Jean-Claude-Van-Damme Movie Reviews

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VHS movie reviews for "Jean-Claude-Van-Damme" sorted by average review score:
Double Team
Released in VHS Tape by Columbia/Tristar Studios (25 May, 1999)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Hark Tsui
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Rodman, and Mickey Rourke
Look ma, no script! As expected from a movie by Hong Kong action director Hark Tsui, there are many explosive, fast-paced sequences in this Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle. Some are thrilling, others inconsequential. There is also another mumbling, overdone performance by Mickey Rourke, who looks as if he performed his own plastic surgery. Except for an unintentionally humorous ending, the only surprise is Dennis Rodman as Van Damme's partner in exploitation. Rodman has plenty of charisma, but needs someone to weed out those inferior scripts. He plays an eccentric arms dealer coerced by an avenging Van Damme into tracking down the evil and sadistically weird character played by a well-muscled Rourke. It says little for the production that the best sequence of the movie occurs a quarter of the way into the action. It concerns an escape by Van Damme from an island think tank for forcibly retired covert agents. After that, everyone should have gone home. --Rochelle O'Gorman
Average review score:

Lukewarm Action Flick
Jean-Claude Van Damme isn't exactly known for his superb acting skills, and when NBA player Dennis Rodman enters the cast, one can safely assume that this movie will not be carrying home any accolades based on its actors' performance. Instead of talking about the plot first as reviews usually do, it's perhaps wiser to focus on the positive: the action. The fights in the movie--and there are a lot of them--are of Van Damme's past caliber. Rodman also pitches in now and then and throws a good punch or lashes out with a massive foot. The choreography is of course no match for the recent action hits like The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and is 'okay' at best. Rodman's character, a shady special arms dealer, does add some brightness with his 007-esque cadre of tech gadgets. Now, the plot. It's almost non-existent, and what little of it the movie has actually bogs it down. The idea of the island is not quite so platitudinous, but still looks lame. As the story goes on it quickly becomes trite and serves up one round of groans after another. Some of the parts are downright confusing, and those scenes should be replaced with more fights. One's time and energy exhausted in trying to digest the story would be much better spent in focusing on the punches and kicks. If you decide to watch this, it's probably not a bad idea to just tone down the volume. After all, there's really not much must-know information one can learn from the dialogues, as everyone already understands that whoever Van Damme and Rodman are kicking are the baddies. -Xiao Zhu

Such Wit!
This is a witty team that should go in the record books: Van Damme (deity) and Dennis Rodman (no ability). You might think this movie is awful and hideous, but it's truly a comical look about an action star kicking major stern as usual and a basketball player trying to be an action star. No, basketball players should stick to playing basketball or in this case, cross-dressing. Van Damme carries the ball 'n chain in this movie and makes it work, as expected. He fought a buffed out Mickey Rourke, a man with a knife in his toes and a tiger! Heroism! He was an agent who started fresh with a new agency and had to look for Stavros (Rourke). Rodman got in the way too much and actually made an airball. Terrible. Van Damme made fun of him and his hair, 'who does it? Siegfried or Roy?' Pure hilarity. Go Van Damme, don't take any garbage from that creature. Yes! A rare comedic performance from a deity.

One of Van Damnes best
This was one of Van Damnes best, he joins forces with Dennis Rodman, what a team.Even though he didnt fight in a competition,the movie was really good.Alot of explosives and stunts, my fav part of the movie is when hes hanging from the airplane now that cool.

Double Team
Released in VHS Tape by Columbia/Tristar Studios (25 May, 1999)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Hark Tsui
Starring: Hark Tsui, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Rodman, and Mickey Rourke
Look ma, no script! As expected from a movie by Hong Kong action director Hark Tsui, there are many explosive, fast-paced sequences in this Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle. Some are thrilling, others inconsequential. There is also another mumbling, overdone performance by Mickey Rourke, who looks as if he performed his own plastic surgery. Except for an unintentionally humorous ending, the only surprise is Dennis Rodman as Van Damme's partner in exploitation. Rodman has plenty of charisma, but needs someone to weed out those inferior scripts. He plays an eccentric arms dealer coerced by an avenging Van Damme into tracking down the evil and sadistically weird character played by a well-muscled Rourke. It says little for the production that the best sequence of the movie occurs a quarter of the way into the action. It concerns an escape by Van Damme from an island think tank for forcibly retired covert agents. After that, everyone should have gone home. --Rochelle O'Gorman
Average review score:

