Review of JCVD (2008) by Joel M — 14 Nov 2009

Jean Claude Van-Damme in a mesmerizing performance; I googled this phrase about two years ago and found zero search results, mmm! But guess what? That is a googling thing of the past because Van-Damme is damm good in the self-mockery independent flick "JCVD". This creative heist film stars Van-Damme as a take of Van-Damme in present day. Talk about your "double impact". Jean Claude is presented as an aging action star past beyond his movie prime time who is also nearly broke, and caught up in a legal battle with his wife for the custody of his daughter. In "JVCD", Van-Damme accidentally gets caught up in a Belgium post office heist and ends up being a hostage. However, his hometown paisanos, including the Belgium police, think he is the culprit of this coup. Talk about being a "hard target". So does Van-Damme avoid "sudden death" or does he wage a "bloodsport" war against the real kidnapping robbers? I cannot rob you of entertainment by providing the answer to that question. Writer-Director Mabrouk EL Mechri's innovative film-making punch of inserting the aging actor Van-Damme in a real life situation similar to the actor's past movie plot lines is the real kicker of "JCVD". The heist narrative concept is once again robbed here from past movies, but the whole aspect of having an action movie star be one of the hostages gives it a failsafe quality. During the film's third act, Van-Damme's gives out an emotional speech on his past fast lifestyle and present faded movie stardom which is by far the best acting scene of his career, or was he really acting? Was he really acting in all of his past movies anyways? All kicking aside, I mean kidding aside, Van-Damme does kick ass with his thespian arts in "JCVD". It will not be a "maximum risk" if you hustle to check out this self-mockery flick of the muscles from Brussels.

**** Good.