Bloodsport 4 : The Dark Kumite

Bloodsport 4 : The Dark Kumite  Warning: this review might contain spoilers. This c-grade martial arts flick is deliciously entertaining. Beautifully filmed in Bulgaria ‘Bloodsport IV’ has a distilled plot, melodramatic acting, homoerotic dialogue and some very interesting visuals. The movie reminded me of classic Paul Morrissey movies such as ‘Blood for Dracula’ and ‘Flesh for Frankenstein’ because of the way it takes all of its clichés and plot shortcuts to such over-the-top extreme it becomes almost artful and clever. Filling the movie with superficial Christian iconography, one-dimensional characters and various fetishistic imagery, director Elvis Restaino created a surrealistic fantasia that transcends its genre. We follow our hero (agent John Keller from the previous Bloodsport movies) and Blaire (his loyal partner and lover) one night as they discover that a very dangerous and supposedly executed criminal named Shrek is in fact alive and free. After they witness Shrek murder a fellow cop, Keller decides to infiltrate Fuego Penal (from where Shreck has escaped) to find out how Shrek was able to escape the death row without anyone noticing. Blaire agrees to pose as a nun to keep Keller in touch with the world outside. In Fuego Keller has an eclectic bunch of prisoners to keep him company, including a psychotic killer named Dr Rosenbloom (think Dracula’s Renfield), another undercover agent named Winston, Jesus-crazed thug named Billings who wants to kill Keller for getting him imprisoned and Keller’s arch-nemesis himself — Shrek. But these inmates are not our hero’s worst problem. As it turns out, Fuego Penal’s administration has made a deal with a very mysterious and very wealthy man who calls himself Caesar and who likes to watch martial arts tournaments where prisoners are forced to fight each other to the death. The surviving champion gets to live and go free with a plane ticket and a generous amount of cash. Will Keller be able to overcome his principles and kill his opponents in order to survive? Will this be the end of Keller or will his kick-ass girlfriend save him in time? Why do Caesar and his entourage look like they’ve come to a Renaissance fair? Why do Fuego wardens dress like SS guards? Is there a point to Caesar’s girlfriend having wild monkey sex with Keller in the middle of the movie? What’s with all the ecclesiastic imagery? Don’t expect answers to most of these questions but do expect to be entertained as long as you like campy ‘bad’ movies.