Actor and martial artist Alain Moussi sort of came out of nowhere following his career in stunts with credits like Warcraft and X-Men: Apocalypse. That said, attaining the lead in a feature-length action flick, particularly the remake of a Hollywood action classic like Kickboxer is a pretty huge step forward and it appears Moussi himself has earned a promising chance to deliver with not just one film, but an entire threelquel reboot.
Eric Sloane is a kickboxing champion at the top of his game. His older brother, Kurt, follows him everywhere as both his trainer and manager. Together, they’re unbeatable. When Eric is approached to fight Thai champion Tong Po, he can’t wait to finally prove to the world that he’s the one and true champion, even though his brother is against it. What was supposed to be a mere formality turns into a nightmare when Kurt witnesses Eric’s death. While the desire for revenge grows inside, he knows full well he’s no match for Tong Po. He therefore decides to track down his brother’s old trainer in the hopes of finally getting his revenge and, who knows, perhaps even becoming the new “Nok Su Kow” in the process.
If you grew up in the ’90s, it’s hard to forget Jean-Claude Van Damme’s classic KICKBOXER. Well, years later and to the fans’ delight, the producers have decided to re-launch the franchise, KICKBOXER: REVENGE being the end result. JCVD doesn’t reprise his role as Kurt Sloane but is still part of the cast, this time as Master Durand, a muay thai teacher who uses unconventional methods. It’s a homegrown actor and stuntman that won the lead role. Ottawa-born Alain Moussi took a big risk in accepting this part, and he meets the challenge flawlessly through many breathtaking fights, each more impressive than the last, including one fought on the back of an elephant in the middle of the street. Moussi is not the only local talent appearing in this adventure — UFC legend Georges St-Pierre also stars. Dave Bautista (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) takes on the role of Tong Po. Director John Stockwell does a great job of modernizing the series without losing the essence of the original film. The excitement is so high that the production of a sequel is in motion. And who knows, maybe Canadian Alain Moussi will conquer the action world, much like a certain Belgian did before him.
