Kickboxer 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.0

Kickboxer 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 6, 2025

Lionsgate continues to subvert expectations and undercut curmudgeonly reviewers' running jokes (ahem) with this new 4K UHD release of Kickboxer, offered in a SteelBook edition exclusively on Amazon as of the writing of this review. Longtime readers of my reviews know Lionsgate has been the subject of some hopefully slightly humorous reactions on my part as they often seem to want to package 4K UHD releases with what I've called "remainder 1080 discs", something that was almost embarrassingly the case with one of their last SteelBook releases offered exclusively on Amazon, Stir of Echoes 4K. On the veritable "flip side", though, Lionsgate recently launched its own boutique imprint, Lionsgate Limited, and they offered The Conversation 4K, which offered rather resplendent new 1080 and 4K presentations, once again in SteelBook packaging. This semi-wide release (at least when compared to Lionsgate Limited, which probably doesn't have quite the "bandwidth" of Amazon) commendably follows the approach found in The Conversation 4K, with new and definitely improved 1080 video in addition to a new 4K version. This SteelBook comes with a glut of supplementary material as well as some fun packaging design.

Lionsgate released its first 1080 version of Kickboxer way back in the veritable "Dark Ages" of 2009. Martin Liebman's Kickboxer Blu-ray review of that release should provide ample plot information. Marty also gives his reaction to the technical merits of that release, such as they were. The old 1080 release had no real supplements other than trailers for other Lionsgate properties.

Kickboxer 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc in this package.

Kickboxer is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. This package also contains a new AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 on the first of two 1080 discs. Marty was not especially impressed with Lionsgate's first "at bat" with this title, but you have to hand it to the label in terms of providing fans of a probably not that overly well remembered film a really noticeably improved new set of transfers. I've attempted to duplicate the frames of at least a couple of the screenshots Marty uploaded to accompany his now long ago review, and even a cursory comparison can show some of the unmistakable improvements both the 1080 and 4K iterations in this package will offer viewers. First of all, color timing is noticeably better, albeit with a somewhat yellow skew at times which some may not prefer. Grain is also much more in evidence, something that frankly may occasionally become chunky enough to bother some viewers as well. There are occasional ebbs and flows to suffusion and general vibrancy of the palette (two early examples take place at around the 9 minute mark in one of the first interior scenes, and then later probably even more noticeably starting at around 17 minutes in a hospital sequence). That said, the bulk of the outdoor material in particular pops with amazing energy, and primaries are especially vivid, and HDR / Dolby Vision can offer even more intensity at times than the already excellent 1080 presentation. Detail levels on everything from foliage to fabrics to gruesome bloody faces are typically excellent throughout.

Kickboxer 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Kickboxer features Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio on both the "main" 1080 and 4K UHD discs. Marty was about as unenthused with the audio on the old Lionsgate release as with the video side of things, but it seems that the powers that be at Lionsgate also saw fit to reexamine the audio with this release, as I found the presentation here to be largely quite immersive, if not at the gobsmacking levels often offered by more contemporary sound designers. Some of what Marty addressed in his review is still in evidence here, namely a somewhat hyperbolic approach toward sound effects in particular that I think must have been intentional, since amplitude definitely spikes at times during these moments, something that maybe echoes (no sound pun intended) some of the approaches offered in "old school" martial arts offerings from the likes of Shaw Brothers and/or Golden Harvest. That said, I found this track to offer more consistent side and rear channel engagement than was evidently the case on the older Lionsgate release (which I never owned). The climactic scene in particular has nice surround activity related to not just the combatants but the raucous crowd watching. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.

Kickboxer 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Both the 4K UHD disc and first 1080 disc sport the same slate of supplements:

• Audio Commentary with Producer and Director mark DiSalle and Action Film Historian Mike Leeder


• Audio Commentary with Director David Worth, Actor haskell Anderson and Film Historian James Bennett


• Vengeance and Redemption - An Interview with Jean-Claude Van Damme (HD; 13:56) is an appealing interview with Van Damme, who discusses his muscular legs in some detail (that's a joke, kind of).


• Bring Me Ton Po! - An Interview with Actor Michel Qissi (HD; 10:34) is fun and at times kind of funny, as Qissi seems flabbergasted that the film has had such an impact.


• Kick The Tree - An Interview with Actor Dennis Chan (HD; 9:35) has some interesting background information on Chan and the film.


• Focus, Film, Fight! - An Interview with Director of Photography Jon Kranhouse (HD; 16:29) offers some insight into some of the challenges of the shoot.


• Theatrical Trailers (HD; 4:22)


• TV Spot (HD; 00:33)


• Still Gallery (HD; 6:56)

1080 Disc Two (Disc 3) (HD; 1:41:50) offers the International Version of the film in Academy Ratio with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio, for those wanting to recreate something akin to the lo fi television viewing experience of their youth.

The SteelBook packaging emphasizes orange and red tones on its front and rear panels, with evocative character illustrations featuring Van Damme and Michael Qissi. The interior panels offer another illustration of the duo. The most interesting part of the packaging for some collectors will no doubt be the lenticular O ring, which offers those "muscular legs" of Van Damme (see above) kicking as you change the viewing angle.

A digital copy is also included.

Kickboxer 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lionsgate has a whole slate of 4K SteelBooks on tap, and it's at least going to be interesting to see how they proceed with their often flabbergasting decisions on what films get "new, improved" transfers. Kickboxer is definitely one of those having been granted an upgrade, though, and fans of this film should be well pleased with the technical merits, supplements and SteelBook packaging being offered here.