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Action thriller

Jiu Jitsu (2020): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Jiu Jitsu (2020) movie poster

Jiu Jitsu is a 2020 action thriller directed by Dimitri Logothetis, starring Alain Moussi as Jake, Marie Avgeropoulos and Tony Jaa. It runs 1 hour 42 minutes and earned $99,924 worldwide on a $8 million budget. Critics gave it 27% on Rotten Tomatoes and 27 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 2.9/10.

IMDb rating
2.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes
27%
worldwide gross
$99.9K
Echo Score
20
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Jiu Jitsu (2020) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 42m (102 min)
Genres
Action , Sci-Fi , Thriller , Fantasy
Original language
English
Budget
$8M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Jiu Jitsu About?

The premise of Jiu Jitsu without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Every six years, the world's best jiu-jitsu fighters compete to defend humanity from a powerful alien being. When a celebrated martial arts champion is injured, the planet faces imminent danger, and a desperate team must rise to confront the seemingly unstoppable extraterrestrial threat in a final, high-stakes battle.

Jiu Jitsu Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • based on comic
  • martial arts
  • martial artist
  • alien
  • alien invasion
  • psychotronic film
  • two word title
  • scene before opening credits
  • prologue
  • jiu jitsu
  • kung fu
  • fistfight
+38 more
  • fight
  • brawl
  • mixed martial arts
  • hand to hand combat
  • punched in the face
  • punched in the chest
  • kicked in the face
  • kicked in the stomach
  • beating
  • beaten to death
  • head butt
  • fight to the death
  • showdown
  • final showdown
  • based on comic book
  • grindhouse film
  • b movie
  • woods
  • female martial artist
  • bilingualism
  • subtitled scene
  • translator
  • comic relief
  • opening action scene
  • one against many
  • two against one
  • murder
  • death
  • violence
  • mercilessness
  • held at gunpoint
  • rescue
  • escape
  • ambush
  • blood
  • blood splatter
  • burma
  • rainforest
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Cast & crew

Jiu Jitsu Cast & Characters

Alain Moussi leads the cast as Jake, with Marie Avgeropoulos as Myra and Tony Jaa as Kueng. Directed by Dimitri Logothetis; 15 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Jiu Jitsu

· 11 more
From the director

More from Dimitri Logothetis

More films directed by Dimitri Logothetis, best-rated first: Kickboxer: Retaliation, Gunner, Momo: The Sam Giancana Story and The Lost Angel.

Full filmography
Ratings

Jiu Jitsu Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Jiu Jitsu 27% on Rotten Tomatoes and 27 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 2.9/10. Our Echo Score gives it 20/100, strongest in rewatch factor (30) and weakest in story & flow (15).

20 /100

Jiu Jitsu Echo Score Breakdown

Overall, Jiu Jitsu struggles to deliver a coherent or engaging martial arts action experience. The majority of reviews cite weak visuals, an underwhelming narrative, and flat characterizations despite a few moments of inventive staging. Fight sequences are frequent but lack polish, and the story fails to establish meaningful stakes or emotional investment. While niche audiences might appreciate the primitive action choreography and Cage’s eccentric presence, the film largely remains a disjointed and unsatisfying outing.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 25

    In terms of art and craft, the film exhibits inconsistent production values and amateurish visual design. Effects are frequently described as shoddy and tacky, and editing choices such as excessive slow motion and disorienting camera work undermine the action’s clarity. The overall visual cohesion is lacking, resulting in a production that feels hastily assembled and poorly executed.

  • Character & Emotion 20

    When it comes to character and emotion, performances are largely unengaging and superficial. The leads display minimal depth, with even established names delivering limited screen presence and weak chemistry. Dialogue and motivations seldom foster emotional resonance, leaving character arcs undeveloped and failing to create meaningful connections. This lack of nuance results in a cast that feels underutilized and flat.

