JCVD

Review by Anthony Morris

Jean Claude Van Damme is not a man in the prime of his career.

So making a film like JCVD isn't as big a gamble for him as it would be for an actor who's career was ticking over nicely.

After all, it is a film where he is depicted as a defeated man struggling to maintain custody of his daughter, trapped in a cycle of cheap action films and burdened by a wild past he can't quite live down.  

But that's not to take away anything from the gutsiness of his performance here.

Van Damme is clearly a man who knows he has only got one chance to make a comeback (or to make halfway decent films) and he grabs hold here with both hands. 

The story is the usual metafictional stuff: Van Damme basically plays himself warts and all, struggling through a life gone sour until on a trip back to Belgium he gets caught up in a post office robbery and eventual seige. 

Is Van Damme robbing the place to get the money to pay his legal bills, or is he being used as a front man by the real robbers? 

As far as the media's concerned Vane Damme is still big news, and as events unfold inside the post office the police presence outside is forced to deal with a growing crowd of Van Damme supporters and a media circus besides.

Fans of Van Damme's action work already have plenty of films where you can see him kick heads; outside of a (not entirely convincing) opening action run the few moments of action here are extremely down to earth. - as is Van Damme's performance as himself.

He shines as a tired, beaten down man trapped by life, and he has never been more engaging.

His already famous ten minute monologue direct to camera is some of the hands down best acting you will see this year. 

This highly entertaining film might revive Van Damme's career; if it doesn't it's not from lack of trying.

4 out of 5

JCVD
Australian release: 5th March, 2009
Official Site: JCVD
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, François Damiens, Zinedine Soualem
Director: Mabrouk El Mechri