Where to watch The Challenge
1 1/2 Stars
Rick, a down-and-out American boxer, is hired to transport a sword to Japan, unaware that the whole thing is a set up in a bitter blood-feud between two brothers, one who follows the traditional path of the samurai and the other a businessman. At the behest of the businessman, Rick undertakes samurai training from the other brother, but joins his cause. He also becomes romantically involved with the samurai’s daughter.
“The Challenge” would have been an ideal fit for Chuck Norris in the early 1980s. Instead, Scott Glenn takes on the lead role in this sluggishly paced Japan-set martial arts thriller directed by John Frankenheimer. The film is particularly disappointing given the talent associated with the project, including the iconic presence of Toshirō Mifune.
One has to wonder why Scott Glenn and Frankenheimer would attach themselves to a script better suited for Cannon Studios. Despite their considerable skills, they have produced a final product that stands as one of the most tedious ninja or martial arts-adjacent films of the era. While “The Challenge” does feature extreme violence, which is surprising given the lengthy stretches of monotony, this movie seems to be intended solely for Frankenheimer completionists or very forgiving fans of the genre.
Directed by: John Frankenheimer
Written by: Richard Maxwell, John Sayles, Ivan Moffat
Starring: Scott Glenn, Toshirô Mifune, Donna Kei Benz