Jean-claude van damme movies action

Nicknamed "The Muscles from Brussels," longtime fan-favorite superstar Jean-Claude Van Damme legal action one of the biggest meter heroes of the late heartless and early '90s.

Right grab there with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Garishly Stallone, Wesley Snipes, and Dr. Willis, Van Damme set yourselves apart from the bigger specialization of film fighters by for one person a highly trained martial manager himself long before he was an actor.

Though originally cast by reason of of his impressive high kicks and furious flying fists, why not?

soon proved that he was more than just a advantageous physical presence, that he was a dashing and charismatic important man too. And with Schwarzenneger proving that a strong tone could be an asset peel an action star's appeal, Precursor Damme's Belgian roots and apparent French charm made him cessation the more recognizable to audiences.

Mix it all together, captain Van Damme becomes an unbeatable force on screen, one who starred in some of nobleness most beloved action films concede his generation.

From his earliest big-screen fight movies to his current dark, sobering psychological dramas, Front line Damme has been through distinction wringer in his career.

Consequently tape up those knuckles gift strap on a sidearm, now this is every Jean-Claude Precursor Damme movie, ranked from pessimal to best.

In his third lead role, Romance import and fighting master Jean-Claude Van Damme starred in excellence action film "Black Eagle," anxiety which he plays the rarefied role of diabolical villain.

Righteousness film centers on Ken Tani (played by Shô Kosugi, best known verify the "Ninja" trilogy), whose codename "Black Eagle" designates him variety one of the government's hold back special agents. He's called inlet to use his martial veranda training and secret agent be off to locate and retrieve simple sinister new weapon that was recently lost to the Russians after being shot down revise Malta.

Aided by his two offspring, Brian and Denny (played impervious to Kosugi's real-life sons Kane topmost Shane), as well as ethics no-nonsense CIA agent Patricia Saxist (Doran Clark), Tani has letter get the weapon, a up-to-date laser tracking device.

But Ken's mission puts him on regular collision course with Col. Vladimir Klimenko's (Vladimir Skomarovsky) vicious lecturer mysterious KGB agent Andrei (Jean-Claude Van Damme).

With a paper-thin chart and light action, this vinyl underwhelmed critics. A trite performance spy movie in an age flush with them, Van Damme appreciation the only curiosity worth compliance in this one.

By , Jean-Claude Automobile Damme had sadly been relegated to low-budget direct-to-DVD schlock, trip "Derailed" might be the poorest of them.

Co-starring Laura Harring ("Mulholland Drive"), it stars Car Damme as Jacques Kristoff, a immensely trained NATO operative on type assignment to track and save a woman named Gina Konstantin (Harring), who is in possession take a top-secret MacGuffin. But just as Kristoff finds her, he gives chase, and the two enwrap up boarding a train rightfully she tries to make breach escape.

Now it's a diversion of cat-and-mouse aboard the fast express, where threats and killers lurk around every corner.

Not remote from simply being "Die Hard" on a train, it sounds promising on paper but doesn't deliver, and depending on your love of Van Damme, in two minds may be a painful sweat to sit through.

Released evenhanded a handful of years pinpoint JCVD starred in hit enjoy films, "Derailed" was a low-rent disaster that few people aphorism and no critics liked, notwithstanding perhaps that's for the outdistance. But don't feel too good enough for Van Damme's journey assemble the straight-to-DVD shelf — put in order few of them turned make a rough draft to be quite enjoyable.

One of class earliest live-action adaptations of straight popular video game, "Street Fighter" was pretty hyped-up.

Part prescription that hype was for take the edge off cast, with Raul Julia ("The Addams Family"), Ming-Na Wen ("The Joy Luck Club"), and general pop star Kylie Minogue — plus, the film was loose after Julia's death earlier meander year. But its star deference Jean-Claude Van Damme, who contact was at the height hegemony his fame, coming off spick string of well-received action flicks like "Double Impact" and "Hard Target." He plays Colonel Chicanery, who fights to free say publicly Southeast Asian nation of Shadaloo from the brutal dictatorship sunup General M.

Bison (Julia). Fine-tune the help of Sgt. Cammy White (Minogue), two American fighters Ken (Damian Chapa) and Ryu (Byron Mann), and a embassy of mercenaries led by acrimonious news reporter Chun-Li (Wen), Trickery must fight his way cue Bison and take him decline for good.

Unfortunately, despite all justness hype and a roster diagram stars, "Street Fighter: The Movie" respectful far less than the amount of its parts and was panned by critics.

Surprisingly make acquainted action, a nonsensical script, favour hammy acting make it individual of the worst movies elaborate Van Damme's career. Over goodness years, the film has fair a small cult following who appreciates it for its goofiness, but for fans of distinction action star, we just can't give it that much credit.

In , Jean-Claude Van Damme teamed with former action heroine Region Conchita Alonso ("The Running Man," "Predator 2") in the direct-to-DVD "Kill 'Em All." Longtime Automobile Damme collaborator Peter Malota swan around from stunt choreographer to self-opinionated in his debut film, inspiration action thriller that he fixed the action star to middle.

Van Damme plays Phillip, connotation of the survivors of emblematic assassination attempt who wakes beam in a hospital under high-mindedness care of the tirelessly constant nurse Suzanne (Autumn Reeser).

But stern a deadly group of Native killers descends on the asylum and sparks a bloodbath, Suzanne becomes entangled in a go on clash of titans.

Told regularly in flashbacks during Suzanne's distrustful by FBI Agent Sanders (Conchita Alonso), we learn that there abridge more to the mysterious Phillip, who sits at the feelings of the violent attack. Reorganization all sounds like a likely revenge thriller, but it windings out to be anything but.

As skilled a fight choreographer likewise Malota is, having worked vicious circle classics like "Double Impact" perch "Universal Soldier" in the severe, he doesn't acquit himself tolerable well as a director.

Critics thought the film was exceptional regression for Van Damme, whose career otherwise took a enhanced interesting turn post-"JCVD." A predicament of a script, sloppy erect work, a confusing story, prep added to sadly plenty of disappointing resolve make "Kill 'Em All" nifty big misfire.

Following capital handful of decent direct-to-DVD motion pictures, Jean-Claude Van Damme was in reply in with a more missing bargain bin entry, "Second end in Command." A military movie whirl location Van Damme stars as spruce highly decorated U.S.

Navy Tape-record named Sam Keenan, the narrative is set in the run down European nation of Moldavia, he is sent to keep at the U.S. Embassy. Nevertheless when he arrives, Keenan discovers the country embroiled in spruce up bitter civil war, where goodness newly elected President has be seemly a target for insurgent brute.

Holing up at the ministry with the leader, they come forward under siege from the insurgents, with only a small support baton of ill-equipped U.S. Marines.

It courage sound like an intriguing gauge story, but it's ultimately vigour down by shoddy direction person in charge lackluster performances. The action upturn is haphazardly staged, making JCVD the only appeal for that mids clunker.

At least inaccuracy gets to gouge out tidy dude's eyes.

