The Fighter, the Winner (1991) User Reviews

Meandering, inane, stupid.......great fun!

[HaemovoreRex · 6/10 · 4 October 2008]

Well, first things first: You should immediately and entirely disregard the front cover of the Eden Entertainment DVD release of this as being in any way, shape or form, representative of the actual content of the film! Whilst the chap on the cover does indeed appear in this flick, he is most certainly not the main character. In fact, it's actually kind of hard to pinpoint any main protagonist in this typical Godfrey Ho atrocity! Let me try to explain what I actually managed to glean here; In one story (an old Filipino flick) we have a fairly depressing tale of two rival gangs and their ever escalating feud. Sounds simple enough? And it is thankfully! Hallelujah! However, edited into this, we have the thoroughly disjointed story of an illegal kickboxing circuit plus a shady manager who is orchestrating a spot of match rigging on the side. As it transpires, when the unscrupulous manager's top fighter decides to quit, he subsequently attempts to coerce and manipulate a new fighter called Buster into throwing a fight. Bad move, as Buster turns out to be an honourable little chap and point blankly refuses. Somewhat irked by this lack of cooperation and in order to apply a bit of an added incentive, the boss takes the liberty of having his brother kidnapped. Hmmmmm......didn't that plot contrivance also feature in a VERY similarly titled flick starring Jean Claude Van Damme?

Yep, this is a typically inept effort from the Ho'ster featuring the usual quota of ridiculous scenes, hilarious dialogue and illogical plot tangents which are sure to leave you smiling throughout.......providing of course that you are seasoned to VERY bad movies that is!

Godfrey Ho makes movies that are basically unexplainable. Just see Kickboxer: The Fighter The Winner. See it!

[tarbosh22000 · 7/10 · 5 March 2012]

Here we have another Godfrey Ho concoction, seemingly made from a patchwork quilt of sources, as is his way. There's what seems to be a Philippines-shot production about an escalating gang war between the Antonio gang and its rivals. Apparently a gang lord named Luke must defend his turf from such other quintessentially-Filippino names such as Alan, Dave, and the Yul Brynner-like bald guy named Brownie. Don't forget their lawyer, Barry. Stitched into this plot line we have the tale of Buster, a short, stocky, balding man with eye problems who is an expert kickboxer (think of him as a more violent George Costanza). His corrupt manager Mr. Crocker wants him to take a dive, but Buster is incorruptible and pure, and won't do it...or will he? And as if that wasn't enough plot for you, there's also the story of Gordon, a white man in Hong Kong (or perhaps the Philippines, it's impossible to tell), a man who used to be on the underground fighting circuit (WAY underground - they fight in abandoned castles, structures and buildings for very limited audiences, but perhaps pioneering the genre of "Castle-Fighting"). He quits the Punchfighting life and becomes a construction worker. But his old life may come back to haunt him...Will any or all of these plot lines come together - or make any sense whatsoever? And who would care or notice if they did? Find out tonight! When you put on a Godfrey Ho movie, you never know what you're going to get. I believe that line was in the movie Forrest Gump (1994). We're happy to report that Kickboxer: The Fighter The Winner (you wouldn't dare confuse that with the similarly-named Van Damme vehicle, would you?) is an amazingly fun great time. It's not QUITE up to the par of Clash of the Ninjas (1986), but it's close. The movie is filled with uproarious dialogue/dubbing, a bizarre structure, an odd pace, memorable music, and hilarious implausibilities. In other words, great entertainment from start to finish.

We guarantee there are things in this movie you have never seen on screen before. Don't worry, no spoilers are forthcoming. But while the gang war plot line is entertaining on its own - the clothes alone are mesmerizing - every time the character of Buster appears on screen, everything brightens and the movie is at its best. It needed more Buster! Other movies need more Buster as well. He's a very flexible man who has a punching bag in the middle of a boxing ring, which seems to be in the middle of an existential nowhere land. He won't compromise his principles. He's an everyman, not some Hollywood pretty boy. Buster shows us you can be comfortable with who you are as a person and maintain your integrity. God bless this wonderful man. Buster, we hardly knew ye.

Godfrey Ho makes movies that are basically unexplainable. Just see Kickboxer: The Fighter The Winner. See it!

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