Cast:
Jean-Claude Van Damme (Lyon "Lionheart" Gaultier), Harrison Page (Joshua Eldridge), Deborah Rennard (Cynthia Caldera), Lisa Pelikan (Hélène Gaultier), Ashley Johnson (Nicole Gaultier), Brian Thompson (Russell), Vojislav Govedarica (Sgt. Hartog), Michel Qissi (Moustafa), Abdel Qissi (Attila), Ash Adams (Francois Gaultier), George McDaniel (Adjutant), and Jeff Langton (Sonny) Directed by Sheldon Lettich.
Review:
"Most Van Damme movies are basically structured like old Fred Astaire movies. Astaire’s movies employ a very simple plot (“I have to convince her to marry me before she can marry that rich guy who doesn’t really love her”) which Astaire uses to hang his dance numbers on. Similarly, in Van Damme movies there’s a simple plot (“They killed our parents, we must get revenge”) which we can then hang a number of fight scenes on. In an Astaire movie, it all leads to the big crucial dance number at the end (where he wins over the girl). In a Van Damme movie, it all leads to the big fight at the end (where he kills the guys who murdered his parents)."
Admittedly, I can't blame Jean-Claude Van Damme from getting into the "input" side of filmmaking. This was the debut of Lettich as a director; after serving for a few years in the Marine Corps (specifically radio operator and with the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company), he went on to study Photography in college before becoming interested in being a filmmaker in the late 1970s (inquire further here). So, you've got two ideas crash into one: Van Damme wrote an outline for a fighting movie in the underground while his friend Sheldon Lettich had a script in mind involving the "classic era" of the French Foreign Legion. Sure, that script didn't go anywhere (apparently it was intended for Sylvester Stallone, since the two had written Rambo III [1988] together) but I think you get how Lionheart would come out combining the two a bit. Well, that and both guys liked the movie Hard Times (1975). Imperial Entertainment tried to get a different writer to do rewrites so as to not spend much money on Lettich, which is where S. N. Warren came in. However, Warren's rewrites (save for the name) were basically curtailed Lettich was hired to do a rewrite and just direct the movie; the result is that Warren, Lettich and Van Damme got credit for the screenplay and the latter got credit for the story; Van Damme also served as fight choreographer for the movie.* The movie was shown as "A.W.O.L.: Absent Without Leave" at the Cannes Film Market in May 1990 and picked up by Universal Studios for later distribution in early 1991. Strangely, the movie was released in France as "Full Contact" (better than the working title of the movie in the first place: "The Wrong Bet"). The movie was a relative success with audiences, following along the line of Van Damme star movies such as Bloodsport (1988) and Cyborg (1989).
Sure, it is a bit of a ridiculous trip down the road (the egregious "ass club" of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) has a teammate), but there is something quite endearing about its execution that I can't help but like. You've got an array of fights that for whatever reason go from the mean streets to at one point taking place in a pool. You've got a movie that decides, screw it, you are getting straight-to-the-point drama that can only go the way of a swift kick to, well, you know. It runs on sheer audacity from Lettich and Van Damme to make for a relatively enjoyable time. Having not seen Bloodsport in about six years, I imagine that my reasoning that Lionheart is the better "fighting without the cops knowing" movie (incidentally, both movies have a final fight where the lead must rally from a big injury, whether that involves being unable to see or, well, a bad rib) mainly because this movie actually seems to have some sort of enjoyment beyond being tall tale hokum. It probably helps that the movie is just about a guy trying to make good rather than about revenge (okay maybe it is an "on the run" movie, but at least it is a worthwhile pursuit, though I'm not really sure the Legion looks that good). Sure, it might be easy to compare him to Steven Seagal (both have their own "command" of reality in dialogue), but there is just something about Van Damme and his physicality that goes hand in hand with a sly sense of charm to watch play out against all odds. I think it helps that he isn't thrust into a side dynamic of romance and instead has a pal to engage with in Page (likely best known for the TV show Sledge Hammer!), who is quite a charmer. Unusually, you've got Thompson playing second fiddle to Renard (speaking of TV regulars, a regular on Dallas), which is mostly so you can see the allusion of tension between her and Van Damme that is somewhat cheeky if not entirely routine. The 105-minute runtime is about on point for a movie that arranges several fights with people watching in the distance (notice how the view from the street isn't too different in enthusiasm from the view from a different locale later on) that looks pretty good in brutality and the final fight does manage to evoke some triumph. It is a solidly decent time likely worth checking out if one is already curious about what Van Damme brings to the table in action, that is for sure.
Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.
*Well, maybe I am being a bit vague about Van Damme being involved with films: apparently Van Damme contributed uncredited editing on Bloodsport [1988] and Cyborg [1989].
No comments:
Post a Comment