RATING: B+

Samuel Goldwyn Films present a Bleiberg Entertainment production in association with 116 Pictures, Ave Net, and Rock Solid Productions. Directed by Chaya Supannarat. Produced by Ariel Bleiberg and Ehud Bleiberg. Written by Ariel Bleiberg. Cinematography by Picha Srisansanee. Edited by Matthew Lorentz.

Stars D.Y. Sao, Andy Le, Brian Le, Aparisa Kulthanan, Craig Ng, Selina Wiesmann, Bear Williams, Byron Bishop, Geoffrey Giuliano, and Ron Smoorenburg. 

Two brothers must put aside their differences as they enter a deadly tournament in this action thriller from the director of Bangkok Dog.

Brothers Max and Wu Yen have been estranged for years. However, younger brother Wu has returned home to Longlak City, a place that has been riddled with crime and corruption. To keep order in the city, the crime boss in charge, Mantis, holds the annual Naraka martial arts tournament. The brothers pass the tryouts and have a month to find sponsors. For Max, it’s about starting a new life. For Wu, it’s about fighting for the greater good. 

Also in the tournament is Max’s friend Sho-Jin, who has a sponsor in Bohan, who has beef with Max and Wu’s Sifu. When he forces Sho-Jin to make a decision that will change the course of things, the tournament is set to begin as Veena, a young rich girl, becomes Max’s sponsor and helps Wu out after Sifu’s death. As the competition is on fire, this is a tournament where anything can happen, including sponsors spending extra money mid-fight for their fighters to use weapons. Who will come out on top in this tournament?

WorldFilmGeek Hall of Famers Martial Club have been on a roll lately. Since working on the action for the Daniels’ film Everything Everywhere All at Once and member Andy Le appearing in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, their work on both YouTube and on the screens have been quite steady. After member Brian Le and frequent MC collaborator D.Y. Sao appeared in Bangkok Dog, the two reunite with director Chaya Supannarat for this Bloodsport meets Muscle Heat-like film adding Andy Le to the mix. 

The film revolves around complicated relationships in the midst of an annual tournament, which takes up the final hour of the film. Meanwhile, we do get the build-up to the tournament with D.Y. Sao’s Max and Andy Le’s Wu being brothers who have different agendas. Max sees younger brother Wu as a joke with his belief that he can fight for the greater good and make things right.Max, on the other hand, seems to be a showboat fighter who just wants to make a buck. Then there’s Brian Le’s Sho-jin, Max’s friend, whose life is just as complicated because he was forced to stay in Longlak City due to an incident with the Triads, leaving his wife and son behind. 

Apasiri Kulthana’s Veena is Max’s sponsor who, like Max, Wu, and Sho-Jin, has a complication in her life as she is a gambler who sees Max as perhaps the once chance at redemption she needs. Sho-Jin’s sponsor, Bohan, is definitely one of two main villains of the film. As played with such sleaziness by Geoffrey Giuliano, he adds to the mix complicating Sho-Jin’s relationship with Max due to the fact they he forces the beast to go after the brother’s Sifu, played by Cragi Ng, before the tournament.  On top of that we have Selina Wiesmann’s combination of eye candy and deadly intentions in the role of femme fatale crime boss extraordinaire Mantis, who runs the city and holds the annual tournament. 

Joseph Le serves as action director with the Le Brothers and D.Y. Sao designing the film’s fights. Andy Le gets to showcase his meshing of tricking and kung fu shapes. D.Y. Sao meshes Drunken Kung Fu and the Muay Thai action of both Tony Jaa and Dan Chupong. As for Brian Le, his trademark anime style beast mode with the occasional comic relief is definitely fun to watch. Some of the fighters involved include Bear Williams as last year’s returning champ Karchak Kong, Sam Herring as Sharkbite, and Who Am I superkicker Ron Smoorenburg as a fighter called “The Templar”. The twist that weapons can be added mid-fight when the sponsor pays extra money adds quite a nice twist to the action. 

Gladiator Underground is definitely a pretty good tournament film. It is more than an average film but has the story of a complicated relationship between two brothers and their friend that holds quite well. If you like Bloodsport and the martial arts tournament film, then this is one to check out!