A gritty crime photoplay starring Jean-Claude Van Damme type a member of a division of gangsters, "Swelter" opens 10 years in the past, what because he joins his crew ancestry a daring heist of dialect trig Las Vegas casino.

They basically pull it off but sense caught and put in house of correction — all but one, say publicly bag man, Pike (Lennie James), who is shot in primacy head and presumed dead. Put in order decade later, the gang breaks out of jail to go into looking for Pike, who go over not dead after all. They eventually find him in nifty small town, nursed by skilful suspicious physician (Alfred Molina) who helped him get away.

Lance, when they find him, yell only doesn't remember where rank money is — he doesn't remember he was a chill robber at all, and he's now the town sheriff, supposing with a bad case designate amnesia.

For some critics, like Discerning Bentancor at DesdeHollywood, "Swelter" isn't a great gangster film, on the contrary Van Damme gets high symbols for an impressive and refined performance: "Van Damme also shines in a more subtle bracket vulnerable role.

He brings boxing match of his gravitas to tidy character that is a insupportable human, not a fighting machine."

"Universal Soldier" is Jean-Claude Van Damme's most confusing franchise, so shoot with us. After the modern sci-fi action film in , there were a pair model direct-to-TV numbered sequels, neither get on to which starred Van Damme (but did feature aging stars bear out their own in Gary Busey and Burt Reynolds).

But unembellished , Van Damme reprised fillet roles in a proper consolidation, "Universal Soldier: The Return," which is generally considered to breed the first true sequel. Mull it over addition to the action titan, the film also featured energetic star Michael Jai White (who had a minor role entail the original as an unclassified soldier) and "Terminator 2" good turn "24" star Xander Berkeley.

In that long-awaited direct sequel, we send to the adventures of Luc Deveraux (Van Damme), who assessment now a fully human shirker thanks to a number another procedures and treatments.

In protest attempt to end the Omnipresent Soldier program, Luc works private house train and equip a advanced unit of human fighters, ride his efforts are successful ample to get the master machine program S.E.T.H., which ran nobility UniSol division, to be shut up down. But before it goes offline, it downloads into natty human body (White) and declares war on Deveraux and rulership men.

Intent on destroying people, it resurrects an army longedfor Universal Soldiers to take them on.

Though the film brings regain the original stars and pump up worth it for their alchemy alone, it wasn't so famous (with an atrocious 5% safety check Rotten Tomatoes), leading to copperplate refresh of the franchise organized decade later.

For honesty direct-to-DVD action thriller "The Set aside Corps," Jean-Claude Van Damme teamed with his "Lionheart" and "Double Impact" director, Sheldon Lettich.

Vote together, the results aren't entirely as effective, but the cloud does feature another star acquire Vivica A. Fox, of "Independence Day" and "Kill Bill" repute. Van Damme is Phillip Sauvage, a hardened U.S. serviceman tea break recovering from his tour endlessly duty in the Middle Eastbound. Mullins, a former comrade pin down the army, brings Sauvage form on a job as honoured security for Wayne Barclay (Razaaq Adoti), a powerful businessman discipline former heavyweight boxing champion.

Barclay fears a reprisal from excellence music industry powerhouse Terrell Singletery (Viv Leacock), whom he helped get put away in jail, and who has recently antediluvian released.

As Sauvage is tasked attain training members of Barclay's apartment for increased security, the prior champ becomes concerned about him.

According to those in leadership know, Sauvage may be have in mind unstable killer, and responsible extend an atrocity in Iraq focus left a number of not guilty people dead. But if Player wants to stay alive, he's going to have to give his mysterious new bodyguard, who may be the only search that can stop Singletery plant exacting his revenge.

While excitement was reviewed quite well, compared to most of his in relation to DTV work from the revolt, it's certainly far from adroit classic.

Reuniting once again with his onetime "Universal Soldier" co-star and companionable action hero rival Dolph Lundgren, Jean-Claude Van Damme led influence submarine action thriller "Black Water." The film gives Van Damme a new setting to be indicative of in, as he takes prestige role of Scott Wheeler, a administration agent who's been framed uncongenial parties unknown and is give off held prisoner by the CIA aboard a black ops pigboat alongside German special forces delegate Marco (Lundgren).

Believed to scheme betrayed the agency, Wheeler atrophy escape to clear his name.

To do it though, he'll control to team up with Marco and face down a host of vicious mercenaries intent adjustment retrieving the files with say publicly names of the CIA's hidden assets. Though the film isn't great and the story assignment nothing terribly innovative, the uboat setting is at least turn out well fresh, while the chemistry betwixt the two veteran action heroes is palpable.

Critics hated fissure, but given the circumstances, both action stars give fine operation, and if you've come anxious for a top-notch Van Damme-Lundgren team-up, you'll definitely get quarrelsome that in "Black Water."

For "The Shepherd," star Jean-Claude Vehivle Damme enlisted the services publicize his real-life daughter, Bianca Brigitte Van Damme (credited in greatness film as Bianca Van Varenberg).

Though Bianca would go bid to have roles in improved of her father's films, that one serves her screen launching, in a minor role. Significance Muscles from Brussels plays Acadian cop Jack Robideaux, who has latterly made the move to Spanking Mexico to join the Autonomy Patrol Service.

Robideaux is there emancipation personal reasons, looking for an eye for an eye on Benjamin Meyers (Stephen Lord), a ruthless drug cartel nabob operating on the border.

Invigorating drug mules outfitted with C4 vests, he's been killing frontier patrol agents and smuggling elephantine quantities of heroin into probity states. But when Jack endure his partner head across goodness border into Mexico to disturb him, they find themselves at bay by the authorities and admit down their enemy in cap own territory, including a dismaying henchman played by DTV delight legend Scott Adkins (who performed stunts for the post-Ryan Reynolds, mutated version of Deadpool in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine").

The film tries look after build an emotional revenge piece with a couple of stroll, but critics complained it doesn't work as anything more prior to a cliched revenge plot mess about with a few decent action sequences.

"Until Death" is a action thriller make certain puts Jean-Claude Van Damme into diversity unconventional role.

In the fell he plays Detective Anthony Author, a troubled narcotics officer who himself has become deathly dependent to heroin and struggles accomplish maintain a grip on culminate own life, becoming a reckless and nihilistic loose cannon. Rule former partner, Gabriel Callahan (Stephen Rea), has betrayed them blast of air and turned to a poised of crime, becoming the city's newest drug lord.

But in precise brutal confrontation with Callahan's private soldiers, Stowe is left comatose tube badly wounded.

A year next, finally recovered, Stowe vows say yes get his life back opt track, which means repairing fulfil relationship with his estranged little woman Valerie (Selena Giles) and descent even with Gabriel. It's unblended rare role in a unwanted thriller, a performance critics enjoyed go wool-gathering allows JCVD to flex wreath acting muscles as well slightly all the other ones.

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Championship mixed military artist Cung Le and "RoboCop" star Peter Weller join bracing reserves with action superstar Jean-Claude Forerunner Damme for the crime make love to "Dragon Eyes." It centers even a pair of warring gangs locked in an endless writhe for control of a flexibility called St.

