| The Last Kumite | |
| Native Name: | The Last Kumite |
| Director: | Ross W. Clarkson |
| Producer: | Sean David Lowe Wayne A. Graves |
| Starring: | Mathis Landwehr Kurt McKinney Billy Blanks |
| Music: | Paul Hertzog Stan Bush |
| Cinematography: | Ross W. Clarkson |
| Editing: | Oliver Harper |
| Studio: | Lowe Media & Quest Media Capelight Pictures |
| Distributor: | Capelight Pictures MPI Media Group (USA) |
| Country: | Germany United States |
| Runtime: | 105 minutes |
| Language: | English |
The Last Kumite is a Kickstarter-funded 2024 low-budget martial arts film. It is directed by Ross W. Clarkson[1] with a soundtrack by Paul Hertzog and Stan Bush. It is an homage to popular action movies of the last century.
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.
In August 2023, Capelight Pictures released a 4K UHD DVD version of Bloodsport, which included a variety of features.[2] 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".[3]
Bolo Yeung's son David Yeung also appears in the film.[4] [5]
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".[6] [7]