Thanks for checking out our Forgotten Fridays feature. This is a feature to review some older films that maybe you have forgotten about or maybe never got around to seeing that we just want to share. They may not be old, maybe not forgotten, but they are not new. Just fun to share.
Today’s film has been requested a few times in the comments and I finally tracked down a copy from a friend, and so now we review Gymkata
Genre: Action
Directed by: Robert Clouse, Tetchie Agbayani, Richard Norton, Conan Lee, Buck Kartalian
Staring: Kurt Thomas
Released: May 3, 1985
THE GENERAL IDEA
Johnathan Cabot is a champion gymnast. In the tiny, yet savage, country of Parmistan, there is a perfect spot for a “star wars” site. For the US to get this site, they must compete in the brutal “Game”. A series of challenges in the form of a race with physical obsticles while being hunted by a mob of ninjas. The government calls on Cabot, the son of a former operative, to win the game. Cabot must combine his gymnastics skills of the west with fighting secrets of the east and form GYMKATA!
THE GOOD
The action is fun if a little campy. Every move is telegraphed and set up nicely. There is no way he should be able to win any of these fights where there are more than one opponent. But its great fun to watch. I know this sounds like a bad thing, but the clever mix of martial arts and acrobatic gymnastics is really interesting.
The star, Kurt Thomas is an actual former Olympic Gymnast, and he is incredible in his physical acrobatic skill.
THE BAD
It is a terrible premise. They have to compete in “the game” and if you live, you get one wish granted which cannot be denied. They want to stop the “wrong people” from setting up a radar station in this mountain country. If they get their request, the “right people” will be able to put up a radar station of their own. And do they send in their own black ops team? Nope, they send an Olympic level gymnast that they taught martial arts in the span of a week.
The acting is terrible, and the soundtrack is terrible. When the action steps it up, we get pounding orchestrated score that would make Jim Kirk proud.
OVERALL
Its a “so bad its good” kind of film. The action is not complex, but enjoyable. The bad is not offensive as much as amusing that they keep doing it. Overall the whole film is made of tacky setups all with the express purpose of showing off this hybrid of gymnastics and karate.
Since all of these Forgotten Friday reviews are going to be what I would already give a high rating to, I had a Tv, Rent or Buy scale going on, but it would seem that an overwhelming majority of my picks get a BUY rating.
So with every Forgotten Friday you see from now on, you get to rate your anticipation for yourself!
TV – If you are at least a little curious, catch it if it comes on TV.
Rent – If it is something you have heard of and forgotten, or just remember enjoying this as much as I did once upon a time, go rent it.
Buy – But if you are like me, and you agree with my review you should go buy it. If its featured here, I already have.
