Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5482 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-06-14
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 79 minutes

Synopsis
A teenage Bruce Lee fanatic, tired of bloody noses and getting beaten up, finds himself a karate instructor. But his instructor is forced out of town by a crime syndicate, he is guided by the ghost of Bruce Lee. His next gym is under threat too from the same syndicate, they have found a secret martial arts weapon Ivan the Russian (Van Damme) but Jason chooses to fight back...

Customer Reviews

You're good. I get better.
Remember that they warned us that the quality of films stored on VHS would deteriorate over time. I watched a copy of No retreat, No Surrender recently and found that this is, in fact, true.

However, I thought they were referring to a deterioration in the quality of the visual image and soundtrack. It utrns out that it was the quality of the acting that suffered.

How could I not have noticed on viewing it for the first time all those years ago that there was more ham in the acting that there was in a butcher's window.

RW Fails, who plays RJ Madison III, is a shockingly bad actor, as is Jason Stillwell's dad.

Scott (the fat kid) is trying so hard to be serious but fails completely to pull it off.

The wooden man that Jason uses for his martial arts practice is more expressive than either of them. I think a quick look at their subsequent success in the movie business says it all.

That said, I absolutely loved the film all over again for different reasons, and the poor acting just makes it more endearing to me. Jean Claude Van Damme appears as the bad guy in a role just preceding his appearance in another 80s classic, Kickboxer. A Belgian playing a Russian - inspired!

Anyway, I recommend it wholeheartedly and you can sum up my experience of the film from the original viewing in the mid 80s, to the recent rediscovery of its charm, in an excerpt from the film's dialogue:

"You're good"

"I get better!"

They've Ruined It
I agree with Preceeding review. This film in its original VHS format was a classic....a true 5 star 80's movie, up there with "Karate Kid". However, the DVD release has totally ruined the film. Loads of Scenes are missing - Including those were Jason meets up with Kelly BEFORE the Birthday Party - a pretty important part of the story if you ask me. Whats worse is the "good" original footage - which has been removed, has been replaced with "Rubbish" scenes that were not in the VHS version - which do nothing to improve the movie or story. They've also replaced a lot of the original music, including theme song "Stand on Your Own." I'm not sure, but I think this may be the European version, which was sold as "Karate Tiger" and not "No Retreat - No Surrender."

If like me, you no longer have a VCR player - then this is worth watching only for the nostalgic value......if you still have a VCR then buy the video as the DVD is absolute pants.

If anybody from the publishing company is out there - please please please release the original UK Video Version on DVD - it's 100 times better than this pap you are selling. - Also change the cover - Why have Van Damme on the cover, you should have the original artwork, which was Kurt McKinney & Van Damme, with the American and Russian Flags.....

Jean Claude van Damme debuts as the baddie

This movie came as a surprise to me, simply because it was so entertaining. Despite that it's total low budget and has tons of cheesy moments, I just loved it from beginning to end. One of the reasons is because the movie had a typically 80's feel to it, and it didn't take itself seriously at all. Also, This movie came as a surprise to me, simply because it was so entertaining. Despite that it's total low budget and has tons of cheesy moments, I just loved it from beginning to end. One of the reasons is because the movie had a typically 80's feel to it, and it didn't take itself seriously at all. Also, Jean Claude van Damme makes a really cool debut in this movie. He delivered a rather good performance as an evil Russian fighter. There aren't too much great martial arts in the movie, but the last scene is really good. This fight scene is much better than what I've seen in many other action movies, so give this movie a try if you like martial arts. in this movie. He delivered a rather good performance as an evil Russian fighter. There aren't too much great martial arts in the movie, but the last scene is really good. This fight scene is much better than what I've seen in many other action movies, so give this movie a try if you like martial arts.