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Cast: Jon Foo, Kelly Overton, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Ian Anthony Dale, Darrin DeWitt Henson, former world champion kick boxer Gary Daniels, MMA fighters Cung Le, and Roger Huerta, Luke Goss, Tamlyn Tomita
The year is 2039. World wars have destroyed everything and territories are run by corporations, the mightiest – and cruelest -- of which is Tekken. Jin Kazama (John Foo) witnesses the death of his mother Jun (Tomita) by Tekken in the slums known as Anvil. Vowing vengeance, and armed only with his street smarts and raw fighting skills, he enters a dangerous and potentially deadly combat tournament, where he must defeat the world’s most elite fighters to become the “King of the Iron Fist.”
It's a shame that the film never got a big theatrical push or at least some kind of push but since it didn't follow the game 100% and in return it had the gamers moaning it was better off I suppose. But as someone that never played the game I am judging my review strictly on the film itself and not how well it followed the game, based on just being a high-tech martial arts film set in the future when the world is pretty much ruined and is now run by a handful of corporations I thought it was very well made had some good fight scenes and a great cast. The story is simple, after witnessing his mother being killed by Tekken Jin Kazama voes revenge and decides to join in on the tournament, Iron Fist so he can kill the man responsible. Like I said the story is simple but there's a few twists as well along the way to keep you interested but lets face it you watch these kinds of movies for the fight scenes and not for story as much so going off of that I felt it had plenty to tell. The cast did a very good job including, Jon Foo as Jin, Kelly Overton and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa to name a few. No one actor steals the show here but I thought Jon Foo and kelly Overton were great both alone and together and Overton is one sexy woman as well. It was great to also see Gary Daniels in the film, I have always been a fan of his and he looks as ripped as ever. Tekken also features such fight superstars as Lateef Crowder, world-renowned expert in the Brazilian martial art Capoeira, and Anton Kasabov, multiple-time U.S., European and World Champion in Tae Kwon Do.
I suppose the hard core gamers out there that grew up playing the game have a right to bitch but video games to movies never really work out in the first place so taken as a sci-fi/action film Tekken is above average and highly entertaining. Tekken is all about the tournament and Director, Dwight H. Little was wise to not let the story get in the way of the fighting too much while still having enough to tell and just enough character development in between the fights. If you action films with lots of fighting in them then I think you are going to enjoy this and fan's of the game will enjoy the fights as well, just go into it with an open mind and I think you will find it to be entertaining as well. Available on DVD and Blu-ray, both comes with Special Features that include:
Stunt Stars:Tekken
Trailer
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
*** 1/2 Out Of *****