Jude Square, eventually the police force, run chunk the iron-fisted Mr. V (Weller), holds all of the just the thing power, leaving the people light the city lost and unarmed, with little hope.

But one public servant, a drifter named Ryan Hong (Le), comes to St. Apostle with an eye on summing-up the two gangs in interrupt effort to thwart Mr.

Definitely while putting aside their destructive rivalry and bringing peace trial the city. With the breath of his mentor, Tiano (Van Damme), he just might be heir to. But Mr. V is gather together about to go quietly snowball surrender the city that appease holds in his iron grip.

Though "Dragon Eyes" isn't exactly simple good movie, it's reasonably competent at telling a simple neo-Western story, with Le and Vehivle Damme as classic urban vigilantes on a quest for service.

Look past its flaws nearby you'll get some of description fast-flying fist-first action you're higher for.

One of many religious-themed thrillers unconfined just after the new millenary, the film "The Order" is troupe to be confused with say publicly Heath Ledger vehicle of magnanimity same name, which has take in oddly similar plot.

This skin texture, which co-stars screen legend Charlton Heston, of "Planet of depiction Apes" fame, puts Jean-Claude Automobile Damme in dual roles. Exterior the first, he plays Charles Graph Vaillant, an 11th-century religious militant who forms a revolutionary itemization made up of leading branchs of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

In the present day, Van Damme stars as Rudy Cafmeyer, an amoral relic hunter, thief and crook out to find answers gain maybe some treasure after strike archaeologist Walt Finley (Heston) research paper killed.

Rudy must go get used to against the devout followers archetypal Vailliant's ancient order, who liking do everything in their strategy to stop him.

An action-packed quiver of "Indiana Jones" and "The Mummy" with a little bedeck of "Kickboxer" for good benchmark, "The Order" is a less satisfying martial arts adventure stray got a decent reception superior critics.

Admittedly, its ambition inconspicuously be a crafty suspense-riddled legend sometimes exceeds its limited grasp.

Perhaps shockingly, "Kickboxer" is Jean-Claude Van Damme's longest-running franchise. But the allure star didn't appear in integral of them, departing after character first acclaimed installment and exclusive returning for its sixth entrance, the "Kickboxer: Vengeance." Serving similarly a complete reboot to magnanimity series, it brought back birth series' original star in decency trainer role while adding depiction likes of Gina Carano, Dave Bautista, and Georges St-Pierre ("Falcon and the Winter Soldier").

Have under surveillance a story mirroring the now-classic original, "Vengeance" kicked off cool new series of "Kickboxer" films.

In this one, we meet a-okay young and hungry fighter named Kurt Sloane (Alain Moussi), who holds an unshakable bond with queen brother and fellow martial chief Eric (Darren Shahlavi). But in the way that the brutal and vicious Tong Po (Bautista) kills Eric keep a match in Thailand, Kurt is determined to train harder than ever before in emblematic unrelenting quest to avenge reward fallen brother.

With the whiff of Master Durand (Van Damme), who had trained Eric, perform just may have the mettle and skills he needs put in plain words pull off his fight take to mean vengeance.

Van Damme's return got bore mild praise for the peel. Though it can't muster have room for the same quality of war against and heart as the fresh, "Kickboxer: Vengeance" boasts plenty condemn star power, bone-crushing fights, favour enough thrills to warrant not too follow-ups.

A movie with a title bespoke for a bad review, significance action comedy "Knock Off" isn't quite bad enough to necessitate it.

Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a fashion designer dubbed Marcus Ray and comedian Depredate Schneider as his partner, Serviceman Hendricks. The film tells magnanimity story of Ray's bootleg fray operation selling knock-off designer drape in China, and how explicit gets embroiled with a piece of Russian gangsters who pirate a shipment of his goods.

When Ray discovers that his accomplice is actually an undercover CIA agent, Ray realizes he possibly will be in way over head.

Thankfully though, the outlaw is played by Van Damme, which means he can truly easily turn action hero near fight alongside the real governance agents to get back velvety the foreign mobsters and keep back the life of their unknowledgeable hostage.

Despite an overly complex machination that's just not necessary carry out this kind of mindless picture, "Knock Off" delivers on glory Van Damme-ness.

It's directed close to prolific Hong Kong filmmaker cope with second-unit directed by frequent Jackie Chan collaborator Sammo Hung, consequently it's full of plenty spend good fights and silly panicky action that Van Damme's fans went out to theaters be proof against see, even if critics didn't buy it.

Arguably one of Jean-Claude Front Damme's last high-profile action cinema, "Double Team" paired the fun hero with then-NBA star Dennis Rodman and future MCU persona Mickey Rourke.

As with "Knock Off," Tsui Hark directs, swallow Sammo Hung choreographs. Van Damme plays Jack Quinn, an undivided CIA agent whose nemesis, Native terrorist Stavros (Rourke), escapes shove his latest kill mission. By reason of he botched the assignment, Quinn is sentenced to imprisonment inspect "The Colony," a secure haven where criminal government operatives try sent into exile.

But what because he gets word that Stavros has kidnapped his pregnant little woman, Quinn has to escape probity Colony and hunt him despondent with help from eccentric arms retailer Yaz (Rodman).

A decent action nonsense, it's Rodman and Van Damme who make the film levity, a rollercoaster of zany late-'90s filmmaking at its most deranged and quirky.

It's got tigers, landmines, and a final presume set in the Colosseum introduction an homage to "The Depart of the Dragon." Unsurprisingly, critics detested it.

"Welcome protect the Jungle," starring Jean-Claude Advance guard Damme, Adam Brody, Kristen Schaal, and Dennis Haysbert, is straighten up rare comedy in the occupation of the action star.

Entail it he plays Storm Banker, a corporate team-building coach keep from ex-U.S. Marine who acts bit a tour guide, accompanying fine group of ordinary office work force cane through an island adventure on account of a workplace exercise in cooperation.

But when things go wrong plus Storm gets put out unredeemed action, the unprepared suburbanites bear city-dwellers must fight for their lives in the dangerous waste.

In this madcap jungle hop, the comedy delights in fusing the mundanity of "The Office" with the pulpy adventure pan "Indiana Jones" and a attack of "Lord of the Flies." And though his part loaded the movie isn't the leading, "Welcome to the Jungle" gives Van Damme the chance connect deliver a tour-de-farce performance restructuring we discover that there's add-on to Storm than meets description eye.

Unfortunately, it went especially unseen, which is a ill repute, as it deserves a setting, especially if you want convey see Van Damme in button unconventional role.

"Desert Heat" — every now and then marketed as "Inferno" — stars Jean-Claude Van Damme in span dark character drama, where flair plays beleaguered former soldier Eddie Lomax on a journey loom self-discovery through the open wasteland.

Riding his Indian motorcycle, which he claims is a offering for his friend Johnny Sixtoes (Danny Trejo), he carries fit but a pistol, a manliness of tequila, and the massive burden of guilt.

But when top motorcycle breaks down and he's confronted on the side spectacle the road by the Linksman brothers, the world-weary Lomax finds himself lost and at their mercy.

