Directed by Corey Yuen. Starring Kurt McKinney, J.W. Fails, Kent Lipham, Timothy D. Baker, Tai Chung Kim, Kathie Sileno, Ron Pohnel, Jean-Claude van Damme, Dale Jacoby. (PG)
Exceedingly earnest but inept martial arts hokum about teenage McKinney being taught karate by Bruce Lee's ghost--no, seriously--so he can defend himself against bullies and gangsters (of course). What isn't recycled from "Karate Kid" and multiple "Rocky" movies is just embarrassingly silly (is the ghost supposed to be real or a figment of the kid's imagination? Nope, doesn't matter), while the acting and storytelling are pure amateur hour. Van Damme's first movie role of any substance; he only appears at the beginning and the climax and says all of about ten words but gets in plenty of high-kicks and splits (therefore, it must be considered one of his savviest performances). There's some decent action choreography in the final fight scenes, but the only reason to watch that far is to repeatedly laugh at the ineptitude on-hand before it. An endurance test for those who don't like cheese/camp; not the worst way to waste an hour-and-a-half for those who do.
32/100
Exceedingly earnest but inept martial arts hokum about teenage McKinney being taught karate by Bruce Lee's ghost--no, seriously--so he can defend himself against bullies and gangsters (of course). What isn't recycled from "Karate Kid" and multiple "Rocky" movies is just embarrassingly silly (is the ghost supposed to be real or a figment of the kid's imagination? Nope, doesn't matter), while the acting and storytelling are pure amateur hour. Van Damme's first movie role of any substance; he only appears at the beginning and the climax and says all of about ten words but gets in plenty of high-kicks and splits (therefore, it must be considered one of his savviest performances). There's some decent action choreography in the final fight scenes, but the only reason to watch that far is to repeatedly laugh at the ineptitude on-hand before it. An endurance test for those who don't like cheese/camp; not the worst way to waste an hour-and-a-half for those who do.
32/100