recommended

Better Late Then Never

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

The idea of a (once) movie star offering himself up for mockery and self-deprecation is interesting on so many levels, especially when it's a story of said wash-out being swallowed up in a takeover incident. Give Van Damme credit for being a good sport for this. More importantly, he proves himself here as an actor. On that basis alone, "JCVD" deserves your attention.That said, the movie eventually settles into a groove that becomes a rut. That bank scenes are never as good as the sweet opening action extravaganza, or the time-out Van Damme takes late in the game to address the audience. It's during these two scenes that the movie really hits those high notes. But then it's back to the grinding hostage stuff.6/10

Version I saw: UK bluray release Actors: 6/10 Plot/script: 6/10 Photography/visual style: 6/10 Music/score: 6/10 Overall: 6/10 There is a lot of water under the bridge when it comes to Jean-Claude Van Damme. He has had a long and eventful career, all of which sits in the background of this bizarre film-about-film, allowing director Mabrouk El Mechri and screenwriter Christophe Turpin to comment on the nature of fame and stardom through the film.It's an odd film, which I had expected, but I wasn't expecting how *fun* it turned out to be: the premise has a lot of scope for comedy, and the film is not afraid to poke a little fun at itself. Credit should go to Van Damme for being a good sport and playing himself in a central performance that does not reflect that well on his wider profile.Unfortunately, although some interesting ideas are presented by the film, they are not followed through, or even seemingly thought out, that well. We end up with a bit of a mish-mash that sort of prods at the intellect at times, but never really grabs it.For my full review, see my independent film blog on Blogspot, Cinema Inferno: http://cinemainferno-blog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/jcvd-2008.html

Who would have thought it? Jean-Claude Van Damme in a post-modern meta-movie (at least that's what I think they call this kind of thing) in which he plays himself with brutal honesty as an ageing action star caught up in a real-life hostage situation. And who would have thought that it could possibly be this good?Not me, that's for sure, but here it is, JCVD, a brilliantly original film starring the Muscles from Brussels as we've never seen him before—as a believable human being—one with real-life problems and a troubled past who has absolutely no desire to get himself killed when confronted by desperate gun-toting criminals.With the Belgian superstar playing Van Damme the man rather than Van Damme the action hero, making this film is a gamble, one that risks alienating the star's existing fan-base due to a lack of slam-bang Van Damage, but hopefully it will earn him their respect—and the respect of movie-goers in general—as a bold performer willing to try something a little out of the ordinary.Told in a non-linear fashion by director Mabrouk El Mechri, this tense, funny and dramatic movie is filmed in French with subtitles, with improvised scenes of dialogue and an amazing monologue by the star that proves he can really act, all of which may even have cinema-snobs sitting up and taking note.In taking such a daring role in such a unique movie, by portraying himself as a man with flaws and weaknesses, and by acknowledging his mistakes, Jean-Claude has certainly become an even greater hero than ever before in the eyes of this particular fan.

This film justifies the entire career of Jean-Claude Van Damme. All the crappy movies. All the tabloid nonsense. All the personal excesses. Without it, this movie could not exist. You couldn't make it with Stallone or Schwarzenegger. You couldn't make it with Seagal or Norris or even Dolph Lundgren. Van Damme had to exist in exactly the way he existed for this motion picture to be made. It's a great story. Too bad the storytelling isn't.As you might guess from the title, Van Damme plays himself as an aging action star reduced to starring in idiotic crap. He's losing custody of his daughter. He's running out of money. His chance at a comeback is going to Steven Seagal. On a return home to Belgium, Van Damme gets caught up in a bank robbery at a post office. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. I guess in Belgium the post offices are also banks or wire transfer stations like Western Union. Anyway, the authorities think Van Damme is the one robbing the place and keeping the people in the post office hostage. That gives the three real robbers inside the idea of making Van Damme play that part as they try to figure how to get the hell out of there. As the post office is surrounded by the police and the police is surrounded by the media and the media is surrounded by cheering Van Damme fans, a man who really was an international movie star has to find a way through almost surrealistic circumstances and come out alive on the other side.JCVD is an odd duck in that it is an absolute must watch without truly being a great motion picture. Let me get into why that is before gushing over everything else. This film looks, feels and even sounds too stylish. The subject matter and the performance of Van Damme is simultaneously raw and complex and needed to be presented in a gritty, unadorned way. Yet both the structure of the script and the visual style of director Mabrouk El Mechri is too flashy and works too hard at being clever. From a non-linear plot to title cards breaking the story into segments to an overly theatrical killing, JCVD too often seems more like a conventional action thriller or some pretentious art house flick instead of a brutally frank examination of a fallen star. Maybe mimicking a Tarantino-like comeback vehicle for Van Damme was an attempt to add another layer of "meta-ness" to the whole production. If so, it was one layer too many.For example, the highlight of the film is this tremendous monologue from Van Damme about his whole life and the things that animated his rise and then his decline. His performance throughout the movie is incredible and this monologue is his spectacular peak. But instead of having the monologue take place within the confines of the story, Van Damme is literally elevated up out of a scene into the overhead lighting, where he talks directly into the camera. It's a phenomenal bit of acting, and not just because of the low standards Van Damme has set, but it totally shatters the sense of reality the rest of the narrative hangs on.It's too bad because this is a near brilliant narrative that pits the truth of Van Damme (in the context of this fictional representation of his life) vs. his own self-image vs. the image others project onto him. It depicts the irrational appeal and the impossible demands of celebrity. It makes you feel sympathy for someone who's been vastly more successful than you and then foolishly wasted all that opportunity. It is a profoundly sad story, every more sadly being told by people more interested in looking "cool".If you've ever loved, liked, hated or mocked Jean-Claude Van Damme, you need to see this movie. If you want to see the mythology of the action star deconstructed before you eyes, you need to see this movie. If you want to see a much derided performer prove he honestly deserved his time in the spotlight, you need to see this movie. I don't think I've ever seen another film as well made as this where I so deeply wish the filmmakers had made different creative choices. Believe the hype. JCVD is that good.