a charismatic hero and indeed intense fight sequences. In a film where the fighting is the main point such must be done well. It isn't here. Lorenzo Lamas has hardly any screen time, Cynthia Rothrock doesn't fight and basically this is a replay of Virtual Combat. A replay that is much, much worse.1/2* Out of 4-(Awful)
As they say in the behind the scenes, "Sci (X-treme) Fighter Rules!". If you like marital arts, and watch cheesy Kung-Fu Hong Kong style movies, they you will love the action in this movie!!! This is a Martial Arts Movie with over 15 real top notch Martial Artists. Yes, the acting is poor, and story is cheesy (just like most Kung Fu movies). But, the way to watch this is to watch the "Making Of" on the DVD first, and then watch the movie. You will then know who the real martial artists starring in this movie are. You can then watch it as a demonstration of real, and sometimes intriguing, martial arts skills. Don "The Dragon" Dragon Wilson is a 11 years in a row kick boxing champion. He fights in this movie 2 of his real former kick boxing opponents: Dewey the black cobra Cooper, and the infamous Maurice Smith. Maurice Smith is an infamous kick boxer and now Mixed Martial Arts competitor, who had a fight the day before the movie shoot, and is referred to in popular martial arts magazines. Cyntha Rothrock is one of the most famous women martial artists with black belts in 6 different disciplines, is a record holding 5 times forms champion, and was the first American women to break into Hong Kong Kung Fu movies, where the action is all but real. Lorenzo Lamas is a 3rd degree black belt. Dan Mayid is the young co-star of this movie, who is a 3rd degree black belt in Kempo Karate. His forms and fighting skills in this movie are phenomenal. Bob Wall, from Bruce Lee's enter the dragon, comments interestingly on the state of martial arts in the "Making Of" special. Christine Bannon-Rodrigues is a professional martial arts teacher with high skills in Wu Shu and Kempo Karate. She was a competitor for team Paul Mitchell, and has been featured on most martial arts magazines that exists in the world. Eric Lee, famously known as the King of Kata, does several excellent weapons forms, using a sword, rope, and a 3 sections staff. This movie stars a master of Monkey Kung Fu, Michael Gonzales-Matsuda. This is a very unique and interesting martial arts style. My favorite character was Gokor, also know as the Armenian Assissan. He is a famous grappling martial artist who has been undefeated in over 400 no holds barred, Judo, and Sambo fights. Chris Cassamassa is a 7th degree karate black belt whose moves are precise. He is one of the most skilled artists shown, doing barehanded fights, and an interesting kama (sickle) fighting demonstration. The 7th degree taekwondo black-belts, Simon Kim and James Kim, known as the tiger twins, star in this. The strongest looking fighter is this is Brad Verret, a lifetime body builder, and no holds barred fighter. He is the king of the cage fights icon. Rebecca Chaney is an attractive 2nd degree taekwondo black belt with an interesting part. There are also many ninja fighters (probably stunt men) and a lot of beautiful/ attractive women fitness professionals: dancers, actors, models, spokespersons for muscle tech nutrition, all of which add to the fun on this film. A martial arts films with real world class martial artists performing various fidgeting styles and forms, weapons demonstrations, Kung-Fu, taekwondo, karate, monkey style fighting, grappling, and some fantasy sequences, along with a "Making Of" section on the DVD which interviews and tells about the different stars of the movie, make this worth seeing. And they all speak non dubbed perfect English, unlike the typical Kung-Fu movies!!!!!
Story in short - old man wants to train fbi agents, buys gamecube, puts sticker over said gamecube and turns it into a powerful combat training game.....WHICH GOES BAD! Bad story, half arsed effects and crap choreography aside this isn't a bad film. If you should think that there is anything besides those three points. Well, there is some quality face-pulling.The only reason i would give this a two is because its so bad its laughable, and the monkey ninja is hilarious in the fact he doesn't actually do anything other than hop about like a monkey. On the floor. I could get a 9 year old to do just as good a job, and he'd probably do it with more gusto.In summary, rent/buy if its amazingly cheap (like a quid) or you really have nothing better to do. If you like Forbidden Warrior, you'd probably sit through most of this without laughing. I send out my pity.Go see Kung Pow or Shaolin Soccer instead. Now.
Widowed father Jack Tanaka (Don 'the Dragon' Wilson) feels that his son Brad is drifting from him. After catching his son drinking one sip of beer at a party, he grounds him for a week. The grandfather makes a custom virtual reality game in hopes of bringing the father and son closer together again. But when Brad get stuck in the game Jack has to follow him in and save him. No, it's not a exceptionally good film, but what the hell were you thinking when you rented a film starring The Dragon? Hamlet? I didn't think so. If you like Don, you probably will like this one , all others steer clear.My Grade: D+ (would be higher if it didn't have the Monkeyman in it)