Lukewarm Action Flick
Jean-Claude Van Damme isn't exactly known for his superb acting skills, and when NBA player Dennis Rodman enters the cast, one can safely assume that this movie will not be carrying home any accolades based on its actors' performance. Instead of talking about the plot first as reviews usually do, it's perhaps wiser to focus on the positive: the action. The fights in the movie--and there are a lot of them--are of Van Damme's past caliber. Rodman also pitches in now and then and throws a good punch or lashes out with a massive foot. The choreography is of course no match for the recent action hits like The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and is 'okay' at best. Rodman's character, a shady special arms dealer, does add some brightness with his 007-esque cadre of tech gadgets. Now, the plot. It's almost non-existent, and what little of it the movie has actually bogs it down. The idea of the island is not quite so platitudinous, but still looks lame. As the story goes on it quickly becomes trite and serves up one round of groans after another. Some of the parts are downright confusing, and those scenes should be replaced with more fights. One's time and energy exhausted in trying to digest the story would be much better spent in focusing on the punches and kicks. If you decide to watch this, it's probably not a bad idea to just tone down the volume. After all, there's really not much must-know information one can learn from the dialogues, as everyone already understands that whoever Van Damme and Rodman are kicking are the baddies. -Xiao Zhu

Such Wit!
This is a witty team that should go in the record books: Van Damme (deity) and Dennis Rodman (no ability). You might think this movie is awful and hideous, but it's truly a comical look about an action star kicking major stern as usual and a basketball player trying to be an action star. No, basketball players should stick to playing basketball or in this case, cross-dressing. Van Damme carries the ball 'n chain in this movie and makes it work, as expected. He fought a buffed out Mickey Rourke, a man with a knife in his toes and a tiger! Heroism! He was an agent who started fresh with a new agency and had to look for Stavros (Rourke). Rodman got in the way too much and actually made an airball. Terrible. Van Damme made fun of him and his hair, 'who does it? Siegfried or Roy?' Pure hilarity. Go Van Damme, don't take any garbage from that creature. Yes! A rare comedic performance from a deity.

One of Van Damnes best
This was one of Van Damnes best, he joins forces with Dennis Rodman, what a team.Even though he didnt fight in a competition,the movie was really good.Alot of explosives and stunts, my fav part of the movie is when hes hanging from the airplane now that cool.

Knock Off
Released in VHS Tape by Columbia/Tristar Studios (13 June, 2000)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Hark Tsui
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme and Rob Schneider
Having based so much of his career on the films from the region, Jean Claude Van Damme heads to Hong Kong itself for Knock Off. Set in the 72 hours running up to the British handover to China (and released a mere year after the actual event), the film's action centers around the colony's thriving bootleg business, tied in with a rather convoluted plot concerning the CIA, Russian Mafia, and an attempt to hold the United States ransom through covert attacks. The opening section unwisely tries Van Damme's hand at knockabout humor with partner Rob Schneider but merely proves that the star is severely lacking the sort of humorous touch that Arnold Schwarzenegger has so successfully utilized. Once Knock Off descends into more familiar Van Damme territory, the film--and its leading man--are on surer ground. There are a good deal of spectacular fight sequences, some amazing stunts, and a feisty female sparring partner in the form of Lela Rochen. Even the always-reliable Paul Sorvino pops up. Director Tsui Hark hits upon some interesting and initially invigorating visual effects but soon overdoes them, actually highlighting the lack of decent story rather than enhancing it. There is an incredible film to be made about this period in history but this isn't it. Knock Off is merely another undemanding, high-kicking, high-octane vehicle for Van Damme. --Phil Udell

Average review score:

A good de Souza script botched up by chaotic camerawork
"Great film. Lots of action... Lots of... what else?" - Jean-Claude Van Damme

Hong Kong movies often have impressive stunts and fighting scenes, and the better sort (e.g. Jackie Chan's *Rumble in the Bronx*) sometimes even have good camerawork and photography. What they almost never have, however, is a really good script.

*Knock Off* is precisely the opposite: it was written by one of Hollywood's best action screenwriters, Steven E. de Souza, the author of the first two *Die Hard*, among other classics. De Souza knows what drama is about, and if you try to abstract from what you see to what the original script must originally have looked like, you'll realize that behind *Knock Off* is a really good story involving fake designer jeans, Russian nanobombs, a CIA traitor, Hong Kong cops and enough twists and turns to make a highly entertaining story, livened up by a wacky, tongue-in-cheek attitude reminiscent of the author's *Hudson Hawk*.

