STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs <br /><br />Street fighter and expert thief Alex Cardo (Daniel Bernhardt) is imprisoned for stealing an ancient ceremonial sword from wealthy businessman David Leung (Mr Myagi himself Pat Morita.)Whilst inside,he is taught the way of the 'Iron Fist' by lifer Sun (James Hong.)When he finds himself unexpectedly released,he is able to compete in the renowned fighting contest the Kumite,to honestly earn the Katana sword and settle an old score with Demon (Ong Soo Han) a sadistic guard at the prison he was placed in.<br /><br />The Jean Claude Van Damme original was a symbol of the masculine late 80s action flick.I enjoyed it,but times were different when I saw it.The sequel is moreorless a repeat of that film,a carbon copy in fact,with Hong in the role of Shidoshi and Han in the role of Chong Li.Even the theme of Alex being a thief stealing a sword and then becoming a fighter who earns it honestly is taken from the original movie.There's even (near the end of the film!) an appearance by Donald Gibb as the unforgettable Ray Jackson from the original film.That's not to mention the fact than Bernhardt does bear a startling resemblance to Van Damme in both looks and accent (although whether that was just put on I don't know!)His acting ability is on pretty much the same level too...<br /><br />The plot is lame.It's not very well paced and it's contrived with glaring errors (not least of which being why Hong is teaching Bernhardt martial arts in the first place seeing as how he was so proficient in them to start with.)What really keeps the movie alive and (forgive the pun) kicking (unsurprisingly,I suppose) is the neatly choreographed martial arts sequences.Much like the original,I suppose.**