Boyka 4 or, to be precise, “Boyka: Undisputed IV” is the long awaited sequel to the iconic sports drama “Undisputed”, created in 2002 and starring Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames.
UPDATE: JULY 2017:
Boyka 4 has alredy been released on DVD and Blu-Ray!
The movie received very positive reviews and it is quite possibly the best one in the franchise.
For those of you who are not familiar at all with the so-called saga, below is a brief insight of the plot.
It won’t be far from the truth if we say that it is UFC based. In fact, there is a very well renowned video game, inspired by the movies.
The flicks concentrate on spectacular and illegal fighting tournaments, which take place mostly in prisons and involve mixed martial arts combats between the convicts. In most of the cases, they are forced to fight in exchange for something that is crucial to them-their freedom for instance.
If you had the chance to see at least one of the “Undisputed” movies, then you already know why it is considered as one of the most celebrated direct-to-video events ever.
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But nonetheless…
…the franchise had a harsh beginning. The first movie, directed by Walter Hill was a box-office flop. The critics didn’t award it with many positive reviews, neither.
However, the film performed more than well on the direct-to-video market and later two sequels followed, that gained the movie huge international fame.
Not only the followed movies were critically acclaimed but also “Undisputed III: Redemption” received two awards at the 2010 edition of Action Fest– for best director and best fight choreographer.
What made these two sequels so rewarding?
The right question should start with “who”.
Huge credit goes to the director Isaac Florentine and the talented star in the leading role Scott Adkins.
Both Adkins and Florentine have a vivid background in martial arts. Moreover, both of them have multilayered experience in the action movie genre- the one as a director and the other as an actor.
The result is more than obvious- the movies are brilliantly directed, the action scenes are unparalleled in terms of on-screen realism and the leading character is strongly likable. Yuri Boyka has won the hearts of his fans with his wild behavior and stunning fighting skills.
See, that is why it is not a surprise that six years after “Undisputed III: Redemption”, the forthcoming sequel is highly anticipated.
Let’s get to the point…
It is expected that “Boyka: Undisputed IV” will be released on the American direct-to-video market on 17 January 2017.
Scott Adkins who reprises once again the role of the rebellious anti-hero admitted in a recent interview that during the past six years he was receiving the question “When there is going to be another Yuri Boyka movie?” more often that he was shaving. Well, this is not an exact quotation but you got the idea.
The production began in 2015 in Bulgaria. In fact, the movie is entirely shot in Bulgaria as all the films from the franchise are.
The upcoming flick is a career push but also a challenge for the Bulgarian director Todor Chapkanov who replaces the veteran Isaac Florentine on the director’s seat.
Todor Chapkanov is an aspiring filmmaker who has done work mostly as first assistant director and second unit director for movies such as “The Way Back” (2010) for instance, starring Colin Farrell and Ed Harris.
His name became more and more popular after directing b-rated gems like “Asylum” (2014), “True Bloodthirst” (2012) and “Copperhead” (2008).
Florentine himself is still involved in the production of “Boyka: Undisputed IV” but this time as a producer.
Somehow, it is good to know that the man who highly contributed to the worldwide success of the preceding two sequels is still involved in the upcoming movie.
The rest of the cast…
…includes primarily Bulgarian actors, the most famous ones being the beautiful Theodora Duhovnikova and the talented Julian Vergov.
Sure enough, in order to strengthen the cast of a mixed martial arts movie, it is more than appropriate to invite some real martial artists who can adequately make company of Scott Adkins on the screen.
The movie benefits from the presence of the professional MMA champion Brahim Achabbakhe, known mainly for his work in movies like “Man of Tai Chi” (2013) and “Never Back Down: No Surrender” (2016).
The exhilarating fighting scenes have been choreographed with the help of the kung fu and taek won do stylist Tim Man who is also a talented martial artist from Sweden. He has worked with Scott Adkins and Isaac Florentine in the action hit “Ninja: Shadow of a Tear” (2013).
Probably the most impressive man you will going to see in “Boyka: Undisputed IV” is the Hulk- alike Martyn Ford.
He is a professional bodybuilding beast with unbelievable measurements: 6’8’’, 320lbs. As he states in an interview, he consumes up to 8000 calories per day.
It would be a spectacular experience to watch him fights Scott Adkins, don’t you think?
The role of the villain went to the Israeli veteran Alon Aboutboul, known for participating in such big productions as “Rambo III” (1988), “Body of Lies” (2008) and “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012).
The plot…
…follows the events from “Undisputed III: Redemption”. Yuri Boyka is a free man with aspirations to have a professional fighting career. He accidentally kills an opponent in the ring.
Later he learnt that the wife of the man he has killed is in a trouble. Found himself in a moral dilemma, he accepts to participate in a deadly fighting tournament in exchange for her freedom.
As visible from the trailer, expectedly, the movie looks more than promising.
As in the previous two installments of the franchise, we see some breathtaking fighting scenes, taking place in a dark and intense prison atmosphere. In addition, Scott Adkins’ gravity-defying kicks are here again as well.
In a nutshell, why shouldn’t you miss “Boyka: Undisputed IV”?
Because…
…it has a wonderful crew, most of it being responsible for the success of the previous two parts;
…it includes the masterfully choreographed fighting scenes, similar to the ones that we love so much from the previous two films. Again, no CGI at all-every mind-blowing move is real.
…Scott Adkins is better than ever as Yuri Boyka. The actor has admitted several times that Boyka is his favorite role and that is why he puts his soul every time he portrays the wild Russian fighter. Recently he stated that Boyka 4 has all that it takes to surpass his predecessors in every single aspect.
Bring it, Scott!
What is the best ‘Undisputed’ movie according to you? Leave a comment below!