However, seeing that might require much more effort than the ordinary movie-goer is capable of, for visually, the movie is completely spoiled by its director, Tsui Hark, who had done a much more decent job on the *Once Upon a Time in China* series. In the making of, actor Michael Fitzgerald Wong says of Tsui Hark that he "loves chaos". As for Tsui Hark himself, he explains he "tried to make the camera as free as possible", so as to give the impression of a "lunatic rushing through everything". This gives you an idea of his style, which is so epileptic and full of mannerisms that the action often becomes virtually incomprehensible, and that it is sometimes hard to understand who is doing what to whom where.

Moreover, the actors obviously lack proper direction, and if Rob Schneider and Paul Sorvino have enough experience to compensate for it, a less trained actor like Van Damme, left to his own devices, becomes a caricature of himself (though, admittedly, this is partly intentional.) Moreover, since the last twenty minutes are just a mindless, uninterrupted Tsui Hark action scene, the film is very likely to leave you with a bad impression, as most of the plot is resolved by the time it begins, and all that is left is for the good guys is to shoot (or blast or crush or dissolve in acid) the bad guys.

In my opinion, *Time Cop* remains Van Damme's best movie to this date. But with a better director, *Knock Off* would not have been far behind. I just hope Hollywood will not blame de Souza for the failure.

(Hong Kong movie-buffs might be interested to know that the second-unit director on this movie was Sammo Hung and that apart from Michael Wong, there's also a small role for Jeff Joseph Wolfe, who played a sympathetic cowboy in the Dr. Wong movie set in America.)

Van Damme is still going strong
"Knock Off" is set in Hong Kong and Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as a fashion designer who is unwillingly selling knock off clothes which easily tear. Van Damme and his sidekick (Rob Schneider) are up against enemy marketeers who are trying to cause a worldwide catastrophe by using tiny explosive devices in items such as jeans and toys and then shipping them all over the world.

"Knock Off" definitely proved that Van Damme is a better fighter than ever and that he can still make exciting movies. This movie has the best special effects, action sequences, and even the best fighting out of all of Van Damme's movies so far, and that's saying a lot because Van Damme has made many great fighting and action movies such as "Hard Target," "Bloodsport," "Sudden Death," and many others. I didn't like the movie's plot or story that much, but the action and fighting sequences are GREAT! If you like exciting fighting movies and if you like some of the other Van Damme movies, I recommend getting "Knock Off."

his funniest of roles!
this is one of my favourite van-damme movies and its definatly his funniest!, his opening scene was classic!. This movie is pure fan martial arts action with plenty of comedy along the way. Van-damme should do more comedy, it suits him excellently.

still awaiting his return to theaters, go van-damme!!

Knock Off
Released in VHS Tape by Columbia/Tristar Studios (25 May, 1999)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Hark Tsui
Starring: Hark Tsui, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Rob Schneider
Having based so much of his career on the films from the region, Jean Claude Van Damme heads to Hong Kong itself for Knock Off. Set in the 72 hours running up to the British handover to China (and released a mere year after the actual event), the film's action centers around the colony's thriving bootleg business, tied in with a rather convoluted plot concerning the CIA, Russian Mafia, and an attempt to hold the United States ransom through covert attacks. The opening section unwisely tries Van Damme's hand at knockabout humor with partner Rob Schneider but merely proves that the star is severely lacking the sort of humorous touch that Arnold Schwarzenegger has so successfully utilized. Once Knock Off descends into more familiar Van Damme territory, the film--and its leading man--are on surer ground. There are a good deal of spectacular fight sequences, some amazing stunts, and a feisty female sparring partner in the form of Lela Rochen. Even the always-reliable Paul Sorvino pops up. Director Tsui Hark hits upon some interesting and initially invigorating visual effects but soon overdoes them, actually highlighting the lack of decent story rather than enhancing it. There is an incredible film to be made about this period in history but this isn't it. Knock Off is merely another undemanding, high-kicking, high-octane vehicle for Van Damme. --Phil Udell

Average review score:

A good de Souza script botched up by chaotic camerawork
"Great film. Lots of action... Lots of... what else?" - Jean-Claude Van Damme

Hong Kong movies often have impressive stunts and fighting scenes, and the better sort (e.g. Jackie Chan's *Rumble in the Bronx*) sometimes even have good camerawork and photography. What they almost never have, however, is a really good script.

