Some of the worst acting I have ever seen - No Retreat No Surrender (1986) Discussion

[–] Fluke_Skywalker 11 years ago

The funny thing is, I don't think this movie works with better actors. There's just something about the clumsy and over the top performances that really make this thing click.

He went to Bespin Luke Skywalker, but he left Hand Solo

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] acesfilms 10 years ago

(Bad guy holding up Fist) "Oh no, it is too late for that!"

makes me laugh every time.

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[–] markwilliamsweb 10 years ago

It's his facial expression that gets me after the car park fight "I'm really proud of you son". Dunno why but cracks me up every time.

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[–] kungfuflygirl 9 years ago

Yep. It's so bad it's good. Wouldn't change a thing. But, the acting? JCVD has real talent in the acting department. Have you all not seen Double Impact where he played himself as twin brothers? He was believably two different personalities. He's actually a good actor, besides his signature splits move. :-)

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[–] stebsmeister 9 years ago

JCVD has real talent in the acting department. Have you all not seen Double Impact where he played himself as twin brothers? He was believably two different personalities. He's actually a good actor

Yes I have, and no he hasn't! Well, not in "No Retreat, No Surrender" in any event. Maybe he got a bit better later on, although, if I remember rightly, doesn't "Double Impact" have the obligatory "how to account for JCVD's character having a Gallic accent for no convincing reason" scene not just once but twice, to account for both brothers?

www.jumpedtheshark.co.uk

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[–] JoeX2525 9 years ago

Gallic?

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[–] patrik_ch7 11 years ago

Lol, yes. The only competent actor in this movie is Van Damme and he has like 2 lines.. All the rest are absolutely horrible, brutal. Some of the worst acting I have ever seen. I suppose the writing doesn't help but they all have that super enthusiastic over acting, no real human ever behaves like these people. And the dad, after he's injured.. For some reason he's always bending over, he damn near sweeps the floor with his face he's so bent over.. It's funny though =D

My eyes have seen the glory..

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[–] stebsmeister 10 years ago

Patrik_ch7 wrote:

The only competent actor in this movie is Van Damme and he has like 2 lines.. All the rest are absolutely horrible, brutal.

Are you serious?!?! JCVD's reaction to the line "But this time it'll be different - Russian!" is one of the all-time worst responses ever!

The guy that plays Reilly is horrific too; the bit where he quickly "calms down" after jumping in the ring eager to fight is just excruciating.

Oh, and why, when Bruce Lee comes back from the dead, does he look nothing like he did when he was alive?

Is there really so much money to be made by taking over martial arts dojos? I supposed the criminal master-mind was thinking out of the box - no drugs or prostitution for him, oh no; he knew where the big bucks were!

What a pile of cack this film is. And yet I'll never tire of it!

www.jumpedtheshark.co.uk

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[–] JoeX2525 9 years ago

Oh, and why, when Bruce Lee comes back from the dead, does he look nothing like he did when he was alive?

Whadoyamean? Watch Game of Death, looks exactly like him. 😉

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[–] BenjiCarver 11 years ago

Yeah, the bad acting was a big contributor to the hilarity of this movie. One of my favorites was the club scene when RJ (?) points out Kelly to Jason and Jason does this super-exaggerated turn while folding his arms. I am laughing just thinking about it.

Guts: The magazine for real men.

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[–] maxi-foo 11 years ago

This is one of those few movies were bad acting doesnt make it a less entertaining movie

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[–] Thenewnexus 10 years ago

Yeah the acting was awful but still a good movie

You want tah fack wit me? You ah fACKING chioah boi compahed tu me ah chioah boi

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] vocklabruck 10 years ago

I think that the bad acting is actually what makes this movie enjoyable for us, and the reason we are still commenting about it after many years has gone by.

I think the guy who played Bruce Lee was not bad at all though.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Thenewnexus 10 years ago

The acting in the sequels was way worse Except for Cynthia Rothrock and Matthias Hues.I much preferred Kurt Mckinney as the lead over Loren Avedon

You want tah fack wit me? You ah fACKING choiah boi compahed tu me ah choiah boi

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[–] PopperTheKungFu-Dragon 10 years ago

Yeah. JCVD is a great fighter, but a pretty horrible actor, but he easily gives the best performance here. The guy who played Bruce Lee wasn't bad either.

The worst was the guy who played Ian Reilly, who again, awful as his acting was, turned out to be a pretty good fighter.

Still a very enjoyable movie though.

Very good. But brick not hit back!

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