Writer: Low Yuen Yim

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Watch this if you liked: “Mortal Kombat”, “Street Fighter”

Director Dwight Little ("Phantom Of The Opera", "Marked For Death") and writer Alan McElroy present an action packed movie right from the beginning with sufficient explanation that helps to expand the storyline to viewers. Staying true to the video game, "Tekken" fighters show a variety of fighting styles similar to martial arts such as boxing, Jeet Kune Do and Akido.

In the future or to be more exact "Tekken" future, the world is ruled by six powerful corporations with Tekken being the mightiest. Jin Kazama (Jon Foo) and his mother (Tamlyn Tomita) lives outside Tekken city and one day, he returns home to witness Tekken's security units destroying his home and murdering his mother. He blames Heihachi Mishima (Cary-Hiroyuli Tagawa), leader of Tekken and vows to avenge her death by participating in the Iron Fist Tournament by winning the wild card and being the people's choice fighter.

"Tekken" is loosely based on Tekken 3 video game where Jin Kazama played by Jon Foo ("The Protector") is first introduced. He turns out to be a Tekken heir and this places him in a dangerous position as his father, Kazuya (Ian Anthony Dale) wanted him dead. Some of the fighters who participate in the Iron Fist Tournament are Christie (Kelly Overton), Raven (Darren Dewitt Henson), Brian Fury (Gary Daniels) and Nina Williams (Candice Hillebrand), who mainly serve as pawns in the tournament as later they had to fight to their deaths. Most of the cast are not well known and are given a rather short screen time for their stories to be explored further.

The action scenes are well choreographed by Cyril Raffaelli and does not disappoint as the fighting tournaments are indeed the main part of the movie. Viewers will get full blow-by-blow action shot from different angles without being blurry. The fighting techniques were well executed, realistic and brutal as one would expect from a video game adaptation.

There are some downsides to "Tekken" as well. Some of the fighters like Anna Williams ("Marian Zapico") didn't get to demonstrate their fighting techniques that resemble the video game, and it was the end of Iron Fist Tournament for some as they were pronounced "K.O." permanently.

If you are a fan of the video game, this reviewer advises fans to watch this movie with low expectations.

Cinema Online, 15 July 2010