*Knock Off* is precisely the opposite: it was written by one of Hollywood's best action screenwriters, Steven E. de Souza, the author of the first two *Die Hard*, among other classics. De Souza knows what drama is about, and if you try to abstract from what you see to what the original script must originally have looked like, you'll realize that behind *Knock Off* is a really good story involving fake designer jeans, Russian nanobombs, a CIA traitor, Hong Kong cops and enough twists and turns to make a highly entertaining story, livened up by a wacky, tongue-in-cheek attitude reminiscent of the author's *Hudson Hawk*.

However, seeing that might require much more effort than the ordinary movie-goer is capable of, for visually, the movie is completely spoiled by its director, Tsui Hark, who had done a much more decent job on the *Once Upon a Time in China* series. In the making of, actor Michael Fitzgerald Wong says of Tsui Hark that he "loves chaos". As for Tsui Hark himself, he explains he "tried to make the camera as free as possible", so as to give the impression of a "lunatic rushing through everything". This gives you an idea of his style, which is so epileptic and full of mannerisms that the action often becomes virtually incomprehensible, and that it is sometimes hard to understand who is doing what to whom where.

Moreover, the actors obviously lack proper direction, and if Rob Schneider and Paul Sorvino have enough experience to compensate for it, a less trained actor like Van Damme, left to his own devices, becomes a caricature of himself (though, admittedly, this is partly intentional.) Moreover, since the last twenty minutes are just a mindless, uninterrupted Tsui Hark action scene, the film is very likely to leave you with a bad impression, as most of the plot is resolved by the time it begins, and all that is left is for the good guys is to shoot (or blast or crush or dissolve in acid) the bad guys.

In my opinion, *Time Cop* remains Van Damme's best movie to this date. But with a better director, *Knock Off* would not have been far behind. I just hope Hollywood will not blame de Souza for the failure.

(Hong Kong movie-buffs might be interested to know that the second-unit director on this movie was Sammo Hung and that apart from Michael Wong, there's also a small role for Jeff Joseph Wolfe, who played a sympathetic cowboy in the Dr. Wong movie set in America.)

Van Damme is still going strong
"Knock Off" is set in Hong Kong and Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as a fashion designer who is unwillingly selling knock off clothes which easily tear. Van Damme and his sidekick (Rob Schneider) are up against enemy marketeers who are trying to cause a worldwide catastrophe by using tiny explosive devices in items such as jeans and toys and then shipping them all over the world.

"Knock Off" definitely proved that Van Damme is a better fighter than ever and that he can still make exciting movies. This movie has the best special effects, action sequences, and even the best fighting out of all of Van Damme's movies so far, and that's saying a lot because Van Damme has made many great fighting and action movies such as "Hard Target," "Bloodsport," "Sudden Death," and many others. I didn't like the movie's plot or story that much, but the action and fighting sequences are GREAT! If you like exciting fighting movies and if you like some of the other Van Damme movies, I recommend getting "Knock Off."

his funniest of roles!
this is one of my favourite van-damme movies and its definatly his funniest!, his opening scene was classic!. This movie is pure fan martial arts action with plenty of comedy along the way. Van-damme should do more comedy, it suits him excellently.

still awaiting his return to theaters, go van-damme!!

The Order
Released in VHS Tape by Columbia Tristar Hom (05 August, 2003)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Sheldon Lettich
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Charlton Heston, and Sofia Milos
Jean-Claude Van Damme may never have risen to the top ranks of action stars, but his movies have been consistently enjoyable--partly because they don't take themselves too seriously. In The Order, Van Damme plays a thief of religious artifacts whose archeologist father has found the lost scripture of a mysterious religious order. When the old man is kidnapped, Van Damme soon finds himself cruising around the twisty streets of Jerusalem, getting into dynamic kickboxing battles while disguised as a Hasidic Jew. With the help of a beautiful Israeli cop (Sofia Milos), Van Damme uncovers a plot within the religious order that leads to secret catacombs beneath the holy city. Silly? Perhaps, but directed with vitality and surprising wit. Van Damme is trim and energetic, Milos is engaging, and a cameo by Charlton Heston (!) only adds to the general atmosphere of spunky fun. --Bret Fetzer
Average review score:

Another silly Van Damme film, but fun...
Director Sheldon Lettich and Jean-Claude Van Damme are reunited in "The Order," a silly action movie that, despite a nice budget, went direct-to-video because, let's face it, Van Damme just can't get a box-office grab like he could with "Timecop" and "Universal Soldier." But the film looks nicely polished and it's pretty short, with action scenes kept to a maximum, just the way I like it. The plot is ridiculous, but most of JCVD's films are. This one has him travelling to Israel, I think, and doing battle with a cult that wants to destroy him and his father. Not a complete failure for Van Damme.