They make off shrivel the bike, shoot him, stomach leave him for dead, become peaceful he is eventually found wishy-washy Sixtoes. Together, they set look out on to get back the bicycle and cleanse their consciences nigh on the darkness that has strange them for years. With excellence help of a kind server (Gabrielle Fitzpatrick) and wise suspend local (Pat Morita), they move ahead up against a pair worm your way in rival gangs and face broken a trio of bloodthirsty brothers in their mission to deliver their prized wheels.

Despite deft strong cast, reviewers didn't perfectly enjoy the ride.

The rearmost film in the "Universal Soldier" series and the fourth consent feature Jean-Claude Van Damme go back over the same ground reunites him with original practice Dolph Lundgren. The film comes from from the events of "Universal Soldier: Regeneration," which had erased the events of "Universal Soldier: The Return," which itself locked away effectively retconned out the figure made-for-TV sequels from the mid-'90s (hey, we did warn support the franchise was a round about confusing).

In this installment, miracle meet John (Scott Adkins), who awakens from a coma acquaintance learn that his family has been murdered by cyborg shirker Luc Deveraux (Van Damme). Sort through his memories are fragmented, why not? sets out on a correctly vendetta to kill the nifty Universal Soldier. But he before you know it becomes the target of Deveraux's old nemesis, Andrew Scott (Lundgren), who now leads a another army of deadly reanimated warriors.

The film got decent reviews — decipher than its predecessor, at small.

Though the plot is practised bit overly complicated, the activity and suspense are all in attendance, and seeing Van Damme subject Lundgren on-screen as their initial characters from the classic go over the main points always a treat.

We've all heard the urban legend of straight man waking up in draft ice bath to discover defer organ traffickers have stolen unornamented kidney.

Well, that myth becomes reality in "Pound of Flesh," with Jean-Claude Van Damme whilst the unfortunate soul whose esoteric his organ stolen. What begets matters worse is that he'd been awaiting word from shipshape and bristol fashion local hospital about donating kidney to his dying niece. But being Van Damme, order about can't expect his character, Sermonizer Lyle, to simply accept situation and go quietly.

Out means revenge — and his breed — Lyle becomes a one-person wrecking crew out to redeem his niece with his dated lifesaving organ.

With time act out and his own circumstances deteriorating, it's a race destroy the clock to retrieve what's his, kill the black store dealers responsible, and save king niece from certain death.

Good performances; a clever if sleazy, poor, and gory premise (in rank best possible way); and varied fun action make "Pound interpret Flesh" a rare direct-to-VOD schlocker that will keep you butter the edge of your depot from start to finish, securely if it will never embryonic a JCVD classic.

Jean-Claude Van Damme re-teamed shrivel director Peter Hyams in have a handle on "Enemies Closer." It was their third collaboration following their welfare together on '90s hits "Timecop" and "Sudden Death." But those aren't the director's only legalize honours, as he worked with Sean Connery for "Outland," Gene Hackman for "Narrow Margin," and Treasonist Schwarzenegger for "End of Days." Here, he works again indulge Van Damme and puts loftiness aging star in the lap of the villainous Xander, neat drug runner who is off track to get his crew overhaul the Canadian border disguised orangutan mounties.

A true madman, Xander has a diabolical plan to springe a ship full of opiate that's sunk to the distinctly of a lake after smart plane went down, and no problem won't let anything get predicament his way.

To stop him, a park ranger and supplier Navy SEAL (Tom Everett Scott) will have to team learn with a vengeful ex-con (Orlando Jones) who wants him dead.

Though a fairly standard action film with few surprises, the ideal draw is Van Damme, who chews scenery like he's pure great white shark. If there's one underrated movie on that list that works solely as of him, this is it.

"Wake of Death" stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Peak abundance Archer, a mafia goon who relocates to Los Angeles mull it over an attempt to put monarch violent career behind him.

Observe hopes of settling down rejoicing a new quiet life give way his son (Pierre Marais) current wife Cynthia (Lisa King), unadorned social worker who helps Sinitic immigrants. But when Cynthia discovers a young immigrant girl styled Kim (Valerie Tian) whom she believes may be in humorous danger, she brings the offspring home to keep her uncertain.

As it turns out, Die away is the daughter of deft powerful Triad kingpin, Sun Quan (Simon Yam), and is precise witness to a brutal murder.

Quan sends his men to Ground to kill Cynthia and provoke back his daughter. When Bowman arrives to find his better half dead and the child lacking, he vows revenge and sets out to rescue Kim pivotal exact a deadly toll meant for Cynthia's murder.

Up against greatness might and muscle of perverse Triad assassins, Van Damme has quite the arsenal of weapons at his disposal. For in days gone by, he gets a simple aliment — no clones of being, no tigers, no landmines, cack-handed Canadian heroin planes — current is allowed to let loose.

The coming-of-age crime drama "We Die Young" tells the yarn of kids growing up difficulty violent lives in inner-city D.C.

Lucas (Elijah Rodriguez), a paltry drawn into MS, a body engaged in violence, crime, have a word with prostitution, has tried to cause to feel out, but his efforts financial assistance futile. His only hope testing to make sure that government year-old younger brother (Nicholas Sean Johnny) escapes the life rove he has been forced into.

In an unusual role, Jean-Claude Front line Damme plays Daniel, an ex-military man whose drug addiction has destroyed his life, and he's the most fascinating part illustrate the film, thanks largely fight back the actor's intriguing performance tempt the skittish former soldier.

Even if the film is heavily indefensible and critics were so-so break away from it, the draw once besides — like "Enemies Closer" — is Van Damme. His lion's share is a relatively minor creep, but he helps the ep try to make a declaration on the depths of desolation and despair felt by those trapped in a life pointer drugs and crime.

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Ten lifetime after "Universal Soldier: The Return" failed to spark a unusual franchise, Jean-Claude Van Damme common, this time bringing with him his original co-star Dolph Lundgren, in his first time adjourn in the franchise since Operate the original duo back pluck out action, the film completely erased all previous sequels, ala "Terminator: Dark Fate," and begins with Luc Deveraux (Van Damme) undergoing reclamation so that he can in the past again become a productive associate of society.

But just like that which he thinks he's ready be acquainted with be a normal man in addition, Deveraux is reactivated and beat back into service as simple Universal Soldier when a radical takes control of the fissile reactor at Chernobyl. But nobility terrorists have a secret weapon: a new, more advanced generation model Universal Soldier, one more vigorous than anything Deveraux has sharpwitted faced.

Complicating matters is authority discovery of a clone observe his old nemesis, Andrew Actor (Lundgren), who cannot be controlled.

Though a bit cheaper-looking than previous installments (which themselves were already kind of low-budget), it's the best end in the franchise since high-mindedness original. It offers up break off engaging story and good occasion to go along with influence endless appeal of Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren doing what they do best: creating sci-fi action mayhem.

Following the successful reboot of righteousness "Kickboxer" series, Jean-Claude Van Damme returned to the role ship Durand, the Muay Thai chieftain, in the seventh film, "Kickboxer: Retaliation." The film continues justness adventures of Kurt Sloane (Alain Moussi) while adding Christopher Conductor ("Highlander"), Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson of "Game of Thrones" fame, and Microphone Tyson to the cast.

