Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018)

Kickboxer: Retaliation is the kind of unapologetically pulpy martial-arts sequel that knows exactly what you came for and then obliges with gusto: big bodies, bigger stakes, and fight scenes staged with bruising clarity and showman’s flair. It has that grindhouse-meets-modern-MMA vibe, where the story is basically a fuse leading to the next eruption of choreography, and the movie’s personality comes from how confidently it embraces its own audacity. The training and prison-brawl energy keeps the momentum high, and when the main event looms, the spectacle feels satisfyingly earned rather than just loud. If you need subtle drama or realism, this isn’t your ticket—but if you want a fun, hard-hitting action ride that delivers the goods, it’s an easy yes.

Kickboxer: Retaliation is clearly aiming to be a throwback fight sequel: bigger badder opponent, harsher training, and a pulpy “forced into the ring” setup that exists mainly to deliver bruising set pieces. The problem is everything between the punches feels like filler—thin dialogue, a story you can predict ten minutes ahead, and a lead performance that often struggles to carry the downtime. It also runs longer than the material deserves and can look a bit bargain-bin, which makes the supposed stakes feel oddly weightless. If you’re here strictly for meat-and-potatoes combat and can tolerate B-movie plotting, you’ll get a few solid moments; if you want tight storytelling, charisma, or genuine drama, this one will test your patience.