ACTION-FLIX.COM

By: John M Jerva

Welcome to FOOT FIST FRIDAYS! A weekly dose of fight action where the Action-Flix.com experts share their thoughts on some of the greatest scenes of fisticuffs in action cinema history!

This week on Foot Fist Fridays, I am back with another bone crunching fight sequence which features Australian martial arts powerhouse Bren Foster from the 2012 action-thriller Maximum Conviction. The film is best known for pairing up both Steven Seagal and Stone Cold Steve Austin in one film but it’s Bren that steals the show in one of the film’s best brawls. This was actually my introduction to Bren and I was a fan from the get go after watching him in action in the film’s finale where he takes on a few of the mercs led by nemesis Michael Pare. This fight showcases Bren’s awesome kicking skills and really displays the power that he is known for.

It’s Bren Foster and his epic beatdown from Maximum Conviction on this week’s installment of Foot Fist Fridays!

When it comes to martial arts pros in the movies, there are many individuals who try to make a name for themselves and it can be very difficult to breakout as the business is flooded with men and women who look to be the next big thing in action cinema. Every once in a while, there is one person who rises above the rest and shows the world that they are the real deal. One of these individuals is Australian martial arts ace Bren Foster.

Foster made a name for himself after appearing on the National Geographic documentary called Fight Science where he put his incredible talents on display and with the 2012 film Maximum Conviction, he made his triumphant action film debut and even though he was only a co-star in the movie, Bren stole the show in his epic clash at the end of the film where he literally comes out of nowhere to deliver one of the best action sequences in the movie.

Throughout the film, it was all firepower but in the end, Bren demonstrated his lethal skills in a fast and fierce fight where his character of special operative Bradley took on a pair of mercenaries and in a dazzling display of furious kicks and expertly timed hand combinations, Foster showed the world that he was a force to be reckoned with.

The altercation isn’t a long one but it was enough to make me a fan from the get go and watching him move is like watching a lethal tornado in action as his kicking combos have no equal. Foster had done many films and TV shows prior to Maximum Conviction but it was this film that heralded his arrival in the world of action cinema.

I was able to chat with Bren last year about the film and it was intersting to hear him tell me that he was actually injured when he filmed the fight scene. You wouldn’t know it though as his abilities are stellar and if he wasn’t 100% during this fight then just imagine what the man can do at full strength. It just goes to show you how insanely talented he is and to be able to pull off these moves when not fully operational, you know that he is talented beyond belief.

Foster’s combinations are smooth and flawless and the power on display is a thing to behold. He is naturally gifted and he holds a whopping six different black belts which attests to his level of commitment to his training and his love for the arts.

Another aspect that I love is Bren’s unique exhales that he belts out while delivering these brutal moves. Exhaling is very important in terms of developing power in your moves and breathing correctly makes all the difference in the world when it comes to making each move powerful. As a martial artist myself, I know that each practitioner has a unique exhale all to their own and I talked to Bren about it and how he formed it throughout his years of training. You can hear it during the battle and it is something of a battle cry when he erupts into action.

Watch out for the first installment of my special two part interview with Bren for his upcomig flick Deep Blue Sea 3 coming soon where we talk about this fight and working with the two Steves!

Now in the immortal words of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan The Destroyer, “Enough Talk!” It’s time to watch Bren Foster go full on berzerker mode in this classic clip from Maximum Conviction!