Review of JCVD (2008) by Nathan H — 02 Nov 2009

As a kid, I never really liked Jean-Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal, even though my friends would always try to convince me that "Bloodsport" or "Under Siege" was a fantastic action movie. I was always a Schwarzenegger fan; even as a 9-year-old, I could tell that Arnold commanded better scripts and bigger budgets, and I was a discerning movie-goer.

But with "JCVD," Van Damme has taken a huge risk, something that none of the other action stars can even come close to rivaling. He stars as himself, a down-on-his-luck former movie star who is forced to confront how inconsequential he has truly become. It's a bizarre and fascinating premise, and the movie is so artfully constructed (and the action sequences so well-plotted) that we never once lose interest, and the film never once ceases to say something interesting or fresh. Much has been written about Van Damme's out-of-body monologue at the end of the movie, how it was unexpected but Oscar-worthy, and I completely agree: not only has Van Damme taken a risk with this movie (he has made a tragic character out of himself! who else would do such a thing? even Stallone still used the Rocky character to make statements about his own fading spotlight), but he has completely stepped out of the stereotypical roles he once inhabited.

"JCVD" was a trip, a fantastic and odd movie, perfect for our current cultural moment, when celebrities consistently go to great lengths to talk about themselves, to share their troubles...but never with the sense of honesty that we see in this film, and never with the thought that there might actually be artistic opportunities in discussing one's own life and work.