Enjoyable no brainer
The Order sees Jean Claude Van Damme venturing into Israel in search of his father ,an academic who holds the key to a priceless treasure and who thereby comes into conflict with an extreme Christian sect whose design is to unleash a major religious conflict with other faiths in pursuit of their ideals.He is well qualified for the task being a dab hand at martial arts and has skills derived from his "profession" as a burglar specialising in stealing museum treasures.
He is soon involved in car chases ,gunfights and fights including one lengthy sequence where he repels police and irate locals in the marketplace while dressed as an Hassidic jew.It all build to an explosive climax deep underground where the bad guys are intent on blowing uo the Temple in Jerusalem.
Striking location photography and lively action setpieces are distinct plus points which offsets some fairly routine acting .
Potential viewers lured by the presence of Charlton Heston should be advised he makes only a cameo appearance and is killed early in proceedings
Its not Art but with a tinnie or two is a good chill out movie

Great Action / Awesome Fight Scenes
This is a pretty good Van Damme movie, story is a bit confusing but man are the fight scenes awesome, Van Damme's back, high kicking, fast moving, spin kicking, bone crushing moves. The Van Damme we all like and enjoy. Great fights, can't wait for his new movie Derailed!!!!

The Order
Released in VHS Tape by Columbia Tristar Hom (05 August, 2003)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Sheldon Lettich
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Charlton Heston, and Sofia Milos
Jean-Claude Van Damme may never have risen to the top ranks of action stars, but his movies have been consistently enjoyable--partly because they don't take themselves too seriously. In The Order, Van Damme plays a thief of religious artifacts whose archeologist father has found the lost scripture of a mysterious religious order. When the old man is kidnapped, Van Damme soon finds himself cruising around the twisty streets of Jerusalem, getting into dynamic kickboxing battles while disguised as a Hasidic Jew. With the help of a beautiful Israeli cop (Sofia Milos), Van Damme uncovers a plot within the religious order that leads to secret catacombs beneath the holy city. Silly? Perhaps, but directed with vitality and surprising wit. Van Damme is trim and energetic, Milos is engaging, and a cameo by Charlton Heston (!) only adds to the general atmosphere of spunky fun. --Bret Fetzer
Average review score:

Another silly Van Damme film, but fun...
Director Sheldon Lettich and Jean-Claude Van Damme are reunited in "The Order," a silly action movie that, despite a nice budget, went direct-to-video because, let's face it, Van Damme just can't get a box-office grab like he could with "Timecop" and "Universal Soldier." But the film looks nicely polished and it's pretty short, with action scenes kept to a maximum, just the way I like it. The plot is ridiculous, but most of JCVD's films are. This one has him travelling to Israel, I think, and doing battle with a cult that wants to destroy him and his father. Not a complete failure for Van Damme.

Enjoyable no brainer
The Order sees Jean Claude Van Damme venturing into Israel in search of his father ,an academic who holds the key to a priceless treasure and who thereby comes into conflict with an extreme Christian sect whose design is to unleash a major religious conflict with other faiths in pursuit of their ideals.He is well qualified for the task being a dab hand at martial arts and has skills derived from his "profession" as a burglar specialising in stealing museum treasures.
He is soon involved in car chases ,gunfights and fights including one lengthy sequence where he repels police and irate locals in the marketplace while dressed as an Hassidic jew.It all build to an explosive climax deep underground where the bad guys are intent on blowing uo the Temple in Jerusalem.
Striking location photography and lively action setpieces are distinct plus points which offsets some fairly routine acting .
Potential viewers lured by the presence of Charlton Heston should be advised he makes only a cameo appearance and is killed early in proceedings
Its not Art but with a tinnie or two is a good chill out movie

Great Action / Awesome Fight Scenes
This is a pretty good Van Damme movie, story is a bit confusing but man are the fight scenes awesome, Van Damme's back, high kicking, fast moving, spin kicking, bone crushing moves. The Van Damme we all like and enjoy. Great fights, can't wait for his new movie Derailed!!!!

