American Kickboxers

LEXI FOX is a former 90s martial arts B-Movie star (“she was an erotic Ninja Assassin!”). Approaching 50 with the roles drying up, Lexi sees a local commercial calling for women over 35 to try out for the US Masters Kickboxing Team for a competition against Team Thailand. She figures that this could be a first step on the road back to single card credits and opts to try out for the Team.

After a series of assessment bouts, Lexi is selected for the Team where she meets her peers -  JJ DEMAIO, STEPHANIE HARRIS, RACHEL BOLAN and their fearsome coach, JANET de KOEYER. de Koeyer gives the girls’ one-nights grace before training begins.

 They head to a local bar where they clash with an all-female biker gang (“The Black Widows”). A bar fight ensues and “Team USA” hold their own.

de Koeyer sets a brutal training regime that the girls are ill-prepared to cope with.  Lexi finds herself at odds with Stephanie over pretty much everything, Rachel has all the potential but none of the drive and JJ – who performed best in the try-outs – is struggling badly. Meanwhile, Team Thailand have no such issues and are progressing through their camp with maximum potential.

JJ cries off sick for a few days, de Koeyer forces Lexi and Stephanie to discuss their issues and gives Rachel a series of meditations to help her improve her self-belief. Lexi and Stephanie do indeed find some common ground. They also find JJ unconscious in her room. JJ is an alcoholic. Her drinking has estranged her from her son (TOMMY) and her joining the team was an attempt to gain his respect.

Lexi and Stephanie try to cover for her, but de Koeyer is no fool. She catches on and JJ is booted from the team.

The remaining girls struggle on without her, but soon after, Lexi draws the ire of the coach having invited a news crew to film their training – ostensibly to promote the competition, but de Koeyer believes that Lexi is only interested in promoting Lexi. She too is fired.

Having found common ground, Stephanie stands with Lexi and quits. As does Rachel whose new-found self-belief gives her the backbone to stand up to de Koeyer. The coach is now left alone.

The girls return to the bar where they find JJ. Lexi offers to help JJ with her addiction as she can afford to pay for her therapy. Then the Black Widows turn up and another fight ensues. However, Coach de Koeyer arrives and joins her former charges. The Black Widows are defeated and amazed to find they’ve been bested “by Team USA!”

de Koeyer admits to the girls that she has made mistakes with them and asks them to try again. They agree and now their training goes to a new level as they are all on the same side with a single goal. JJ stays off the booze and de Koeyer allows her son in to see that she has progressed – giving her greater motivation. A Rocky-esque training montage ensues and finally, the girls hit their peak and head to Thailand for the beatdown.  

Each bout is brutal and close, each fight showcasing the different skills and lessons our girls have learned in their training camp. Stephanie is stopped by a cut in her fight, Lexi is victorious and Rachel is involved in a brutal war. She loses every round but stays on her feet, proving she can go the distance. With points up for grabs, it’s down to JJ to save the competition. Buoyed by the reconciliation with Tommy and her new-found self-respect, she manages to KO her opponent.

The points are tallied and the competition is called a draw, Team USA having accrued enough points to match their Thai opponents. de Koeyer is well pleased and the bout makes headlines.

We end with Lexi on set, fighting Ninjas, back to B-Movie glory.