Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

Chinese Sensei , There are many soldiers but a true warrior is one who has experienced battle.

Directed By Peter Spirer
Interviews with Jet Li, David Carradine and Sammo Hung among others

Modern Warriors: The Martial Way (2002)

Modern Warriors is a short look at Martial Arts and the evolution that the arts have experienced over the past few decades. The Martial Arts have been around for centuries. It is believed that a style of martial arts was introduced to the Shaolin Temple by a traveling Buddhist from India. However there is evidence that Martial Arts was around China prior to the traveling Buddhist. The history of Martial arts is barley mentioned and real brief in this film. Modern Warriors: The Martial Way focuses on the last forty years of Martial Arts in America. The film has a multitude of interviews with a large variety of Martial Artists from around the world. Some of the arts covered in this film are; Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Gung Fu, Wu Shu, Matrix, Ninjitsu, Tang Soo Do, Wing Chun, Aikido, Kick boxing, Full Contact Karate, Muay Thai boxing, Brazilian Jujitsu and the new generation fighter, the Mixed Martial Artist.

I enjoyed some of the interviews with the various martial artists. The masters of today were yesterdays champions in Full Contact Karate and TKD. Until recently martial artists were more traditional and for the most part, stayed true to their art. In most cases the old champions took one martial art and mastered it. Most martial arts have their area of focus. Some focus on kicks, some on punches, some on using the attackers force against himself, some on joint locks and others strictly on ground grappling. Of course when one of the masters of any of these martial arts is interviewed, their art is the best and rightfully so.

{Side Note}
Oddly, the film barley mentions the two who I consider the first MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) pioneers. There were two Martial Artists in the 1960’s and 1970’s who started to change the conventional way of thinking. They were Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. Bruce Lee learned Kung Fu at a young age, then went on to learn, use and actually compete in boxing events. Eventually he combined several fighting techniques and martial arts which he would call, Jeet Kune Do (the style of no style). Chuck Norris studied the Korean style of Tang Soo Do. Mr. Norris later earned a black belt in Taekwondo. Just recently Mr. Norris earned his Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu after training with the Machado family for many years. Chuck Norris took what he liked out of all of his martial arts training and champion Karate career and formed an American Martial Art called, Chun Kuk Do (Universal Way).

Instead, Modern Warriors: The Martial Way consists of a slew of interviews with black belts in the many martial arts about their particular art and what they think of today’s martial arts and practitioners. Most of the interviews with the martial artists were decent. As you would expect most of them are humble, polite expert martial artists and all of them are masters of their art. However, there are a couple of long winded interviews with martial artists who were very impressed with themselves and their styles. There will always be a few of those… (Benny Urquidez who was an outstanding fighter, just ask him…)Just to cover myself, Benny "The Jet" Urquidez was an outstanding fighter in his day, in his division. I think his record was 59-1-1 Nonetheless, arrogance and Martial Arts is a sour mix for me.


Conclusion

It was interesting for a martial artist to watch. The best thing about this film were some of the questions they posed to the traditional and new generation MMA fighters. Some of the answers were interesting as well. How does today’s Martial Artists compare to the traditional Martial Artists? Is today’s Martial Arts a Sport or an Art? How does the Martial Artist compare to the Street Fighter (Theoretical Vs. Practical)? What would you do if someone pulled a gun on you? As a wrap up the film focuses on the Mixed Martial Arts Fighters such as Mark Kerr and Bas Rutten. In the end most do agree that the more training, in more arts, standing and grappling, makes you a more rounded and practical artist, athlete or fighter. Learn as many styles as you are able to. Seek and gain the knowledge, then take what you can use from these arts and perfect and make them a part of your personal art. This is why mixed martial arts is so effective. One art by itself is no where near as effective as three separate arts combined. Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris had this figured out and both took it to the next level forty years ago.

The film could have been a lot more in-depth. However for a quick overview of how Mixed Martial Arts has evolved, it’s okay. It’s not a solid documentary on anything. The film was not organized well. The interviews are scattered through out the film in no real order. The longest interview is with the most arrogant Martial Artist interviewed for the film. Of course the Martial Artist you would like to hear more from receives the shortest interview. Basically, it's one hour of interviews with martial artists that poses some thought provoking questions and generates all kinds of responses. I enjoyed the interviews with; Mark Kerr, Jet Li, Bas Rutten, Stephen Quadros, Shannon Lee , R. Gracie and Don “The Dragon” Wilson among others. There are about fifty interviews. Worth mentioning is some rare footage of old Full Contact fights with some big names like Bill Wallace. It also covers change in Karate tournaments from the Full Contact (devastating strike / kick = 1 Point) of the 1960’s and 1970’s to today’s speed-tag (fast back-hand = 1 Point) Karate tournaments. Then briefly covers the new K-1 style MMA fighters. I would recommend Modern Warriors: The Martial Way to any Martial Artist, MMA student or martial Art instructor.


Run time: 58 Minutes

Thanks for the read,

© 2008 Joe McMaster

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12