Universal Soldier: The Return
Released in VHS Tape by Columbia/Tristar Studios (05 June, 2001)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Mic Rodgers
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Heidi Schanz, and Bill Goldberg
Universal Soldier Luc Deveraux is back. Jean-Claude Van Damme gallantly attempts to resurrect interest in his tepid career with this action-riddled roller-coaster ride. Set in the not-too-distant future, Deveraux has been employed by the government to oversee the new UniSol project. What is UniSol? It's a military plan to turn dead soldiers into invincible fighting machines (see the first Univeral Soldier for more details). It's also the scheme that went horribly wrong when the soldiers turned psycho, killing the scientists who created them. Not deterred by this early setback, the government replicates the project. This time they figure that they can control the soldiers through a supercomputer called SETH (kind of like HAL in 2001, but smarter). But, as we all know, machines frequently break down. Pretty soon the computer comes to the conclusion that it's superior to humans and therefore it must destroy them. Uh oh.

Van Damme to the rescue. The muscles from Brussels heroically leap into action confronting the dangerous soldiers led by Bill (WCW) Goldberg and Michael Jai White (last seen in Spawn). The action is impressive and the stunts are engrossing. Goldberg is charismatic as the cartoonish villain who sneers and snouts while muttering macho things like, "I'm gonna kill that guy." Van Damme looks more at home in a production that he is not directing, and for once he lets his fists do the talking. Ironically, the movie is missing the gloss and big-budget pathos of its predecessor (created by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich), making the original decidedly better. --Jeremy Storey

Average review score:

Don't be fooled, the best thing here is the movie poster!
The film does not have great action at all from the protagonist who plays Luc Devereaux [Van Damme-Jean Claude Van Varenberg]The whole film focuses alot on all the other evil soldiers. There are too many of them. I feel that the film should of had 5 soldiers against Van Damme. There would have been more fighting scenes. Their are some cheezy nude scenes that really dont belong there at all[Women at a strip club-nude dancing.] WCW wrestler Goldberg also acts in this motion picture. He does an okay job. His role was limited. He played Romeo. He did not even fight Van Damme in the film. The whole picture is a flop, Really it is. The best thing about this film is the poster you see here. I am not being a liar here. You want too see great Van Damme film-go watch Cyborg, Maximum Risk, & Double Impact[Double Impact has a very pretty blonde! Great body! Hot babe! ] Van Damme should make a Universal soldier part 3 and he should model it after his popular film "CYBORG." Tons of fighting scenes, and in the end wins the battle and conquers the Beautiful girl. You never know Van Damme might get Charlize Theron for his next motion picture. . .

Pretty decent sequel
Having seen the first movie, and finding it a little tame in comparison with others, I purchased this DVD expecting more of the same, and was impressed by the good performance that Jean-Claude Van Damme brought. Bill Goldberg (as UNISOL Romeo) provided some scene-stealing moments both humorous and a little exciting. Although the plot is a little thin, and some back-story was incomplete(e.g. Devereaux's late wife), I thought this sequel was better than the original.

very entertaining movie
I cannot believe this movie is getting such low reviews as i enjoyed it as did everyone that i know did aswell.

this movie was mostly fast paced action and excellent fight scenes with scary villans, not much about the story as the first one but it was also funny like when van-damme says "i'm leaving, no violence" then he beats the beats the bouncers up. overall the movie was very entertaining and i think the flaws was the movie's lower budget and lack of creative stunts & locations. but if your a van-damma or action movie fan you will enjoy it.

Universal Soldier: The Return
Released in VHS Tape by Columbia/Tristar Studios (05 June, 2001)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Mic Rodgers
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Heidi Schanz, and Bill Goldberg
Universal Soldier Luc Deveraux is back. Jean-Claude Van Damme gallantly attempts to resurrect interest in his tepid career with this action-riddled roller-coaster ride. Set in the not-too-distant future, Deveraux has been employed by the government to oversee the new UniSol project. What is UniSol? It's a military plan to turn dead soldiers into invincible fighting machines (see the first Univeral Soldier for more details). It's also the scheme that went horribly wrong when the soldiers turned psycho, killing the scientists who created them. Not deterred by this early setback, the government replicates the project. This time they figure that they can control the soldiers through a supercomputer called SETH (kind of like HAL in 2001, but smarter). But, as we all know, machines frequently break down. Pretty soon the computer comes to the conclusion that it's superior to humans and therefore it must destroy them. Uh oh.

