Review of Double Team (1997) by Kevin A — 24 May 2010

The action-packed, globe-trotting Jean-Claude Van Damme adventure "Double Team" derives its sporty title from the unlikely combo of NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman and Van Damme in pursuit of arch foe Mickey Rourke. "Double Team" might have been drivel at a dribble were it not for the dazzling aplomb with which gifted Hong Kong action helmer Tsui Hark stages a number of snappy, hyperkinetic action sequences.

Van Damme stars as Jack Quinn, the best counter-terrorist in the business, who retires and settles down with his wife Kathryn (French television actress Natacha Lindinger) to raise a family. His old bosses lure Jack back into the spy game to ice his oldest foe, Stavros (Mickey Rourke of "Sin City"). At an ambush in Antwerp, everything goes wrong. Quinn nearly dies from an explosion, and the wily Stavros eludes death. When Quinn recovers, he finds himself trapped on an island fortress called the Penal Colony with no hope for escape. The seas around the island are a maze of laser beams. The Colony guardian Goldsmythe (Paul Freeman), explains to Quinn that he is confined to the island for the remainder of his life in the dubious company of the deadliest spies in the world. Not only are they too valuable to terminate, but also that are too lethal to be let loose. According to Goldsmythe, the Penal Colony serves as an espionage think tank. Equipped with the latest high-tech gadgetry, these Penal Colony lifers act as consultants in resolving international disputes.

Of course, Quinn devises a stunning escape plan based on split-second timing. Meanwhile, Stavros kidnaps his pregnant wife and sweeps her off to Rome. Stavros has every reason to hat Jack Quinn. Stavros took Quinn's wife as hostage. After he engineers a daring daylight escape, Quinn saves his wife from a ruthless death squad in the Eternal City. Although Kathryn gives birth to a baby boy, Stavros manages to stay a step ahead of Quinn and abducts the newborn. Quinn confronts Stavros in a land mine laden Roman Coliseum and battles a ravenous Bengal tiger. Our hero relieves heavily on the firepower provided by a weird underground CIA arms dealer named Yaz (Dennis Rodman) in both on Stavros. Yaz himself comes along to play against the bad guys in a bullet-scarred finale.

Scenarists Don ("Lifeforce") Jakoby and Paul ("The Quest") Mones pull out all stops with an audacious, slam dunk script that resembles a James Bond extravaganza, complete with several exotic settings. Of course, the Jakoby & Mones' screenplay is thoroughly predictable, but these writers know how to tweak the formula with a fresh gag or two. Hong Kong action helmer Hark makes the third Royal Colony refugee that Van Damme has called on to direct his movies. Earlier, Van Damme tapped John Woo to call the shots on "Hard Target,.

But John Travolta has since wooed Woo to direct "Broken Arrow" and "Face/Off" with Nicolas Cage. In "Maximum Risk," Van Damme imported the services of the skilled Ringo Lam. Unlike both "Hard Target" and "Maximum Risk," "Double Team" takes its far-fetched plot to preposterously outlandish lengths. Hark never lets the supercharged action idle away in this stylist thriller. He enlivens the action sequences with the kind of bravura that make you want to flinch and duck. The fight between Van Damme and as Asian henchman who grips a switchblade between his toes is invigoratingly fresh. And the computerized cyber-monks in the Vatican are a scream.

Jean-Claude Van Damme spends more time averting disaster than acting, but nobody watches a JCVD movie to see the star emote. Credit Van Damme with modeling the appropriate expression for each crisis. Mickey Rourke is the thespian to appreciate. His truly cool villain is an anthology of postures. If Paul Freeman, who plays the Penal Colony guardian, appears familiar, you may remember him as the adversary with whom Indiana Jones tangled in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Meanwhile, Dennis Rodman is not so much an actor as he is a special effect. As Yaz, Rodman pedals a flashy arsenal for Van Damme as well as gives the film some of its lighter moments. When the initially encounter each other, Van Damme looks at Rodman and questions him about who does his hair? Siegfried or Roy? With a ring or a stud on most of his bodily appendages, an array of Yazoo Tattoos and his multicolored turf, Rodman looks as funny as he does lethal.

The scene where Rodman steals a car that he has to steer with his head sticking through the sun roof is hilarious. Director Tsui Hark deploys the scene-stealing Rodman at the right moments to offset the straight-faced heroics of Van Damme. The worst thing that you can say about "Double Team" is the shameless product placement scene in the Coliseum. A number of Coke machine keep our heroes from getting cremated by the usual quota of apocalyptic explosions. On the other hand, the scene where scores of Coke cans complicate the heroics of Jean-Claude is good.

If you are a JCVD fan, you get to see our protagonist articulate his muscles from Brussels in a couple of well-choreographed combat sequences. If you enjoy watching glossy, superbly lensed action movies, "Double Team" ought to keep you entertained and occupied. The inventive script, the electrifying directing, and the stirring Gary Chang music contribute to the success of "Double Team.".