DVD & BluRay

KICKBOXER: RETALIATION Kaleidoscope, cert 15 DVD £8.99

STALLONE proved age was no barrier to re-creating the Rocky films, and the reboot of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s noholds-barred 80s’ punch-‘emup has delighted fans. The first attempt to revive the Kickboxer franchise of five previous films, was 2016’s surprise success Kickboxer: Vengeance, now the followup knocks that right out the ring. The new films centre on martial artist Kurt Sloane (Alain Moussi) who killed ex-wrestler Dave Bautista’s nasty character Tong Po in a Thai underground free-for-all in the previous film, Now he’s lured back to Bangkok via a ferocious hand-to-hand fight with a gang of thugs on the roof of a fast moving train - and thrown into a stinking prison on a trumped up charge of murdering Tong Po. This prison houses some real bad boys, played by the likes of Mike Tyson (who still appears to throw a mighty punch) and former football superstar Ronaldinho. When Sloane shows what he’s made of (under the mentorship of Van Damme’s Durand, now-blind-but psychic when it comes to kickboxing moves), he’s manipulated by villainous Moore (Christopher Lambert) into fighting 6’9” monster Mongkut (Hafpor Julius Bjornsson - ‘The Mountain’ in Game of Thrones). This is Rocky vs Creed with the volume on max and anything goes fight-wise as feet and fists fly in the athletic action. Kapow!

Which film made Lambert a star? Entries to Alex Gordon, Kickboxer competition by March 15.