Kickboxer: Retaliation

A 2018 American action film, serving as the seventh installment in the series and a direct sequel to "Kickboxer: Vengeance". Directed and written by Dimitri Logothetis, the story unfolds eighteen months after the events of the previous film. Kurt Sloane (Alain Moussi) has become a professional mixed martial artist, defeating Renato Sobral using a move he calls the "Hurricane Armbar". However, he is haunted by nightmares where he and his wife Liu (Sara Malakul Lane) are on a train, culminating in him falling into water and possibly drowning. After a fight, Kurt is approached by two men posing as U.S. Marshals, informing him that he must return to Thailand to testify regarding Tong Po's death. When Kurt requests to see their badges, he is tasered. Awakening in a Thai prison, Kurt meets Thomas Tang Moore (Christopher Lambert), the mastermind behind the underground fights in which Kurt and his brother Eric participated. Moore offers Kurt a match against the new champion, Mongkut (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson), a colossal fighter standing 6'8" and weighing 400 lbs. Kurt refuses, leading to attacks from other inmates and brutal punishments from the guards. In prison, he befriends Briggs (Mike Tyson), an American boxer who becomes his ally, and discovers that his former mentor, Durand (Jean-Claude Van Damme), is also imprisoned and has been blinded for his actions. When Moore kidnaps Liu to force Kurt into the fight, he agrees. With the help of Durand, Briggs, and other inmates, Kurt prepares for the bout, facing numerous challenges and uncovering secrets about Mongkut, who is revealed to be a product of bioengineering. The climactic battle between Kurt and Mongkut takes place in an ancient Muay Thai temple, where Kurt, overcoming incredible odds, secures victory by using a chain to choke his opponent. The film delves into themes of vengeance, honor, survival, and self-sacrifice, depicting the protagonist's transformation and his struggle for justice.