When they fought early on, the bad guy had elite fighting skills and costner couldn't touch him, but at the end, he fights him again and this time costner wins. When did he learn his fighting skill?
shareIf you got bopped hard on the head, the way The Postman was when captured, and walked miles and miles to the encampment, I'd say you went through the wringer. Conditions were appalling, the food atrocious...he was weakened from the blow on the head, the march through the wilderness and probably very little food. In the end, he was determined to stop this Hitler II by any means it took. A BIG adrenaline rush I'd say.
share"the bad guy had elite fighting skills"
When? Kevin Costner never fought Bethlehem until the end, and the only "elite fighting skills" Bethlehem had was fixing copying machines.
He never tried fighting him in the beginning...he was exhausted and surrounded by soldiers. If he attempted anything he would have been shot on the spot.
shareRemember the old man who worked for the Postman at the main camp, he was a Special Forces Vietnam Veteran, the tattoo description scene and Costner's character specifically asks him to teach him how to fight.
Bethlehem never fought anyone but Costner at the end, it's alluded to that he beat the hell out of the Colonel and then had his tongue removed but he could have just used his sword like he did when he killed the poor bastard strung up by others. If anything I was surprised that their fight, really just a piss poor ground wrestling match, took that long as he would have likely been taught first and foremost to go for the eyes, ears, throat, penis, etc...immediately when he was in proximity.
Actually the answer was given by the film itself. At the beginning of the film Costner's only aim was to survive and as Bethlehem said Costner couldn't win the fight because he had no beliefs. Costner finally won because as he told Bethlehem he now believed in the United States of America! Costner was losing the fight, but after saying that he immediately battered Bethlehem to pulp.
I would add that Costner's belief in our Postal Service definitely helped too.
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed roundsshare
mule. high in fighting power.
His name...was Julio Iglesias!
Let's not forget that vietnam vet "knew things". So probably between delivering the mail and smoking the wicked skunk he taught Costner a few techniques...like...um... jumping off a horse (which was adominant warfare technique in Vietnam?)
Uh.. nevermind.
My "#3" key is broken so I'm putting one here so i can cut & paste with it.
the only group that is called special forces is the united states army special forces otherwise known as the Green Beret. and even then they don't get that good of hand to hand training
shareBethlehem was never established as an "elite" fighter. He merely beat up Costner when he wasn't fighting back. It is never said how the colonel lost but judging by Bethlehem's character, he probbaly has nasty tricks up his sleeve. Most of the fear surrounding him is through mental fear and intimidation. Perhaps people in this chaotic time find comfort in someone who is organized.
Once Costner no longer feared him and finally had something to fight for, he was able to give Bethlehem a good fight. Also judging by their laughable fight, an elite fighter would destroy both of them. So it is obvious that in the apocalypse, there was no elite fighter present in Bethlehem's army or they would have challenged for leadership.
The Postman was the hero. The hero always wins the fight.
Ever see "On the Waterfront?" One of the goons Brando's character beat up was played by Two Ton Tony Galento, a former contender for the World Heavyweight Boxing Title. Brando's character was supposed to have been a light heavy. Go figure!
Neither man had elite fighting skills. They were ordinary guys in extraordinary circumstances. Costner's character simply didn't want to fight in the beginning, his aim was to survive and avoid contact with most folks. Bethlehem ruled by fear and tyranny (spelled right) - it's obvious in his quote "terror will defeat reason". He supposedly beat his right hand man senseless but that doesn't mean he was a tough guy - like Costner's character, that guy was probably already injured, starved and surrounded by armed men. In the end, the fight between Bethlehem and the Postman was a fight between two guys who don't know how to fight. And that works completely - they wrestle, they gouge they choke and in the end, one of them realizes it's time to throw some punches. Most bullies, which is what Bethlehem really was, have no idea how to fight - they know how to intimidate and hurt victims who are too afraid to fight back. But no bully likes getting punches in the face - pretty soon they'll stop picking on anyone who hits them back... or they'll get their asses kicked like Bethlehem did.
The Postman is an awesome film by the way, right up there with one of my other all-time favorites, Waterworld. Who cares what critics say?
Totally agree with CromeRose! Best explanation, that was exactly what I had felt about Bethlehem.
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bethlehem was so butthurt over being an exposed copy salesman that he couldnt resist waxing lyrical to sound important, opening up the opportunity for postman .. plus he had no chin.. he got KOd by a side headbutt lol
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