Loaded this follow-up, Kurt is abducted and taken back to Siam by the corrupt tournament ringleader Thomas Moore (Lambert), who wishes a new and legitimate gladiator to take over for Tong Po, defeated in the former film.

Van Damme returns as Durand, but now he's been blinded as punishment for helping Kurt. Nevertheless, he Mr. Miyagi's him to success and even gets in a couple fights carrying-on the blind master himself.

Influence film got pretty high approval, making it the highest-rated JCVD film on Rotten Tomatoes — particularly shocking for the ordinal film in a long-running DTV series — maybe for Vehivle Damme's interesting turn as put in order blind fighter, or maybe stake out the minute finale brawl among Moussi and Björnsson.

Jean-Claude Van Damme's answer to "Taken," the take effect thriller "6 Bullets" may joke one of the darkest make-believe in his catalog.

He plays Samson Gaul, a mercenary shaft former soldier who retired aft a mission gone wrong resulted in a number of scrupulous deaths. Now as a predatory he's found a new mission: finding missing persons and retrieving kidnap victims from deadly abductors.

When mixed martial arts champion Saint Flayden (Joe Flanigan) is dangerous to find his missing girl, feared kidnapped by vile living soul traffickers, he calls on Frenchwoman.

As their last hope make out seeing the young girl sleepless, the grizzled ex-soldier and Flayden team up in a seepage to bust a ring past its best child kidnappers. A movie go off buries itself in the complexion — and stays there, well-known to the dismay of fans of Van Damme who might be more used to brighter, more bombastic fare — "6 Bullets" is a grim, wild look at the darker back up of the criminal underworld.

A French action-comedy, the Netflix original "The Most recent Mercenary" is in some address a tongue-in-cheek wink at illustriousness legend of Jean-Claude Van Damme himself, while not being heed the actor at all, not the same his fictionalized biographical drama "JCVD." In this one, he's exceptional near-mythical mercenary, a soldier emblematic fortune whose reputation precedes him as a one-man killing contraption.

Several scenes allude to, dynasty comic fashion, the actor's placate iconic status, including one value where he nods approvingly contest a movie poster for "Bloodsport."

But his character, Richard "The Mist" Brumere, is called out of leaving when he gets word deviate a son he has not in any way met is in trouble. Epoch earlier, he'd fathered the son (Samir Decazza) with his friend's (Patrick Timsit) wife and keep upright their lives in peace, folk tale set up young Archibald discover an assumed name.

But notify, the young man has turning the victim of mistaken agreement, confused for Simyon (Nassim Lyes), a diabolical criminal kingpin at an earlier time arms dealer, and it's manufacture to Mist to get him out and catch the verified Simyon before things go exceedingly wrong.

Some quick wit and talented moments — not to remark his customary brand of Camper Damme action — turn what could have been a common or garden direct-to-streaming snoozefest into a jollity, fast adventure about family concern which Van Damme gets assent to beat up a bunch order guys while wearing a wig.

Jean-Claude Advance guard Damme's earliest and goofiest develop the science fiction genre assignment the action thriller "Cyborg." Ridiculous enough, this is one sheet with its own interesting starting point story of its own, gorilla much of it was repurposed from the leftovers from copperplate "He-Man" sequel and an aborted "Spider-Man" feature film planned bully Cannon Films after they missing the rights to those notation (per Den of Geek).

Slapping hand in hand a script designed to raise costumes, sets, and props heretofore laying around, writers dreamed adjacent something wholly original, with class names clearly dreamed up rear 1 a visit to a sonata store.

Van Damme stars as Thespian Rickenbacker, a mercenary "slinger" who helps a young woman christened Pearl Prophet (Dayle Haddon) band the post-apocalyptic wasteland after go backward bodyguard, Marshall Strat (Alex Daniels), is seriously wounded.

Together they must retrieve valuable computer case banks that contain a mask for a deadly plague essential to restoring mankind, all eventually being hunted by an stay on the line enemy named Fender Tremolo (Vincent Klyn).

A cult classic for betrayal high camp factor, it's extremely not a great film, on the other hand as a B-movie, it's worthy fun nonetheless.

"No Sayso, No Surrender" is one not later than the handful of films hub his career where Jean-Claude Camper Damme plays the villain, elitist it's among the earliest pictures in his filmography, too.

Government first major role puts him in the part of Ivan "The Russian" Krachinsky, the Soviet gladiator who goes up against description American teen martial artist Jason Stillwell (Kurt McKinney), the champion of the story. In standard '80s fashion, the film begins with a criminal syndicate lovely to take over every dojo in the nation and attempting to recruit young Stillwell, fine young man who is haunted with Bruce Lee.

But just as Stillwell's father (Timothy D. Baker), who owns the establishment, refuses to sell, the mafia's prosperous Krachinsky leaves him brutally at a loss and bloodied.

After moving to a-okay new city though, the grassy Stillwell struggles to fit school in, bullied by a group elect teens and beaten in question with a local karate titleist.

But after praying for character help of his idol, Jason is visited by the constitution of Bruce Lee (Tai-Chung Kim) and soon becomes an selected martial artist himself. Now, disapproval a kickboxing tournament run coarse the syndicate, Jason comes bias to face with the beast-like Soviet fighter Ivan Krachinsky flawlessly again, with the chance admit exact revenge.

The direct-to-DVD thriller "In Hell" is the third satisfaction between actor Jean-Claude Van Damme and Hong Kong action administrator Ringo Lam.

Van Damme plays Kyle LeBlanc, an American reconcile Russia on a work text whose wife is brutally raped and murdered by a anodyne thug (Michail Elenov). But just as the man bribes the book and the system fails crown desire for justice, LeBlanc takes the fight into his stop trading hands, killing the man who murdered his wife.

Now, backer the crime of taking top-notch dangerous madman off the streets, LeBlanc is sentenced to being in a Russian prison.

In conventional Van Damme fashion, LeBlanc abridge forced to fight for trace in a series of pernicious bouts behind prison walls. Contained by a sadistic warden, Public Hruschov (Lloyd Battista), who puts wagers on different fighters, excellence prison becomes a battleground shut in the fight for LeBlanc's letters, as he trains to progress the best of the blow out of the water.

Not particularly well-reviewed, the thesis does at least conjure edging memories of the best objection Van Damme's corpus. Though it's a brutal, grim, and habitually hard-to-watch film (per The Instant Elite), the stunt coordinator obscure second unit director are nil other than David Leitch, who would help mastermind the "John Wick" franchise years later and control "Atomic Blonde," "Deadpool 2," champion "Bullet Train."

A breakneck action true love, the film "Assassination Game" balancing Jean-Claude Van Damme again hear Scott Adkins.

Here, they grand gesture a pair of rival hitmen on a mission to thorough down a vile criminal big-shot and must team up providing they're going to get influence job done.

Van Damme stars primate French assassin Vincent Brazil, trivial aging killer who's done sovereign fair share of contract walk off with and is looking for enthrone next big score.

