Action Addicts Network

Directed by Chaya Supannarat, Gladiator Underground is a bare-knuckled throwback to the tournament movies of the ’80s and ’90s, delivered with a modern sheen. The story follows brothers Max and Wu as they collide in the world’s deadliest underground tournament, a bloodsport controlled by powerful crime lords who manipulate every fight, every weapon, and even the terrain itself. What begins as a battle for personal supremacy becomes a moral struggle, as the siblings must decide whether to compromise their integrity or unite to take down the syndicate pulling the strings. It’s a set-up tailor-made for bruising martial arts spectacle, and the film rarely wastes an opportunity to showcase it.

The action is the main draw, and Supannarat ensures audiences get their fill. The fight choreography is fluid and brutal, with the Martial Club team bringing energy and power to every clash. Fighters move with ferocity and speed, delivering inventive takedowns and bone-rattling hits that are more than a spectacle—it’s sheer insanity. The tournament’s gimmicks—environmental hazards, weaponised duels, and fights dictated by underworld overlords—add spice and stakes to the combat, ensuring that danger doesn’t just come from fists and feet but from the very world the fighters are trapped in. D.Y. Sao, Andy Le, and Brian Le lead the cast, bringing depth and nuance that anchor the film amidst the chaos. The interplay between D.Y. Sao’s Max and Andy Le’s Wu forms the emotional core of the story: two brothers, rivals by nature, forced into an uneasy alliance, each struggling to balance pride, loyalty, and the instinct to survive. While the trope is familiar, the performers sell it, and each character is given a personal journey that demonstrates how subtle changes to a well-known formula can be surprisingly effective. It’s this throughline that makes Gladiator Underground more than just a string of fights, it gives the violence context and consequence.

This film is likely to be a martial arts action gem for years to come. More than once while watching, I was reminded of Koichi Sakamoto’s Broken Path, the epitome of guerrilla filmmaking that remains beloved in die-hard action fan circles. Gladiator Underground is packed with fights, making it difficult to pick a standout. Some of the opening tournament bouts would pass as finales in other movies, and the contrast between the brothers’ fighting styles is terrific. While both were trained in a similar style, each leans into different dominant techniques, allowing viewers to easily distinguish which brother is on screen even if the wardrobe didn’t already make it obvious. Andy Le, in particular, stole the show with exhilarating kung fu acrobatics that felt ripped from an old 2D fighting game. D.Y. Sao’s style is less ornate but devastating, augmented with elements of drunken boxing. The brothers reminded me of Ryu and Ken from the Street Fighter IP: shared teacher, similar foundations, but individual refinements creating distinct personas.

Brian Le’s Shojin, on the other hand, is an intriguing fighter to watch as the film progresses. As the physically largest of the three leads, it would be easy to cast him as the slow, deliberate brute. That role instead falls to Bear Williams as current champion Kerchak Kong. Shojin takes inspiration from old kung fu movies, channeling animal fighting styles to savage his foes with unpredictable movements and feral bursts that make it clear you do not want to face him.

The film also gives each fighter a personal story, showing how people can end up in impossible situations and the lengths they will go to survive or protect those they care about. Apasiri Kulthanan as Veena rounds out the cast as the female lead. Veena is closely tied to both brothers but primarily impacts Max and his personal struggles, helping him confront his demons while providing access to the tournament she hopes to win as a sponsor. Her motivations are layered, contributing to a broader commentary on corruption, greed, and a people crushed under the control of one powerful figure, with limited avenues for resistance.

In the end, Gladiator Underground succeeds as a brutal, exhilarating fight movie. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it polishes it until it gleams with sweat and blood. The brotherly bond gives the film emotional punch, the world-building adds color to the brutality, and the choreography delivers the kind of martial arts fireworks genre fans crave. It’s not flawless, but for anyone who wished for more action in Chaya and D.Y.’s previous film Bangkok Dog, it’s here in spades.

Gladiator Underground releases on digital October 17th