The Last Kumite

The Last Kumite
The Last Kumite
Directed by	Ross W. Clarkson
Written by	Sean David Lowe Ross W. Clarkson
Produced by	Sean David Lowe Wayne A. Graves
Starring	Mathis Landwehr Kurt McKinney Billy Blanks
Cinematography	Ross W. Clarkson
Edited by	Oliver Harper
Music by	Paul Hertzog Stan Bush
Production companies	Lowe Media & Quest Media Capelight Pictures
Distributed by	Capelight Pictures MPI Media Group (USA)
Release dates	9 May 2024 (2024-05-09) (Germany) 14 May 2024 (2024-05-14) (United States)
Running time	105 minutes
Countries	Germany United States
Language	English

The Last Kumite is a Kickstarter-funded 2024 low-budget martial arts film. It is directed by Ross W. Clarkson with a soundtrack by Paul Hertzog and Stan Bush. It is an homage to popular action movies of the last century.

Plot

Martial artist Michael Rivers wins an official martial arts competition, attracting the attention of Ron Hall, a promoter. Hall, also a human trafficker who does business mainly in Eastern Europe, invites Rivers to compete in an underground tournament in Bulgaria for a million dollar prize. Rivers, who has already decided to retire, declines the offer.

Hall needs to recruit challengers to face infamous underground champion Dracko, who is in the habit of crippling and killing his defeated opponents; he kidnaps Rivers' daughter Bree to force him to participate. On Rivers' arrival in Bulgaria, he meets Damon Spears and Lea Martin, other fighters who have been blackmailed out of retirement in a similar manner. They team up to save their family members during the tournament. Other martial artists Master Loren, whose wife was murdered and daughter kidnapped by Ron Hall, "Lightning", and Dracko's former Sensei Julie Jackson prepare Rivers for victory.

Production

In August 2023, Capelight Pictures released a 4K UHD DVD version of Bloodsport, which included a variety of features. As Bloodsport proved to be still popular, Capelight re-invested some money in a Kickstarter project titled The Last Kumite, "inspired by the likes of Bloodsport, Kickboxer and No Retreat, No Surrender".

Cast

• Mathis Landwehr as Michael Rivers
• Matthias Hues as Ron Hall
• Kurt McKinney as Damon Spears
• Billy Blanks as Loren
• Cynthia Rothrock as Julie Jackson
• Michel Qissi as Wolf
• David Anthony Kurzhal as Marcus Gantz
• Monia Moula as Lea Martin
• Kira Kortenbach as Bree Rivers
• Mike Derudder aka "Mike D. Vecchio" as Dracko
• Abdel Qissi as Detective Dobrev

Bolo Yeung's son David Yeung also appears in the film.

Soundtrack

Paul Hertzog composed the score, with added songs by Stan Bush. Hertzog described their renewed cooperation as "a bit of a nostalgic nod to Bloodsport and Kickboxer".

External links

• Mike Derudder aka Mike D. Vecchio Wrestling Showreel
• The Last Kumite at IMDb 
• The Last Kumite at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Last Kumite at Metacritic '