On G List of Movie Reviews
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Gymkata (1985)
Rate:
5
Viewed:
1/17
1/17:
Gymkata received so many low ratings that I thought it was going to be a terrible movie.
It turns out to be interesting with some flaws. What jumps out the most is the story.
It's actually creative yet is underdeveloped and, in many ways, a hybrid of Enter the Dragon,
The Most Dangerous Game, and MacGyver.
It can be surreal at times, most especially at the end, which is a nice effect. Unsurprisingly, Gymkata was directed
by the same guy who did Enter the Dragon. It looks like he didn't learn any lesson afterwards. All I see is the same
flaws. This may sound strange, but the following trivia was taken from IMDb:
"The Star Wars satellite program referenced in the film was actually true. This was a part of the Cold War between the U.S.
and Russia in hopes that both countries would find territories outside their respective countries in order to plant satellite
stations so each country would be alerted in case of a nuclear attack on either side."
Kurt Thomas, the main star, is dazzling when he shows off his gymnast skills. However, acting-wise, he's merely okay but
doesn't do anything to rub me in the wrong way. Hailing from the Philippines, Tetchie Agbayani, who plays Princess Rubali,
is pretty.
Well known for two trademark moves (the Thomas flair and the Thomas salto) in gymnastics, Kurt Thomas was a world champion
in floor exercise and horizontal bar in 1978 and 1979 and was an odds-on favorite to win a gold medal at the 1980 Summer
Olympics, but Jimmy Carter's boycott of the games prevented it from happening. So, if you get the chance, check out his
YouTube videos. He looks impressive.
All in all, if the storytelling could be further improved, Gymkata might have worked out better.