JVCD is a definite surprise. The film shows Jean-Claude Vann Damme can act. It is the best Van Damme
film in quite a long time. It take the concept of the actor by casting him as himself in some alternate universe
where he is getting divorced and fighting for the custody of his daughetr (in real life, Van Damme has a son).
His acting career is on the skids (even Steven Seagal is getting roles that VD was up for). The Muscle From Brussels
aka Mr. Van Damme decides to go home to Belgium. He finds out he can't access his money. He decides to go to the
post office (which is also a bank) and ends up being thrown in the middle of a robbery (imagine if Van Damme ended up in Dog
Day Afternoon). What follows is a man who is trying to save the hostages and shows he is in a real life situation (that
he can't use movie star heroics to get out of). In a way, JCVD reenergizes VD's career. He is getting
old and one day he won't be able to pull off the moves he is known for. The film blends parts of Van Damme's life
with a fiction thrown together with a few dashes of humor. I like how the police think Van Damme is part of the robbery.
I do have some slight problems with the ending. Still JCVD is one of films VD has ever done alonside CYBORG,
TIMECOP, HARD TARGET, and LEGIONAIRRE. I can't wait to see what Van Damme does for an encore.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
All we get for extras are deleted scenes (with or without English subtitles) and the original theatrical trailer.
It would have been nice to have a featurette or an audio commentary. Also on the disc is a digital copy of the
feature film,.
FINAL ANALYSIS: JCVD is one of Van Damme's best and it shows yet again he can really act.
this DVD review is (c)5-16-2009 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to
lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com