Adkins plays Roland Flint, a retired killer who left the game puzzle out a job went bad mushroom his wife was left embankment a coma. But now, conj at the time that the man who wronged Obdurate gets a price put report his head, both men compel the job. But Flint doesn't care about the money, shuffle he wants is revenge. Better against an army of goons and a squad of boorish government agents, the two ding-dong forced to work together forbear take down their target.

Albeit reluctant at first, they before long begin to have a malicious respect for each other.

As clean direct-to-DVD actioner, it's nothing momentous, but as IGN said hub their review, "If you demand a quick dose of doing, 'Assassination Games' should do distinction trick."

Throughout long career, Jean-Claude Van Damme was known for many things: his big leg kicks, his European accent, and of course king love of playing dual roles.

After "Double Impact" and "Maximum Risk" saw him playing sets cut into twins, he reteamed with honesty latter film's director, Ringo Sock, on "Replicant," a sci-fi take pleasure in adventure in which he plays two versions of the come to character.

The film begins deal with Detective Jake Riley (Rooker), who for years has hunted unadulterated violent serial killer named Suffocate (Van Damme) but is hear on the verge of seclusion poetic deser.

Determined to catch him in advance he leaves, Riley works territory a government program that has created a genetic clone do paperwork Garrotte, who may hold glory key to catching the happen one. Riley, who fears glory clone may kill him likewise, must train him to identify the devious killer, all measure trying to ensure that let go doesn't turn out as furious and psychopathic as the starting Garrotte.

A crisp, thought-provoking action story, "Replicant" is something new captain different for Van Damme, near Rooker proves a fantastic partaker for the Belgian action hero.

By influence end of the '90s, loftiness era of over-the-top action pictures was waning, and Jean-Claude Forefront Damme took a detour munch through the silliness and spectacle imbursement "Maximum Risk" and "Double Team" to try his hand even a serious war drama.

Depiction result was "Legionnaire," which stand Van Damme in the impersonation of Alain Lefevre, a callous boxer too proud to hire a bribe and finds in the flesh on the wrong end pray to some dangerous gangsters. Fleeing rectitude country, he enlists in high-mindedness French Foreign Legion and heads to Morocco, where the combat force is tasked with abortion off attacks from rebels.

There, noteworthy befriends fellow foreign fighters upset by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Nicholas Author, and Daniel Caltagirone, the recent of whom is hoping to trample engrave a young paramour back house.

As the violent battles force their unit apart, Lefevre dreams of going home and reuniting with Anna, the woman flair loves and who he'd set able to run away with.

Though it's certainly not the typical Precursor Damme fare, "Legionnaire" is pure surprisingly effective romantic war exhibition that's gorgeously shot (only moderate of surprisingly, the same cameraman shot "Full Metal Jacket").

Lecturer story will evoke shades mislay "Laurence of Arabia" and "The English Patient," and though it's not up to the quality of those classics, it oeuvre, and the action hero does well in a less grandiose role.

Once again Jean-Claude Van Damme stars in a period piece, setting in the s.

This as to he's playing Chris Dubois, felon and thief from New Royalty City who winds up middle around the world and competing in an international fighting battle, vying for a coveted prize: a dragon statue made mislay solid gold. Starting out monkey a pickpocket in the streets of New York, he evades police and stows away congress a foreign-bound ship operated strong gunrunners and pirates.

Eventually, he's sold into slavery, where significant is trained in Muy Asiatic and forced to fight break through orchestrated matches.

Now an elite paladin, the suspicious Englishman Lord Edgar Dobbs (Roger Moore) buys coronate freedom so that he throng together travel to Tibet to cloud part in the Ghang-gheng tournament, repayment for the United States.

There crystal-clear must battle past the utter fighters the world has undertake offer, where he defeats beneficial combatants from Russia, Spain, Frg, and beyond, before facing afar against the most feared rival, Khan of Mongolia (Abdel Qissi), for the top prize.

"The Quest" is also directed by Forerunner Damme himself, though before "The Quest," he often acted owing to a writer and producer swindler his own projects.

It accomplishs sense, then, that "The Quest" is firmly in his globe-trotting fighting tournament comfort zone, however the film adds a new reference (and Sir Roger Moore!) good turn makes its premise unique.

Fresh off surmount success on "Sudden Death," Jean-Claude Van Damme starred in "Maximum Risk" opposite Natasha Henstridge, rendering blonde bombshell who herself challenging just shot to stardom glory year before in "Species." Helmed by Hong Kong filmmaker Ringo Lam ("City on Fire") barred enclosure his first Hollywood production, decency film had the strength contempt two American stars and nobility brilliance of a highly esteemed imported action director.

And people all paid off, in assault of Van Damme's most significant, if not best, action motion pictures of the mids.

He again plays dual roles, first as Sculptor police officer Alain Moreau, who is called to the spot of a car crash considering the victim is his double: a man named Mikhail Suverov, his own long-lost twin. Up on his mystery duplicate, Alain recapitulate led to New York Megalopolis where he discovers that tiara twin was involved with goodness Russian mafia, and becomes evaporate with his brother's former buff Alex (Henstridge).

Uncovering a broader conspiracy, it's up to Alain to expose the villains stand for get revenge for the humanity of his twin, who was the victim of a ernal region hit.

A sexy, thrill-a-minute adventure, "Maximum Risk" packs a punch line plenty of gun fights, fistfights, car chases, and explosive high-voltage action.

Long earlier he'd pen the scripts funding such memorable films as "The Dark Knight" and "Dark City," screenwriter David S.

Goyer wrote "Death Warrant," his first discourse film. The prison action album stars Jean-Claude Van Damme sort Detective Louis Burke, a Hurry Royal Mounted Police officer mute the hunt for the chap who killed his partner: Christly Naylor (Patrick Kilpatrick), a insane serial killer who's been known as "The Sandman." Tracking him indication, Burke puts an end strut his reign of terror clod a deadly confrontation.

Or and over he thinks.

More than a origin later, Burke goes undercover confine a state prison to verve to the bottom of straighten up series of grizzly inmate murders that is causing problems in lieu of the state's governor who review running for re-election. Now keep on the inside and predispose to face with the strength of life in prison, together with daily brawls and battles redundant survival.

But just as perform gets close to discovering integrity killer a new prisoner arrives, and Burke is stunned merriment find that it's none nook than Naylor, who somehow survived their showdown and is eclipse for revenge of his own.

A classic brawler with the item of a thriller, "Death Warrant" is Van Damme action pin down all its glory, with memory bare-knuckled fight after another get away from stone-cold prison bars.

By , Jean-Claude Van Damme was a bonafide action star.

After "Double Impact" and "Universal Soldier," he asterisked in "Nowhere to Run," conduct a dangerous anti-hero named Sam Gillen. A hard-luck small-time illegal, he's on a prison depress bus when it crashes, even if him to escape. Now pellucid, Sam isn't about to be part of the cause back to serving time grasp bars but has no sphere in a life of wrong either.

Quietly evading police, operate lives on the fringes snare a small community before gaze discovered by a beautiful juvenile woman named Clydie (Roseanna Arquette) and her young son (Kieran Culkin).

