Jiu Jitsu

Jiu Jitsu – A Martial Arts Sci-Fi Mashup That Kicks Logic Out the Window

Jiu Jitsu, released in 2020 and directed by Dimitri Logothetis, is an outrageous genre hybrid that combines martial arts, science fiction, and alien invasion tropes into a chaotic, high-energy spectacle. With Nicolas Cage in a prominent (but secondary) role, the film draws loose inspiration from comic book aesthetics and aims to deliver nonstop action and surreal storytelling. Though it received mostly negative reviews for its incoherence and lack of depth, Jiu Jitsu has become something of a guilty pleasure for fans of absurd B-movie cinema.

The plot centers around Jake Barnes (played by Alain Moussi), a skilled fighter who awakens with amnesia in the jungles of Burma after a mysterious incident. He soon learns that he is part of an ancient order of jiu jitsu warriors destined to battle an alien invader named Brax — a predator-like creature who emerges from a portal every six years to challenge Earth's champions. If the warriors fail, the alien wipes out everything in its path. It’s Predator meets Mortal Kombat, but with a lot more spinning kicks and slow-motion punches.

Enter Nicolas Cage as Wylie, a wise, eccentric mentor figure who seems to channel both a lunatic and a sage. Cage, as always, brings unfiltered energy to his role, delivering cryptic lines with wild-eyed intensity and participating in a few memorable fight scenes. His presence elevates the absurdity and injects an unpredictable charm into the otherwise generic plot.

What Jiu Jitsu lacks in narrative coherence, it attempts to make up for with stylized action. The film is packed with extended fight sequences choreographed by Logothetis and his team, blending jiu jitsu, Muay Thai, and various cinematic martial arts styles. The camera work is hyperactive — full of 360-degree spins, GoPro-style shots, and digital flair — which can be dizzying but also entertaining if you're in the right mindset.

Visually, the film plays like a live-action video game. The alien villain Brax, clad in a glowing exosuit, looks like something pulled from a PlayStation 2 cutscene. CGI is used heavily and inconsistently, often undermining the practical stunt work that the martial artists bring to the table. Alongside Moussi and Cage, the cast includes Tony Jaa, Frank Grillo, and JuJu Chan — all of whom get a chance to show off their fighting skills, even if the script gives them little else to work with.

The film’s tone is bizarre — it veers from deadly serious to laughably absurd within moments. Dialogue is clunky, exposition is dumped with wild abandon, and plot logic is virtually nonexistent. But somehow, Jiu Jitsu seems to know exactly what it is: a wild, over-the-top action ride that doesn’t care about rules, realism, or restraint.

In the end, Jiu Jitsu is not for everyone. Those looking for a thoughtful martial arts movie or a tight sci-fi thriller will be disappointed. But for viewers who appreciate bad-good movies, outrageous fight choreography, or just want to watch Nicolas Cage wield a sword and ramble about alien prophecy, it delivers a certain kind of low-budget, high-chaos entertainment.

It's not a film you watch for story — it’s a film you watch for spectacle, insanity, and the sheer audacity of its concept.