VAN DAMME THE MAN

This week Id like to recommend a rather delightful film to watch. Known around the world as JCVD which doesnt stand for Jim Clancys Vehicle of Death (not a short lived Simpsons spinoff) about an Irish farmer with a modified death tractor. No. In fact it refers to the daddy of all 80's action movie stars. No not Stallone. No not Arnie (couldnt spell his surname and I refuse to use google.) Not even Steven Seagulll. No this acronym alludes to the wonderboy Jean Claude Van Damme.

However this incarnation of J. C. doesnt involve him being a hard target or a kick boxing master. No. This time round Jeanny takes on the his toughest role yet. He decides to tackle himself. Yes, he plays himself.

In fact I have to give him kudos for attempting this. It is certainly original. And to all those nay sayers out there who believe he cant act and his only talents revolve around kicks and punches. I urge you to watch this movie. Its not half bad.

In the movie we are presented with a withered husk of an action star. An ageing Damme is the wrong side of his grandiose youth tackling tax evasion problems and a prolonged legal battle with his ex wife. To rub salt in the wounds Steven Seagull has just beaten him to his next job. Seagull secured the role by chopping his luscious pony tail. Anything for a job Steve. The movie does draw on some real life troubles the VanDamme has experienced. i.e. tax trouble and child troubles.

To escape this bleak life in Hollywoodland, Jeanny decides to return to his homeland, Belgium where the people see him as some sort of  god, who has returned from Olympus.

Nonetheless, money troubles still haunt Dammy. Forced to make a pitstop at a local post office to pay cab fare, our hero unwittingly disturbs a robbery in progress. When police come to investigate they mistakenly believe Claude to be the perpetrator using the robbery as a means to pay his legal bills.

From here on out the story is told from several out of sync sequences ala Pulp fiction.
All in all I was surprised that I liked this movie. The last flick of Jeans that blew me away was Timecop. But I think age and nostalgia account for that.

This is at least 10 kicks better than that. Rent it, download it, ask me for a copy. But see this movie and be pleasantly surprised.