Review of Hard Target (1993) by Jordan R — 12 Nov 2008

Not much going on here but pure entertainment. Melodramatic (though not unaffecting) plot about human hunting, with some small social commentary on the plight of the homeless (what would *you* do if a bullet-riddled, terrified homeless man staggered up to you, hysterical and begging for help? Would you *really* help him?).

Of course, we're not here to see much other than John Woo's signature slow-mo gunplay, stuff blowing up, and the Muscles from Brussels beating the crap out of everyone within a ten-mile radius of himself. The film is fairly light on his famous martial arts skills, and Van Damme spends more of his time onscreen than not wiping out the baddies with a firearm than beating their teeth down their throats.

Things to watch for: The first fight sequence (probably the strongest) where JCVD hands out the beatdowns with serious authority. Broken limbs, flying teeth, spilled blood, groans of agony, and more flying feet than you want to know about. The big fight scene on the highway, where Van Damme surfs on a motorbike, blasting away at an SUV full of baddies. The Jackie Chan-esque leap onto the train. The big set-piece sequence at the end where JCVD takes on the whole human-hunting gang in an abandoned factory/carnival warehouse and destroys everything in sight. The hurled-gas-can-and-shotgun-blast technique. If a gun goes off in this movie, something always gets destroyed in spectacular fashion, flinging shredded whatsit or sparks and flame (or both) in all directions. Most of the time someone buys the farm as well.

Other points of interest: Yancy Butler's huge and entrancing green eyes, and Wilford Brimley (that's right, the guy from "Cocoon" who did the Quaker Oats and the Liberty Medical ads) as JCVD's Uncle Douvee, a mustachioed moonshiner loaded down with guns, bows and arrows, and dynamite. More or less everything he says is funny: "Good whiskey! Make jack rabbit slap the bear!" Arnold Vosloo ("Blood Diamond" and Imhotep in the first two "Mummy" films) makes a menacing evil equivalent to JCVD (though he's more or less completely outclassed when it comes right down to it).

A fun evening's entertainment, and proof that the Muscles doesn't always make trainwrecks. Still doesn't top "Bloodsport". Recommended to JCVD fans, Wilford Brimley fans (you know who you are), John Woo fans, and those looking to put their brain in neutral for some easy entertainment.