Struggling boxer Rick Murphy (Scott Glenn) is hired by Toshio Yoshida (Sab Shimono) to deliver a Katana to Japan for $500 a day. With no other financial prospects, Murphy accepts the job, only to find upon arrival in Japan that he is now tangled in a decades long feud between brothers Toru (Toshiro Mifune) and Hideo Yoshida (Atsuo Nakamura) regarding ownership of the sword and its counterpart known collectively as The Equals.
The Challenge was one of a number of martial arts films made by western studios in the 80s after Canon Films had popularized such films with the sleeper hit Enter the Ninja. Unlike a lot of these films starring the likes of Chuck Norris or Franco Nero, The Challenge had a relatively respected cast and crew with legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune starring alongside Scott Glenn, and John Frankenheimer of The Manchurian Candidate and Seconds directing. One of a number of films made by short lived venture CBS Theatrical Films, the movie was released by Embassy Pictures to audience indifference and mixed reviews with critics comparing the film to films such as A Force of One or The Octagon but giving some praise to Mifune's performance and Frankenheimer's direction. The movie isn't perfect, but it is a solid step above most of the similar films from around the same time.
The action on display is pretty impressive even if the thematic take on "old Japan" vs. "new Japan" is used to ridiculous extremes with waves of nameless armed henchman being able to be taken down by only two men wielding ancient weapons. Pretty much any movie where Mifune gets to wield a sword will earn some goodwill on that fact alone and to the movie's credit it is put to good use. The major sticking point with the movie is Scott Glenn's character Rick and while Glenn is a good actor, the way his character fits into the story feels like he's shoehorned here rather than a natural fit. When you compare The Challenge to something like The Yakuza from 10 years prior which not only delivered on hard edged action scenes, but also great performances and character moments you never get the same emotional resonance with this story of feuding brothers you got from The Yakuza because with The Challenge it often feels like we're held at arms' length from the character resonance of this story. The Challenge tries to elevate itself beyond the utilitarian approach 80s action filmmaking was distinguished by, but it's not trashy or exploitative enough to be on the level of a Chuck Norris film, nor is it insightful or particularly well-written like The Yakuza and it falls sort of halfway between.
There's some solid craft on display in The Challenge, but it never goes too far above the contemporary utilitarian action trends of the decade and is more or less your standard martial arts film with a few moments that hint at deeper resonance. It's worth a watch for fans of the genre and Mifune as always is great, but you're better off seeking out The Yakuza for this kind of movie.
The Challenge was one of a number of martial arts films made by western studios in the 80s after Canon Films had popularized such films with the sleeper hit Enter the Ninja. Unlike a lot of these films starring the likes of Chuck Norris or Franco Nero, The Challenge had a relatively respected cast and crew with legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune starring alongside Scott Glenn, and John Frankenheimer of The Manchurian Candidate and Seconds directing. One of a number of films made by short lived venture CBS Theatrical Films, the movie was released by Embassy Pictures to audience indifference and mixed reviews with critics comparing the film to films such as A Force of One or The Octagon but giving some praise to Mifune's performance and Frankenheimer's direction. The movie isn't perfect, but it is a solid step above most of the similar films from around the same time.
The action on display is pretty impressive even if the thematic take on "old Japan" vs. "new Japan" is used to ridiculous extremes with waves of nameless armed henchman being able to be taken down by only two men wielding ancient weapons. Pretty much any movie where Mifune gets to wield a sword will earn some goodwill on that fact alone and to the movie's credit it is put to good use. The major sticking point with the movie is Scott Glenn's character Rick and while Glenn is a good actor, the way his character fits into the story feels like he's shoehorned here rather than a natural fit. When you compare The Challenge to something like The Yakuza from 10 years prior which not only delivered on hard edged action scenes, but also great performances and character moments you never get the same emotional resonance with this story of feuding brothers you got from The Yakuza because with The Challenge it often feels like we're held at arms' length from the character resonance of this story. The Challenge tries to elevate itself beyond the utilitarian approach 80s action filmmaking was distinguished by, but it's not trashy or exploitative enough to be on the level of a Chuck Norris film, nor is it insightful or particularly well-written like The Yakuza and it falls sort of halfway between.
There's some solid craft on display in The Challenge, but it never goes too far above the contemporary utilitarian action trends of the decade and is more or less your standard martial arts film with a few moments that hint at deeper resonance. It's worth a watch for fans of the genre and Mifune as always is great, but you're better off seeking out The Yakuza for this kind of movie.