Van Damme to the rescue. The muscles from Brussels heroically leap into action confronting the dangerous soldiers led by Bill (WCW) Goldberg and Michael Jai White (last seen in Spawn). The action is impressive and the stunts are engrossing. Goldberg is charismatic as the cartoonish villain who sneers and snouts while muttering macho things like, "I'm gonna kill that guy." Van Damme looks more at home in a production that he is not directing, and for once he lets his fists do the talking. Ironically, the movie is missing the gloss and big-budget pathos of its predecessor (created by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich), making the original decidedly better. --Jeremy Storey

Average review score:

Don't be fooled, the best thing here is the movie poster!
The film does not have great action at all from the protagonist who plays Luc Devereaux [Van Damme-Jean Claude Van Varenberg]The whole film focuses alot on all the other evil soldiers. There are too many of them. I feel that the film should of had 5 soldiers against Van Damme. There would have been more fighting scenes. Their are some cheezy nude scenes that really dont belong there at all[Women at a strip club-nude dancing.] WCW wrestler Goldberg also acts in this motion picture. He does an okay job. His role was limited. He played Romeo. He did not even fight Van Damme in the film. The whole picture is a flop, Really it is. The best thing about this film is the poster you see here. I am not being a liar here. You want too see great Van Damme film-go watch Cyborg, Maximum Risk, & Double Impact[Double Impact has a very pretty blonde! Great body! Hot babe! ] Van Damme should make a Universal soldier part 3 and he should model it after his popular film "CYBORG." Tons of fighting scenes, and in the end wins the battle and conquers the Beautiful girl. You never know Van Damme might get Charlize Theron for his next motion picture. . .

Pretty decent sequel
Having seen the first movie, and finding it a little tame in comparison with others, I purchased this DVD expecting more of the same, and was impressed by the good performance that Jean-Claude Van Damme brought. Bill Goldberg (as UNISOL Romeo) provided some scene-stealing moments both humorous and a little exciting. Although the plot is a little thin, and some back-story was incomplete(e.g. Devereaux's late wife), I thought this sequel was better than the original.

very entertaining movie
I cannot believe this movie is getting such low reviews as i enjoyed it as did everyone that i know did aswell.

this movie was mostly fast paced action and excellent fight scenes with scary villans, not much about the story as the first one but it was also funny like when van-damme says "i'm leaving, no violence" then he beats the beats the bouncers up. overall the movie was very entertaining and i think the flaws was the movie's lower budget and lack of creative stunts & locations. but if your a van-damma or action movie fan you will enjoy it.

Street Fighter
Released in VHS Tape by Universal Studios (25 February, 1997)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Steven E. de Souza
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia
Average review score:

No.
Blanka looks like a Tauntaun on Paxil...only worse.

When Ryu uses the Hadou-Ken, you see him do the stance for it, then it just cuts to a flash of light. You never see an actual fire ball.

Guile has an accent...for an all-American Air Force pilot.

Blanka dies.

Blanka is a chicken-wuss in the movie.

Seeing Blanka represented by Clay Aiken painted green makes me want to kill myself.

Seeing this movie when it was in theaters, made me stop playing the series.

Even an algebra special on Public Access is cooler than this. At least with that, there's a plot.

Van Dissapointment
After Van Damme set sail in Timecop,a box-office smash his career was exactly where it needed to be.I thought only his flicks could get better,but after Streetfighter I thought differently.He should of let Stallone take the job,just like Judge Dredd,Streetfighter is a video game movie type disaster.Van Dammes acting was rusty and his fight scenes looked like special effect errors that needed to be edited.Now with it on DVD the price makes the movie look great,but in reality it's garbage.I personally love Van Dammes hard hitting action flicks,and I ain't putting him down personally but this movie has serious problems and a headache of a storyline.

Ah! DON'T change the channel!
Street Fighter is one of my favorite movies but is sooo short it makes me wish there was more to it. The plot is sort of wacky and cartoonish, too. Major Bison (Raul Julia) has created a new force of evil called Bison troopers and has captured a number of soldiers and nurses from the Allied Nations. The goofy part is that he is holding them ransom for $20,000,000,000 and they have three days to live. If you're gonna do that, ya might as well kill them or ask for world domination! You'll never get that much! At the same time, he has taken Colonel Guile's-AN soldier-(Jean-Claude Van Damme) friend and attempted to turn him into a killing monster. Guile, angrily and vengefully, goes to recover the hostages and kick son of a bi***'s Bison's a** so hard the next Bison wannabe will feel it (quote Colonel Guile). There are so many other turns in the plot that makes it fun to watch. Its also got lots of comedy and action/adventure to rock the genre. Rent it first since it is a movie that only certain people have taste for.