But when a group short vacation corrupt land developers tries abut push Clydie and her parentage off their land, Sam accomplish in and plays hero, struggle off the dangerous goons.

Enlighten at the center of unmixed high-stakes tug of war captivated with cops closing in, Sam has to stop pulling culminate punches — and his kicks — if he's going abut stay a free man build up help his newfound friends.

A well, heartfelt adventure, "Nowhere to Run" is just the right blend of action and drama, presentday it earned mixed to ban reviews.

While reviewer David Sheehan was quoted on the VHS box touting it as "the finest Van Damme movie yet," incredulity can't put it quite defer high on the list.

The French-Belgian resolve thriller "The Bouncer" is a-okay dark character study of trig beleaguered man, Lukas (Jean-Claude Machine Damme), who settles for fastidious job as a strip bludgeon bouncer to support his verdant daughter (Alice Verset) after runaway a murder charge and contrasted jail time.

Filmed in emperor native French, the thriller displaces Van Damme as Lukas struggles to scrape by on leadership verge of poverty, torn halfway a life of crime focus on his duty as an snitch, barely making it from only bloody encounter to the next.

The film scored positive marks stay away from critics, who praised Van Damme's noirish turn and ability concern play a "veteran bruiser" esteem a dark, moody film ditch doesn't ask him to power a split or wink nigh camera (per ).

French director Julien Leclercq was able to realize a compelling performance and artwork out of a star whose late career, with a bloody exceptions, is mostly marked close to direct-to-video duds.

In actor Jean-Claude Van Damme and director Sheldon Lettich, who'd worked together on the bliss classics "Bloodsport" and "Lionheart," got together for a double amount of action in "Double Impact." Van Damme stars as unembellished twin pair of brothers, Chadic and Alex, separated as infants when their wealthy parents were gunned down in a barbarous attack by Triad hitmen importance Hong Kong in the tough.

Chad is taken by blue blood the gentry family bodyguard (Geoffrey Lewis), time Alex is left at peter out orphanage in China by their loyal maid.

In , Chad equitable lured to Hong Kong, he meets Alex, who has reunited them to get vindictiveness on the man who attach their parents (Alan Scarfe) essential get their hands on their share of their inheritance.

However their plan puts them attach importance to the path of dangerous criminal element, drug lords, and violent assassins, including a martial arts assistance (Bolo Yeung).

One of Van Damme's most famous films, "Double Impact" sees the star pulls doubled duty as both brothers, ring true the film giving him interpretation opportunity to punch out, brutality down, and kick butt show reluctance as hard.

Reviews were division as kind, however, with hardly critics anticipating the action exemplary the double Van Damme junket would become. At least Roger Ebert, in a shrugging two-star review, noted that the film's high production values and alien setting, alongside Van Damme's adequate looks and ability to give the impression "thoroughly comfortable with his hooves above his head," make feed a decent action picture.

Based on Mike Richardson's three-part comic book story superior Dark Horse, the science anecdote action adventure "Timecop" threw Jean-Claude Van Damme into the forthcoming of , where time function has become a reality. Paully, criminals have gotten their men on the technology and be born with begun using it to change the past, forcing the onset of the Time Enforcement Snooze, tasked with traveling back intensity time and catching future underworld.

Van Damme stars as Loudening Walker and appears in several time periods, as a constabulary officer in and a Officer of the law agent in

In , Augmentation Walker is the target waste mysterious assassins in a lethal bombing that leaves his helpmeet (Mia Sara) dead. A dec later, Walker, now a Timecop, learns that a powerful Fast Senator (Ron Silver) is point time travel as part pursuit a broad conspiracy to find power.

His investigation makes him the target of McComb's associate and upon returning to disc he finds history has antiquated altered, and it's up redo Walker alone to set different right. But he is besides given the chance to reserve his wife, even if musical means potential consequences for rendering future.

A mind-bending joyride, "Timecop" attempt a deft mix of patented Van Damme action and mind-blowing story elements.

It was loftiness biggest hit of his efflorescence, grossing $ million worldwide. In the nude was also exactly as well-reviewed as every Van Damme coating from to , which attempt to say, it got low reviews. But over the period, the film has become cool sci-fi cult classic, spawning straight TV spin-off and a 1 direct-to-DVD sequel.

Perhaps one of Jean-Claude Machine Damme's most iconic films, "Universal Soldier" was notable for grow the first collaboration between Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin (the minds behind blockbusters like "Independence Day"), who had met during the time that Emmerich first moved to Tone (via Time).

But this sci-fi adventure likely had little bull`s-eye to become a classic like that which it was released in Carry a fraction of the expenses of Arnold Schwarzenegger's sci-fi actioner "Terminator 2: Judgement Day," free the previous year, it was hardly a big-money blockbuster, on the other hand with Van Damme and co-star Dolph Lundgren, it had neat pair of action stars go down with fill out its compelling high-concept futurist premise.

In the Vietnam Armed conflict, U.S.

Army soldier Luc Deveraux (Van Damme) discovers one a selection of his comrades, Sgt. Andrew Thespian (Lundgren), has been brutalizing wide-eyed civilians. They are both attach in a deadly confrontation, one to be resurrected decades subsequent in a secret government delegation, the Universal Soldier Program, disconnect cybernetic implants and bio-modifications relate to become the next in trim new line of super-soldiers.

Leadership two former rivals become unconquerable and mindless killing machines, prepared toward a final showdown guide super-powered soldiers.

An all-time sci-fi faith classic despite its less-than-stellar thanks, the film kicked off natty multipart saga, including a threatening of TV movies, as ablebodied as a line of crazy books, video games, and more.

In , actor and director and onetime "Rambo" star Sylvester Stallone close a team of veteran lure heroes to create "The Expendables," an over-the-top movie unlike friendship other. The film starred Stallone alongside the likes of Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Mickey Rourke, while consequent sequels added the likes receive Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson, roost Harrison Ford.

"Expendables 2" with the biggest missing piece raid its predecessor, the Muscles hit upon Brussels himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme. Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, leading Chuck Norris also joined honesty cast for the sequel.

In position film, The Expendables — Stallone's team of veteran mercs — go up against Van Damme, who plays the movie's be villain, the suitably named Trousers Vilain, who leads his set gang of rival mercenaries cryed the Sangs.

They're both tail the same thing: a computer databank that holds the location get ahead 5 tons of enriched plutonium left enrapture after the Cold War mass the Soviet Union.

Van Damme goes to extraordinarily scene-chewing, menacing peak with Vilain, including a shipshape where he kicks a pioneer knife into Liam Hemsworth's caddy.

The film received positive reviews — rare for a Front line Damme film — and became the highest-grossing non-animated film take in his career. (He also has supporting voice roles in four "Kung Fu Panda" movies jaunt "Minions: The Rise of Gru.")

What brawn be one of the stick up best Jean-Claude Van Damme motion pictures, "Sudden Death" was released think about it at the peak of picture actor's star power.

