Extreme Challenge uses the tried-and-true plot of the martial arts tournament, with all the cliches (grizzled old veteran, hot-headed young guy, spunky girl, etc.) fully in place. The twist here is that the tournament, called "Power Net Show" (probably from the same people who brought you the "Super Happy Fun Ball"), is being broadcast on the internet. Well, this isn't really a twist, and doesn't even make much sense -- why would people pay money to see a "tournament" that takes several days to get through with only a few short matches a day (and bloodless matches, at that) on the internet is beyond me.

Anyway, as I said before, the plot is the usual stuff -- you're going to know from the get-go who's going to win (it's certainly not going to be the chap dressed in the Native American gear). Things might have not been so bad, but someone had the bright idea to have most of the movie made in English and then dub the whole thing. This dub is absolutely one of the worst I have ever heard, and that's saying a lot. The voices don't even match the characters; the lisping one for Ken Chang, who plays the "tough guy", is especially atrocious. Hell, a lot of times, the voices don't even match the lip movements. Combined with the lackluster set design, Extreme Challenge comes off as no better-looking than your average US B-movie. Considering that even with much lower budgets, Hong Kong movies usually at least look decent, the lackluster production of Extreme Challenge just smacks of laziness or plain incompetence.

Things are not all bad in Extreme Challenge, however. Under the direction of Stephen Tung, the fights here are compact, hard-hitting and exciting. Though it was probably more because of monetary concerns, the action is thankfully free of the overuse of CGI that has been invading HK movies as of late. There is some camera trickery at work, but it's kept in check for the most part, and allows the fights, rather than computer gimmickry, to take center stage. Though most people probably couldn't take most of the crud featured in here, die-hard fight fanatics will probably dig a viewing of Extreme Challenge, but might still want to keep their finger close to the fast-forward button.

REVIEW:
The "Bloodsport" theme gets updated for the 21st century in this poorly written, yet exciting fight-filled fest.

Martial artists from all over the world converge on a futuristic resort where dozens of competitors begin a frenzied elimination round, free-for all as they race an obstacle course while knocking each other down. Surviving the opening event is Ian Maxfield, reigning champion and spokesman for Champion Sports, an athletic supplier. Yet, it soon becomes clear that Ian's contract is on the ropes. Karen, the event's manipulative director, who happens to be Ian's representative, begins searching for an "Asian" spokesperson for Champion's entry into the Asian markets. Its clear that the winner of the event will make the best candidate so Karen begins selectively pairing the remaining contestants in order to control the outcome. Nevertheless, several martial artists distinguish themselves in the second round, including Kuang Kin and Jin Fang. Both come from the same martial arts school but the fiercely competitive Jin is sent to represent the school while the more conscience Kuang, enters independently to prove that he is the better man. Also moving to the finals is Tang Ning, the first female competitor to have signed up for the event who is developing a relationship with Kuang. As the contest narrows down to its final contestants, Kuang purposely loses to a young Thai boxer who narrowly escapes a fatal injury. Realizing his popularity based upon Internet polls, Karen forces the Thai boxer out on a technicality. Meanwhile, the less scrupulous Jin beats the tar out of Tang and goes on to face Ian, the current champion. Ian subsequently takes a fall after learning that his contract with Champion Sports is dropped. This leads to the final match between Kuang and Jin.

The film suffers a laughable setback, during a press conference at the beginning of the film. As the contestants are introduced, they begin shouting like pro-wrestlers while bashing podiums in a childish display of bravado. Making matters worse is the dubbing. Unlike many films in Hong Kong these days, the entire film is dubbed, featuring mostly English dialogue with some Chinese. While the actors are clearly speaking English, the canned voices don't always keep up with the lips. All of the English dialogue is overly simplified, hideously written, and terribly acted. Likewise, the multi-lingual dialogue will slip into Chinese without subtitles, forcing the viewer to either continuously switch subtitles on and off, or watch the entire film with them on even though 75% of the film is in English. The story itself is sprinkled with a few gems such as the Thai boxer's failed attempt to win. He's the most dedicated of the bunch. The other contestants see him spar with his father long into the night while they relax. Tang scoffs at the boxer as he meditates before each round, only to display a moment of admiration later on in acquiescence to his sincerity. Ultimately, the boxer loses, not in competition but to corporate greed. It would seem an intentional message warning us of the perils of sincerity in an age of skepticism.

Overall the acting is forgettable, leaving us with the action. Thankfully, director Stephen Tung delivers. The film features dozens of different styles of combat and various weapons. Yet, Tung smartly doesn't waste time on detailing martial arts technique. Combatants simply go at each other in a free-style form that doesn't seem to have many if any rules. The use of interesting settings such as raised or floating platforms adds excitement, yet is improbable. Admittedly, the whole competition is somewhat improbable, falling somewhere between an episode of "American Gladiators" and "The Running Man." The opening scene depicts a mass of contestants running over a rocky surface, kicking each other into crevices. The frequent use of raised platforms would undoubtedly lead to unnecessary injury. All of the actors perform quite well.. ahem, as long as they're fighting. Patricia Ja Lee stands out for her role as an eternally optimistic contestant, bent on lasting for as long as possible. Despite the one-dimensional character, her expressiveness is a welcome relief from Ken Cheung and Yueng Chuen Ai's generally monotone demeanors.

The most welcome aspect of "Extreme Challenge" is the fresh direction by Tung that features crisp editing and the inventive use of black and white for emphasis. This action director and occasional actor has choreographed a number of classics such as "A Better Tomorrow" (1986), "The Blade" (1995), and Jackie Chan's "The Accidental Spy" (2001). Tung obviously knows how to shoot an action scene. In other hands this film would have suffered greatly, given its weary premise and stiff acting. Add to that a poor script and its amazing just how much fun this underrated feature remains.