Sean Russel Herman’s Kail Karate: The 2nd Beginning is a mockumentary styled similarly to Trailer Park Boys or Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place. Producers, actors, and people in the orbit of a fictional show and its lead actor are all brought together and discuss those times while simultaneously presenting us with a hilariously inept production of a current series being undertaken by the same people. The film follows Sensai Houston (Sean Russel Herman) as he attempts to pick himself up and win back the love of his life, Jessica, by starting a talk show where he interviews various martial artists and other celebrities to regain his former glory.
Sensai’s original claim to fame was a short-lived martial arts action show that was tragically cancelled after only one episode called ‘Beach Kumite.’ Over the intervening years he tries home self-defense videos, YouTube, a karate school, and several other schemes that never quite work out. He also accumulates a whopping six ex-wives and mounting debt from former producers and financers, including his own students!
The Mockumentary
Kali Karate leans into the documentary format, and it works extremely well. Behind-the-scenes footage is spliced together with shots from ‘Beach Kumite,’ everyday life, and his current attempt at a talk show series that all guide us through the storied and hilariously narcissistic life of one Sensai Houston. Sensai’s reluctant film crew is littered with those he’s blackmailed, people he owes obscene amounts of money to, members of a poorly planned at-risk youth center, and many more that have plenty of reasons both to see him fail horribly or succeed in hopes of getting their money back.
It’s not clear at first whether Sensai is doing all of this just for the fame and money or if there are deeper motives at play. In the beginning we are presented with the rich and luxurious facade of Sensai Houston, but this is very quickly peeled back to reveal his 2-bedroom apartment reality. He’s incredibly narcissistic, but you can tell there is something driving him beyond himself. He’s desperate to get back to, what he sees, as a happier time in his life. The only way he can see to do that is by getting rich and famous again.
Beneath it all, though, is Jessica. As we see throughout the film, Sensai is still deeply in love with his ex-wife and is trying desperately to prove he’s worth taking back. Jessica only appears a few times, and always with a pixelated face because she refused to appear in the “series.” This joke never gets old. She may legitimately only be stock footage as there is no credit for her character at all, as of this writing, on IMDb.
We meet several of Sensai’s former students, but his go-to-guy is Coen (Josh Plasse). Coen, despite years of abuse and even being bankrupted, stands by Sensai in hopes that he just might see his teacher succeed… and also maybe get back some of the lost thousands of dollars. Coen is a great character that serves as an anchor for Sensai for most of the film. He regularly tries to help, but gets aggressively shot down in favor of Sensai’s massive ego. He clearly has his own life and his own successes that he doesn’t include Sensai in, and this becomes a point of contention for their already tenuous relationship.
Kali Karate breaks up several scenes with Sensai’s hilarious older East-Asian roommate Shu (Shu Lan Tuan). She is absolutely hilarious. She regularly puts down Sensai when he deserves it, and clearly takes none of his nonsense. She’s wonderful. Early on, she serves as an editor and producer for Sensai’s series, but she quickly abandons this role when his demands become increasingly overwhelming. She routinely interrupts his show to chastise him about laundry, dishes, and the rent which never fails to get a laugh. It is through her that we see the reality of Sensai’s life, and not just the gilded visage that he would have us see. When she frees herself of Sensai and his nonsense, you know that she’s off to bigger and better things.
We’re introduced to a handful of other innocent bystanders in the life Sensai Houston as well. His principal producer is being blackmailed via undisclosed videotape. The talk show host’s begrudging director, Spike (Pedro Correa), never fails to put Sensai in his place with a sharp tongue and quick wit. He’s often seen brooding behind the camera operators, almost like he’s plotting for how he can mess with Sensai next. Sensai’s lawyer, Mark Wheeler (Thomas Michael Miller), tries desperately to paint an optimistic picture for the various legal battles his client finds himself in. He fights the good fight… right up until a certain incident involving a biting of someone’s ear during filming.
After attacking his last guest, and former manager, Sensai has to flee from the law. What happens next is yet to be seen.
A/V
Kali Karate‘s biggest strength is its attention to detail. All of the older footage has that grit and grain to it. It genuinely looks like parts were shot on real film. Characters have clear and distinct looks for different time periods as well. It’s visually obvious immediately that we’re watching what is supposed to be older footage, or footage that is more recent. All of the TV spot-style edits of ‘Beach Kumite’ look like they’re straight out of the 90’s. There’s even old camcorder footage for a few segments that have their own distinct look.
When you get to what is supposed to be the documentary footage, the cinematographer is very clearly aware of how documentaries are shot and framed. All of the documentary footage that follows Sensai and company looks like a doc you’d find on Netflix or BBC. It’s great. Everything is crisp and clean, and there’s even a Trailer Park Boys-esque thing going on where people regularly point out the camera crew and how Sensai is being followed.
The talk show segments stand out visually as well. They’re on what immediately translates to a “we have no budget” set, that only adds to how ridiculous the situation is. Sensai often changes clothes behind a not-fully-closing curtain right beside his guests. The added animation during the talk show sequences are hilarious and fit perfectly too. They highlight moments really well without becoming obnoxious.
The music and sound design holds up to the same level of scrutiny. Older footage is teamed with appropriately scratchy sound. Doc sections have a mostly quiet and contemplative score to them. The talk show segments are over-the-top while also having an extremely low-budget feel to them that makes them all the more hilarious. The DJ booth that has super low volume got me every time. Dialogue is clean and clear in the modern segments, and the crew creatively use the doc aspect to allow for little “mistakes” to come through that make them seem all the funnier.
The Final Word
Kali Karate: The 2nd Beginning is a genuinely funny, clever, and interesting take on the mockumentary genre. It leans into the documentary format to hilarious effect, and pays close attention to how and when all of its details are being presented from. Sean Russel Herman and company create a cast of characters that are sympathetic yet fun to watch fail in an It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia kind of way. Kali Karate: The 2nd Beginning is highly recommended for your group’s next movie night.
Kali Karate: The 2nd Beginning is currently available On Demand courtesy of Cranked Up Films.
The Final Word
'Kali Karate: the 2nd Beginning' is a funny and clever take on the mockumentary. It's full of hilarious moments, ridiculous characters, over-the-top shenanigans, nostalgia, and all the while you want for Sensai to become a better person and maybe see his ex-wife again. Sit down with a few friends and have a great time with this one.
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GVN Rating 9
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User Ratings (2 Votes)
9.4
I’ve worked my whole life to become a comic book illustrator, writer, and stand-up comedian. Batman and Captain Benjamin Sisko helped put a good head on my shoulders. I spent most of my childhood saving Hyrule and the Mushroom Kingdom and seeing the Justice League save all of creation time and time again. I live in Johnson City, TN with my wife Kary and daughter Laila enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery and occasional show. Three puppies round out the family and take up the rest of the time that isn’t spent debating which Wes Anderson or Studio Ghibli movie to watch. I spend an inordinate amount of time binge watching SVU, Futurama, and Letterkenny, and when I’m not watching I’m listening to “My Brother, My Brother, and Me” or playing the occasional game of D&D. If there’s a nerdy endeavor out there, I’ve probably at least tried it.