Derailed
Released in VHS Tape by Artisan (Fox Video) (15 October, 2002)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Bob Misiorowski
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Tomas Arana, and Laura Harring
The ever-limber Jean-Claude Van Damme stars in the entertainingly over-the-top action flick Derailed. The plot has to do with a deadly virus on a runaway train, but that's hardly the point--what makes the movie fly along is the ridiculous yet entirely enjoyable escalation of plot devices: not only is Van Damme on the train to protect a beautiful high-tech thief (Laura Elena Harring, Mulholland Drive), not only is the train hijacked by terrorists, not only is the virus actually released into the train's ventilation system, not only is the engine on fire, but Van Damme's family came on board to surprise him on his birthday and are now being used as pawns by the terrorists. Derailed is also loaded with spectacle: car chases, shootouts, explosions, a train collision, hand-to-hand combat, and Van Damme riding a motorcycle on top of the train--you really couldn't ask for more. Sheer trashy fun. --Bret Fetzer
Average review score:

Worst Van Damme Movie EVER!
I was looking forward to seeing this movie, my friend told me he saw a new Van Damme flick in the video store titled 'Derailed'. I am a Van Damme Fan, but after getting this film on DVD it hit me like a book it was horrible! It was pathetic....it SUCKED! I own Under Seige 2 and I liked it, there is NO COMPARISON. What hurt the most is how happy I was when I got the DVD, and how much I was looking foward to seeing it before and after I got it.

Derailed is the worst Van Damme movie AND the worst MOVIE I have ever seen and yes I am also a Van Damme fan.

Jean really stuffed up BIG TIME with this flick.

On another note, Van Damme's son starred in this movie aswell, he is a good lookin' kid, has his fathers good looks and skills.
Jean should be ashamed of himself! Putting his son in a terrible first flick like this.

0 star film:-
EXTREMELY OVER-RATED BY THE LOOK OF THE DVD/VIDEO COVER.
DONT BE FOOLED.

In conclusion, dont even pick up or look at the packet if you see it in a store.

A dumb(er) hybrid of "Under Siege 2" & "Broken Arrow"
Van Damme's most recent effort has a plot similar to UNDER SIEGE 2 and BROKEN ARROW which is scripted by B action film maker Boaz Davidson, the man responsible for such hilariously awful garbage as AMERICAN CYBORG.
Van Damme plays Agent Jacques Kristoff, who is assigned to escort gorgeous thief Golina Kostantin (Laura Elena Harring from JOHN Q) from Slovakia to Eastern Europe by train. Coincidentally, on board the train is a deadly biological weapon. After the train's first stop terrorists; led by the sadistic Mason Cole (Thomas Arana from GLADIATOR) board with the goal of finding and stealing the vial containing the deadly virus. What they plan to use it for is anyone's guess.
Now for coincidence #2: Among the train's passengers are Kristoff's wife and son. Things really start getting heavy when the virus is let loose throughout the train thanks to the bunglings of one of the terrorists. The leader lets him off lightly though: the culprit is promptly shot through the head, as all nasty terrorists types are wont to do. But as we all know by now, you don't mess with Jean-Claude. Especially when his family is involved. Butt-kicking time.
The movie starts starts OK, but soon derails itself. The addition of unconvincing minature setpieces and an overall air of stupidity make DERAILED about as explosive as a Bay City Rollers reunion. This movie looks and feels no different to any of the other direct to video actioners with stars like Michael Dudikoff and Jeff Speakman. DERAILED is a pretty anemic effort, but not Jean-Claude's worst: NO RETREAT NO SURRENDER and CYBORG are both tied for that dubious honor, but if like myself you're a Van Damme completist you'll want to watch it anyway. Don't say you weren't forewarned.
Extras include a behind the scenes featurette, trailers and subtitles in English and Hindi.

worth watching
Van Damme has had some great action flicks in his time and i'm sad to say that his movies seem to be getting worse and worse as the years go on. Yet i still put faith in the man to turn out another great movie.
Derailed is about 1hr and 20 mins of Van Damme kicks and explosions. Although this movie wasn't as good as i hoped it's still worth checking out. The idea behind the movie is great for a Van Damme action vehicle yet it needed some more fight scenes and better special effects. The special effects were so bad i actually started laughing, and i'm not kidding. That was part of the fun of the movie though. If you're a Van Damme fan i think you'll enjoy this movie, and if your not still check it out, it's still entertaining.

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