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Van Damme back in nostalgic action-jammed 'Kickboxer: Vengeance'

We know what we're getting with a movie titled "Kickboxer: Vengeance," don't we?

So, let's skip the kung-fooey actors, all graduates of the Chuck Norris Drama School for Emoting Back Kicks.

Let's ignore the blue air mattress we clearly see catching the heroes after they jump off a building.

Let's pretend Thailand has no indigenous actors to explain why all the main characters - except for the uber-villain - are played by white people. (Or, in the case of Thai cop Lui, half-white.)

Forget all that and celebrate "Kickboxer: Vengeance" as a stylized, nostalgic throwback to action-jammed 1980s martial arts movies such as Jean-Claude Van Damme's 1988 masterpiece "Bloodsport" and its 1989 follow-up "Kickboxer."

"Kickboxer: Vengeance," directed by John Stockwell (yes, star of John Carpenter's automotive horror tale "Christine"), co-stars Van Damme as Master Durand, who becomes the coach for young Kurt Sloane (Alain Moussi), Van Damme's character from 1989. The Belgium actor, aka the "Muscles from Brussels," is now 56, in great shape and still looking Van Damme good.

Master Durand agrees to train Kurt so he can fight tattooed, concrete-statue-pulverizing Master Muay Thai fighter Tong Po (Dave Batista), who snapped the neck of Kurt's bro Eric (Darren Shahlavi) in a no-rules street fight set up by his shady former girlfriend (Gina Carano).

"Kickboxer: Vengeance" lives up to its title with all the bone-breaking, head-smashing, throat-slashing action we expect.

Even more, it employs revolutionary English subtitles - multicolored words that form on the screen next to the actors' mouths as they speak.

This movie has a sense of humor, too.

Early in the story, Kurt mistakes an elderly man for Master Durand - and he looks like Mr. Miyagi.

Later, Kurt performs some impressive, groin-torturing splits, Van Damme's signature stunt from "Bloodsport."

"Splits?" Master Durand says dismissively. "We have work to do!"

“Kickboxer: Vengeance”

★ ★ ★

Starring: Alain Moussi, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Gina Carano, Dave Bautista, Georges St-Pierre

Directed by: John Stockwell

Other: A Headmon Entertainment release. Not rated; contains violence. 90 minutes

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