  • Story & Flow 15

    Regarding story and flow, the narrative is disjointed and underdeveloped, oscillating between repetitive fight set pieces and thinly sketched plot points. Critics and viewers alike highlight confusing pacing, simplistic conflict resolutions, and a lack of coherent worldbuilding. Attempts at originality are overshadowed by clichés and non sequiturs, preventing any sense of sustained engagement. The storyline ultimately feels hollow and unsatisfying.

  • Sensory Experience 20

    In terms of sensory experience, the film’s audio and soundtrack offer little distinction, with inconsistent sound design that often detracts from the action. Cheap special effects, abrupt sound cues, and a generic score fail to establish atmosphere or tension. The visual style lacks cohesion, alternating between uninspired VFX and awkward camerawork. Overall, it provides a lackluster and sporadic sensory impact.

  • Rewatch Factor 30

    When evaluating the rewatch factor, the film offers limited replay value beyond a cursory interest in its choreography. Frequent yet repetitive fight scenes may initially appeal to genre enthusiasts, but the absence of deeper narrative or emotional hooks diminishes lasting appeal. Cage’s unconventional presence provides a momentary curiosity, yet subsequent viewings reveal structural flaws that outweigh any novelty benefits.

Plot

Jiu Jitsu Plot Summary

What happens in Jiu Jitsu from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Every six years in the last two millennia, an ancient order of superhuman martial artists called Jiu Jitsu faces a vicious race of alien invaders in a battle for Earth. The invaders have always lost to Earth’s defenders, up until now.

Full summary

The whole story of Jiu Jitsu, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Jiu Jitsu Box Office & Budget

Jiu Jitsu grossed $99,924 worldwide on a $8 million budget.

2020 box office

Worldwide gross

$99.9K

International
$99.9K
Budget
$8M
Videos

Jiu Jitsu Trailers & Videos

11 videos: 2 trailers, 3 teasers and 6 clips.

All 11 videos
Official Trailer
  • Trailer UK Trailer 2
  • Teaser 30 Second Trailer
  • Teaser 10 Second Trailer
  • Teaser 15 Second Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Jiu Jitsu?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who plays the lead role of Jake Barnes?

Cars

Cars in Jiu Jitsu

3 cars on screen, including the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.

  • Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in Jiu Jitsu Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Important role
  • Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in Jiu Jitsu Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Minor role
  • unknown in Jiu Jitsu unknown Minor role
Details

Jiu Jitsu Also Known As

13 alternative titles, including “Джиу-джитсу” and “柔術”.

Also known as
  • Джиу-джитсу
  • 柔術
  • ג'יו ג'יטסו
  • Джиу-джитсу: Битва за Землю
  • 주짓수
  • โคตรคน ชนเอเลี่ยน
  • Ninja vs. predátor
  • 柔道煞星
  • Đấu Sĩ Tối Thượng
  • ג׳יו ג׳יטסו-הקרב האחרון
  • Jiu Jitsu - Harc a földért
  • アースフォール JIU JITSU
+1 more
  • Džiu-džitsu

Seen Jiu Jitsu?

FAQ

Jiu Jitsu FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Jiu Jitsu, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Jiu Jitsu?

Jiu Jitsu runs 1 hour 42 minutes (102 minutes).

When was Jiu Jitsu released?

Jiu Jitsu was released on November 20, 2020.

Who directed Jiu Jitsu?

Jiu Jitsu was directed by Dimitri Logothetis.

More films by Dimitri Logothetis

Who is in the cast of Jiu Jitsu?

Jiu Jitsu stars Alain Moussi as Jake, Marie Avgeropoulos as Myra and Tony Jaa as Kueng, among 15 credited actors.

How much did Jiu Jitsu make at the box office?

Jiu Jitsu grossed $99,924 worldwide on a budget of $8 million.

How is Jiu Jitsu rated?

Jiu Jitsu has 2.9/10 on IMDb, 27% on Rotten Tomatoes, 27 on Metacritic and 48% on TMDB.

Does Jiu Jitsu have a post-credit scene?

No. Jiu Jitsu has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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