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The Quest

The Quest

A lost city. A man of destiny. A test of honor.

199695 minPG-13Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Director
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Starring
Jean-Claude Van Damme, Roger Moore, James Remar, Jack McGee

Ghang-gheng, the ancient winner-take-all competition in which the deadliest fighters from around the world employ the most spectacular feats of martial arts skills ever displayed in order to win the prized Golden Dragon. But fighting prowess alone will not be enough for Chris to triumph over such daunting foes.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Quest?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Quest to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Quest?

The Quest earns 4 badges, led by Feel-good and Preferred by Non-US Viewers.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Quest worth watching?

The Quest's Midcredits score is the 32nd percentile of all films, from 45K ratings across 4 sources. 34% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

32nd percentile

Better received than 32% of films

47th percentile among Action35th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)36th
Approval (how many liked it)29th

58 /100

36th percentile of all films

53rd percentile among Action39th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.9 — solid but not unanimous.

34% liked it

29th percentile of all films

43rd percentile among Action31st percentile among 1990s
34% rated it 7–1066% rated it 1–6

Critics 14% · Audience 36%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

91st percentile

45K ratings across platforms

84th percentile among Action87th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 8% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$7M
Domestic gross$22M
Worldwide gross$57M

Returned 1.9× its budget — 80th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A martial arts tournament film with diverse fighters and exotic settings, but a formulaic underdog story that divides audiences on its execution.

Fans praised

  • Diverse and unique fighting styles from around the world
  • Beautiful cinematography and exotic locations
  • Entertaining tournament spectacle with a sense of adventure

Detractors panned

  • Derivative plot nearly identical to Bloodsport
  • Slow pacing with long delay before tournament action
  • Poor fight choreography and unrealistic combat

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive70

Beautiful exotic locations and scenic photography

AtmosphereDivisive65

Period setting and exotic locations create adventure feel

Effects and spectacleDivisive60

Varied fighting styles and staged tournament matches

ActingDivisive40

Van Damme limited, Moore charismatic but miscast, Remar wasted

Plot and storyDivisive35

Derivative of Bloodsport, predictable underdog arc, weak story structure

CharactersDivisive30

Underdeveloped, stereotypes, thin motivations

PacingDivisive25

Slow first half, tournament starts too late, feels drawn out

Originality20

Retread of Bloodsport with period dressing

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 10 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Quest like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingTenseTriumphant
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsEpic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneA straightforward, earnest adventure story with a light-to-moderate weight, played with sincerity and a stylized, larger-than-life martial arts aesthetic.
The rideThe film is a classic action-adventure that builds from gritty street scenes to the high-stakes tournament climax, which carries the most emotional weight.
StructureTold as a frame story with a prologue and epilogue, but the main narrative follows a conventional three-act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayAn uplifting, crowd-pleasing underdog story that leaves viewers feeling entertained and inspired.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rags
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3% (this title): Underdog triumph 2% (this title) · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rags to riches: A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition. · Underdog triumph: Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).

3% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA rags-to-riches martial arts tournament story where a street thief rises from poverty and slavery to compete as the underdog and win the championship.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSelf-worth
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of filmsLoyalty · 4% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeA street kid, dismissed as worthless, must prove his inner strength and worth through martial arts combat and by standing up for his friends.
StanceThe film celebrates the underdog's triumph and the idea that inner worth can be proven through physical and moral strength, without questioning the premise.

The world

Early 20th centuryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Randy Edelman
Setting1920s New York streets and a secret island tournament in the South China Sea
MusicThe score blends sweeping orchestral themes with exotic percussion to heighten the adventure.

Content guide

Is The Quest okay for kids?

PG-13

The Quest is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and martial arts fights” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (8/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Germany16
  • Czechia12+
  • Netherlands12
  • PortugalM/16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (24 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Quest have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Quest?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jean-Claude Van Damme
as Christopher Dubois
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Roger Moore
as Lord Edgar Dobbs
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
James Remar
as Maxie Devine
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jack McGee
as Harry Smythe
Louis Mandylor
as Riggi
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ryan Cutrona
as Officer O'Keefe
Ze'ev Revach
as Turk Captain
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Janet Gunn
as Carrie Newton
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Aki Aleong
as Khao
Abdel Qissi
as Khan (Mongolian Fighter)
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Quest?

Movies like The Quest include Dragon Blade (2015), Kickboxer (1989) and Double Impact (1991). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Jean-Claude Van Damme, and several are period dramas.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its story type: martial arts. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Quest?

252 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: warrior. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.