He has the beard of Chuck Norris; the physique of Sylvester Stallone; the lethally stoic demeanour of Dolph Lungren; the handsome Eurasian looks of Keanu Reeves, Mark Dacascos and the late Brandon Lee, and what’s more, he kicks like Jean Claude Van Damme and Phillip Rhee. Who is he exactly? Well, it’s none other than David Kurzhal aka the popular Viking Samurai on YouTube who is the recent addition to ‘THE LAST KUMITE’ which is due to start filming in Europe in the coming weeks.
Kurzhal is the perfect inclusion for this throwback film which tugs on the nostalgia strings of many of us that grew up in the VHS era of the 80s and 90s, where action movies reigned supreme and genius daring directors like Sheldon Lettich ruled at the international box office. In recent years, the zeitgeist of those eras is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance with the renewed interest in the old school sensibility a neat, vintage action alternative to the current climate seemingly dominated by superhero films. Ironically, it could be argued that much of the buzz surrounding these films can be attributed to people like David Kurzhal who has long championed the cultural significance of these movies.
There was a long-standing prediction that David would be in cast in this film given his pedigree and passion for this genre. He certainly has the requisite look, physique and skill as an action hero but also possesses a creative flair and genuine interest in promoting this genre, with extensive research and a measured and balanced presentation style to his output. His delivery is always compelling, as his respect for his guests is also as admirable – it is no surprise that his VS brand has gained traction and is quickly becoming a verb within the annals of this genre.
With my almost two-decade experience in bodybuilding media, I can say quite unequivocally there is no one built like David that can execute such high flying and agile aerial kicks like he does – it is still mind boggling to see him effortlessly demonstrating the graceful 360 kicks of Jean Claude Van Damme or the devastating spinning sidekicks of Phillip Rhee.
Whilst his role is under wraps it will be incredible to see him trading kicks with rising stars such as David Yeung (son of the legendary Bolo Yeung) but also liaising alongside many of the action stars that serve as a content impetus of his excellent channel, including (but not limited to) Cynthia Rothrock, Mohammed Qissi, Billy Blanks and Matthias Hues. It’s a master stroke of genius, that the film makers have clinched popular YouTube content creators such as David but also that of the supremely talented Oliver Harper, who has been recruited as the film’s Editor.
There are already rumblings of a sequel, and this Aussie journalist would make for a brilliant choice as a villainous, arrogant Savate exponent from down under.
Kudos to David on the casting, and watch this space for more updates!
Vance Ang has primarily been professionally published in bodybuilding and fitness since 2005, having written extensively for hardcopy publications such as Australian IRONMAN and FLEX; but also for e-publications such as RAW Muscle and more recently the media platform, The Evolution of Bodybuilding. He is a Melbourne based policy and strategy consultant currently undertaking his post graduate study in Law. In addition to bodybuilding, conservative politics and Savate (French Kickboxing), he has long been a fan of movies and cinema of all genres – subsequently prompting an interest in modern story telling, that being script writing. He is in the process of writing his first horror novel ‘Providence’
THE LAST KUMITE: YouTuber David Kurzhal (a.k.a. Viking Samurai) Joins Indie Martial Arts Thriller
June 5, 2023
He has the beard of Chuck Norris; the physique of Sylvester Stallone; the lethally stoic demeanour of Dolph Lungren; the handsome Eurasian looks of Keanu Reeves, Mark Dacascos and the late Brandon Lee, and what’s more, he kicks like Jean Claude Van Damme and Phillip Rhee. Who is he exactly? Well, it’s none other than David Kurzhal aka the popular Viking Samurai on YouTube who is the recent addition to ‘THE LAST KUMITE’ which is due to start filming in Europe in the coming weeks.
Kurzhal is the perfect inclusion for this throwback film which tugs on the nostalgia strings of many of us that grew up in the VHS era of the 80s and 90s, where action movies reigned supreme and genius daring directors like Sheldon Lettich ruled at the international box office. In recent years, the zeitgeist of those eras is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance with the renewed interest in the old school sensibility a neat, vintage action alternative to the current climate seemingly dominated by superhero films. Ironically, it could be argued that much of the buzz surrounding these films can be attributed to people like David Kurzhal who has long championed the cultural significance of these movies.
There was a long-standing prediction that David would be in cast in this film given his pedigree and passion for this genre. He certainly has the requisite look, physique and skill as an action hero but also possesses a creative flair and genuine interest in promoting this genre, with extensive research and a measured and balanced presentation style to his output. His delivery is always compelling, as his respect for his guests is also as admirable – it is no surprise that his VS brand has gained traction and is quickly becoming a verb within the annals of this genre.
With my almost two-decade experience in bodybuilding media, I can say quite unequivocally there is no one built like David that can execute such high flying and agile aerial kicks like he does – it is still mind boggling to see him effortlessly demonstrating the graceful 360 kicks of Jean Claude Van Damme or the devastating spinning sidekicks of Phillip Rhee.
Whilst his role is under wraps it will be incredible to see him trading kicks with rising stars such as David Yeung (son of the legendary Bolo Yeung) but also liaising alongside many of the action stars that serve as a content impetus of his excellent channel, including (but not limited to) Cynthia Rothrock, Mohammed Qissi, Billy Blanks and Matthias Hues. It’s a master stroke of genius, that the film makers have clinched popular YouTube content creators such as David but also that of the supremely talented Oliver Harper, who has been recruited as the film’s Editor.
There are already rumblings of a sequel, and this Aussie journalist would make for a brilliant choice as a villainous, arrogant Savate exponent from down under.
Kudos to David on the casting, and watch this space for more updates!
Vance Ang
Vance Ang has primarily been professionally published in bodybuilding and fitness since 2005, having written extensively for hardcopy publications such as Australian IRONMAN and FLEX; but also for e-publications such as RAW Muscle and more recently the media platform, The Evolution of Bodybuilding. He is a Melbourne based policy and strategy consultant currently undertaking his post graduate study in Law. In addition to bodybuilding, conservative politics and Savate (French Kickboxing), he has long been a fan of movies and cinema of all genres – subsequently prompting an interest in modern story telling, that being script writing. He is in the process of writing his first horror novel ‘Providence’
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