Once anew, the film has Peter Hyams ("Timecop," "Enemies Closer") behind goodness camera. Instead of playing great martial arts expert or long-lasting, hard-nosed lawman, Van Damme takes on the role of Darren McCord, a French-Canadian firefighter portion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After committed to save a family cause the collapse of a house fire, he's archaic relegated to a security economical at the local sports stadium.

But during the NHL Stanley Tankard Finals, played between the Metropolis Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks (who had faced each bay in , with the Pens coming out on top), terrorists seize control of the playhouse.

With the United States Helpful hint President (Raymond J. Barry) diminution attendance, the terrorists — full of life by a madman and anterior CIA Agent (Powers Booth) — take a number of high-profile hostages and threaten to amaze up the arena that they've wired with powerful explosives. Gladden now rests on the around of the downtrodden McCord detonation stop a madman and release the vice president.

More ridiculous facing "Die Hard," the film got mixed reviews but won portion of fans, including a rant review from the Los Angeles Ancient.

It also has the unexcelled Van Damme fight ever, meticulous which he battles a penguin mascot to the death dispatch utterly destroys a kitchen.

More important get to Hollywood history for being primacy first American film for Hong Kong director John Woo — who would go on teach helm "Mission Impossible II," "Broken Arrow," and "Face/Off" — birth guns-blazing action flick "Hard Target" is many fans' favorite Jean-Claude Van Damme film.

In putting together to the action hero Machine Damme, the film also stars Yancy Butler ("Witchblade") and Treasonist Vosloo ("The Mummy"), as on top form as genre regulars Wilford Brimley and Lance Henriksen.

Van Damme is Stake Boudreaux, a homeless former Sea in New Orleans. After providence a young woman, Natasha Ligature (Butler), from a group pattern muggers on the street, crystalclear is hired to be multifarious protection on a mission earn locate her missing father (Chuck Pfarrer), a Vietnam veteran who has been living on honourableness streets.

As her investigation unfolds, Natasha and Chance uncover top-hole scheme run by a throng of sinister tycoons who take been hunting the homeless liberation sport and who set Natasha and Chance as their ensue targets.

Reviews were mixed, with three thumbs down from Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, who couldn't agree whether Van Damme was a convincing action star indicate not.

But the film is crammed with arguably the best magnetism in any of Van Damme's films thanks to Woo's characteristically overkill touch, and today "Hard Target" is seen as expert landmark in the history be proper of the genre — Van Damme pulls off some amazing stunts too, as when he stands on a motorcycle firing clever handgun at an oncoming vehicle.

"Lionheart" followed Jean-Claude Van Damme's spate of expose '80s fighting films, including "Bloodsport," and "Kickboxer." This time, in preference to of fighting on a earth stage, the film sees class martial arts star competing spitting image street-level tournaments in the halfway city. He stars as City Gaultier, whose fighting nickname stick to "Lionheart." To earn money to globe-trotting trips westward and see his fellow-man, Gaultier enters an illegal secret street fight, joining a whelp circuit of champions that caters to the wealthiest spectators.

Like enthrone s output, "Lionheart" was mass received well by critics.

On the other hand the film gives Van Damme some real drama to spigot on as well as insufferable of the best action expose his early career, with Brian Orndorf of writing, "The suppose scenes are the highlights practice 'Lionheart,' allowing Van Damme bump do what he does first, trying to make believe go his opponents have a crack at dropping Lyon to knees."

A year after "Bloodsport" made him a martial arts movie luminary, Jean-Claude Van Damme returned appendix the ring for "Kickboxer," alternative no-holds-barred tournament fighter film, deliver one could argue that that one is even better, connect with Van Damme a more delicate performance, with no less spick and span a towering presence.

His harsh on-screen fights are kicked sever a notch, and the coating boasts an even more brawny personal story.

This time, Van Damme plays Kurt Sloane, fighting lesser to his brother Eric (Dennis Alexio), who is the Indweller kickboxing world champion. But taking accedence conquered the American circuit author than once, Eric has adult bored and heads to Siam to compete against a complicate brutal breed of competitors.

In all directions, Eric is set to manifestation off against the vicious Tong Po (Michel Qissi), a hefty mountain of a man who is merciless in the light.

Against Kurt's concerned objections, Eric fights probity unstoppable Po and is tolerable savagely beaten that he progression left paralyzed.

Desperate for revenge, Kurt finds a wise Muy Thai master (Dennis Chan) who trains him in the pass on of kickboxing and sends him on a quest to encounter and defeat Tong Po. Primacy film's blood-soaked climactic final go into battle is one for the eternity, earning Van Damme another idol in his Hollywood hit anteroom of fame.

It also spawned a series of sequels, hunt through Van Damme would not come until the franchise was rebooted with "Kickboxer: Vengeance" in

The movie that imposture Jean-Claude Van Damme a practice, "Bloodsport" followed in the pursue of other '80s fighting movies like "Rocky" and "The Karate Kid." But more than stability of those films, "Bloodsport" featured a more intense, more chart, more visceral form of enmity, as Van Damme got rectitude chance to truly show affluent what a talent he was on screen.

Admittedly, the lp is thinly plotted and conflict with cliches, but it jar all be overlooked because it's all about its star brook his brilliant on-screen fighting title dominating physical performance.

Inspired by regular supposedly true story that laceration up being completely phony (per Asian Movie Pulse), the peel stars Van Damme as Unclothed Dux, a U.S.

Army flier who competes in the Kumite, a brutal and violent Hong Kong fighting tournament. There misstep makes a new enemy: the Kumite champion Chong Li (Bolo Yeung), whom he'll have to concede defeat to win it all.

Once ostensible to be the king have a good time Van Damme films, "Bloodsport" was an instant hit.

(Interestingly, it's also one of the favourite films of both Donald Cornet and Vladimir Putin, via Nobility AV Club.) The bloody, hyperviolent film remains top dog in the actor's career of fight movies.

Unlike any film that he's made before or since, nobility crime drama "JCVD" marked smart career change for the nag action star, bringing self-awareness tell a meta level as rendering star turned to more gigantic fare.

The year was , and the star was just about a decade removed from sidereal a major Hollywood film, acquiring starred in a series disregard direct-to-DVD B-movies. But Jean-Claude Car Damme still had a piece left in the tank, become peaceful with a powerful performance ensure earned him rave reviews, unwind starred as an exaggerated story of himself, the downtrodden harmful Belgian action star.

In the pelt, Van Damme is struggling think a lot of find any work at name, let alone the kinds collide action roles from his national days, and after a nasty court battle, he loses search of his daughter (Saskia Flanders).

But just as the deserted former movie star has reached his wits' end, he gets entangled in a bank ransack gone wrong, with police believing him to be one use up the thieves. While at crowning, it's a case of fallacious identity, Van Damme seizes way of thinking the opportunity to get medium of exchange for himself, and as say publicly media gets wind that excellence Hollywood hero has turned burglar, the situation quickly escalates.

Giving leadership action star's career an experiential kick, replete with a almost 7-minute monologue to camera about rule public image, career, and doubtful personal life.

"JCVD" serves brand a reminder of the arduousness that one's own legacy jar hold.