This article is about the movie franchise of "Kickpuncher". For the main character see the article "Kickpuncher" |
Kickpuncher: Detroit! This is sold out everywhere!
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— Troy, "Mixology Certification". |
The Kickpuncher movie franchise is series of low budget films set in the "future" of 2006 and featuring a cyborg police officer as the protagonist. The movie seemed to be a straight to DVD "Mockbuster" inspired by a far more popular movie franchise. Most of the films seems to have been directed by Kim Yang. Both Troy and Abed are fans of the movies and have been seen cosplaying and creating fanvids based on the franchise. The first appearance of the series was in the Season One episode "Romantic Expressionism". |
History[]
Season One[]
In the study group's first year at Greendale, Abed hosted a special movie night in his dorm room for his friends. They spent the evening viewing bad movies and making fun of them while they watched. Troy, Shirley, Pierce and Chang were invited to one such viewing party where the 1980's film Kickpuncher was shown. The movie was a derivative low budget science fiction film about a cybernetic cop with bad acting and special effects that made it perfect to make fun of. Everyone but Pierce was able to get into the spirit of the evening as he made a number of unfunny and racist jokes.
Despite this, and against the objections of the others, Abed invited Pierce to join the again for another viewing party the following night. Aware that he was not impressing his friends with his humor, Pierce hired the school's sketch comedy troop The Greendale Gooffaws to help wrote jokes for the next movie they were going to watch, "Kickpuncher 2: Code-Name Punch Kicker". Pierce went to the viewing party that night and quickly burned through a lot of his new material. Abed and Shirley were suspicious and accused him of preparing beforehand. Pierce at first feigned righteous indignation before ultimately confessing. He tried to storm out of Abed's dorm room but tripped and fell on his way out which finally elicited laughter from his friends.
Troy and Abed would later be inspired by the film to create their own fan made "Kickpuncher" movie. Troy played the cybernetic hero while Abed had a variety of roles including criminal thugs and the main antagonist of the second film "Punch Kicker". After the action scenes were shot they went on to film the love scenes. The duo tried to cast Britta to play the leading lady but she wasn't available. Troy expressed his disappointment and went to shoot the scenes with Abed who played the female role. |
Season Two[]
In the study group's second year at at Greendale, Abed gives Troy a DVD copy of "Kickpuncher: Detroit". Troy is ecstatic since the movie is sold out everywhere except for Detroit where it isn't that popular ("Mixology Certification"). The "Kick Puncher Miami" poster is briefly seen in the opening montage of games "Fat Neil" is playing ("Advanced Dungeons & Dragons"). Later, Abed goes on a "date" with Special Agent Robin Vohlers by watching the first "Kickpuncher" movie in his dorm room while she watched along with him inside a surveillance van ("Intro to Political Science"). Troy and Abed later became good friends with a foreign student named Lukka. He too was a fan of Kickpuncher and had asked to borrow Abed's prized copy of "Kickpuncher III: The Final Kickening" DVD. Earlier, Britta learned he used to perform ethnic cleansing in the Balkans and tried to warn her friends. When they refused to listen she attempted to frame Lukka for the theft of Abed's DVD. This backfired when Abed revealed he had surveillance cameras in his dorm room which clearly showed Britta stealing the Kickpuncher DVD ("Custody Law and Eastern European Diplomacy").
Season Five[]
During Abed's fifth year starting Greendale, he planned on attending the premiere of the latest Kickpuncher movie which was a reboot of the franchise. He disliked the redesign of the main character and decided to attend the event dressed in Kickpunchers original outfit. Not long before the movie was to start he put the finishing touches on his costume in the study room. Abed donned the outfit and was about to head to the movie when he noticed a light on in fellow Save Greendale Committee member Buzz Hickey's office. He found the Criminology professor inside and decided to show off his Kickpuncher suit. Over Buzz's protest he demonstrated a shoulder cannon he constructed. It shot foam all over the professors desk and he ruined several comic scripts Buzz was working on. Hickey was irate and handcuffed Abed to his file cabinet to teach him a lesson. He held Abed hostage inside his office until he missed the Kickpuncher premiere ("Bondage and Beta Male Sexuality").
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Other appearances on the show[]
Season One[]
- " Communication Studies: A "Kicksplasher" poster can be seen in the background of Abed's dorm room during the drunken montage.
- Pascal's Triangle Revisited": The "Kicksplasher" poster is seen again at Abed's keg party.
Season Two[]
- "Custody Law and Eastern European Diplomacy": Britta steals a copy of Abed's Kickpuncher DVD.
- "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: The cover of Kickpuncher Miami is briefly shown in the opening sequence.
Season Three[]
- "Remedial Chaos Theory": A lot of Kickpuncher-related posters can be seen in the background.
Season Four[]
- "Conventions of Space and Time": A "Kickpuncher III" and "Kickpuncher: Detroit" poster can be seen in Troy's room.
Season Five[]
- "VCR Maintenance and Educational Publishing"": A "Kickpuncher III: the Final Kickening" poster is featured on the wall behind Annie Edison while she talks with Abed Nadir about choosing a new roommate.
Season Six[]
- "Lawnmower Maintenance and Postnatal Care": A "Kickpuncher Miami" poster is seen just after Britta berates Abed and Annie and leaves the apartment.
- Laws of Robotics & Party Rights": A "Kicksplasher" DVD is seen to the right of Willy's iPad when placed on the shelf in Abed and Annie's apartment.
Film Chronology[]
There have been four explicitly stated "Kickpuncher" films in the fake franchise. Other films in the series include a spin-off and a reboot of the franchise.
The first movie in the franchise. It introduces the titular hero who fights to bring down a syndicate selling "Mega dope". |
The first sequel to the franchise. Kickpuncher continues his adventures this time facing off against a new rival. |
The third and supposed final sequel to the franchise. Kickpuncher faces what could be his ultimate challenge. |
The fourth sequel in the franchise. The film ironically proved popular everywhere but Detroit. |
The fifth sequel to the franchise. Kickpuncher continues his adventures this time set in the city of Miami. |
A spin off from the main franchise featuring a new lead character. |
A reboot of the franchise with a redesigned look for the main character. |
Trivia[]
In the episode "Digital Estate Planning", one of the options in Hilda's front end scripting language is to "kickpunch".
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Homage[]
Kickpuncher is an obvious pastiche of various '80s and '90s science fiction action films that take place in a post-apocalyptic near future. Its primary influence is "Robocop" as Kickpuncher shares a similar protagonist in the form of a cop that has been cybernetically enhanced. The name of the actor who portrays him is Don "The Demon" Donaldson, which is probably a nod to the B-movie action hero Don "The Dragon" Wilson. He starred in a number of similar themed sci-fi films, notably "Cyber Tracker" which deals with an execution force made up of cyborgs. The name Kickpuncher itself could be a reference to the webcomic Nedroid which, in its July 25, 2008 strip seen here, had the character Beartato state that he was going to review Kickpuncher II: The Fightening.
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"Mockbusters"[]
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External links[]
- Low-budget knockoff movies benefit from Hollywood blockbusters.
- Inside the bizarre world of 'knock-off' movies which 'try to confuse viewers looking for Hollywood blockbusters'.
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