This is How Movies Should Be Made

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The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Will wonders never cease? First off, I caught a not-bad Seagal film from 2008 on TV one night (the title is PISTOL WHIPPED, in case you're interested), proving that the ageing action hero can still make entertaining films on occasion. Now, three nights later, I've caught a Van Damme film from 2008 on the same channel, and guess what? It's pretty good! THE SHEPHERD is a throwback to the classic Van Damme thrillers of the 1990s, an action-packed testosterone ride full of vehicle chases (in this instance, a stand-out sequence has a coach – modified with machine-guns and a bullet-proof chassis – pursued across the US/Mexican border by Van Damme), intense shoot-outs, and some scorching martial arts action.The film itself might be pretty predictable but it's a step up from the last Van Damme film I watched, SECOND IN COMMAND. Isaac Florentine has proved himself to be one of the best straight-to-video action directors and he doesn't disappoint with his efforts here. The action choreography is slick and stylish, with nice clean fights and some great slow motion moves from the professionals. Van Damme is matched against Brit high-kicker Scott Adkins for an extended bout at the climax, and it's another highlight in a film full of 'em. Naked chicks, torture sequences, traitors, twists, suicide bombers, and balaclava-wearing bad guys: all of the ingredients are here and make up one thrill-ride of a film.Van Damme himself particularly shines in a role that stretches his acting as well as action chops. He's actually very good indeed as the ageing cop struggling to cope with dark memories from his past. Compare his acting here with that in CYBORG and you'll see just how far he's progressed. In fact, he gives the likes of some A-listers a run for their money here, and his acting blows Seagal's clean out of the water. He's supported by a cast seemingly recruited from British television: there's Stephen Lord, fresh off EASTENDERS and fairly convincing as Meyers, the chief bad guy, and Natalie J. Robb from DOCTORS as Van Damme's tough, ass-kicking superior (less convincing, but pretty enough). In any case, this is nothing new, but it runs through the action clichés with aplomb and sits solidly as one of Van Damme's best.

Jack Robideaux (Van Damme) is a cop from New Orleans who comes to the small town of Columbus, New Mexico to start on their border patrol. It seems a gang of drug smugglers, including Karp (Adkins), are made up of former U.S. Soldiers gone bad. Now Jack, his partner Billy (McDonald) and Captain Ramona Garcia (Robb) have to get to the truth. Additionally, some folks in this dusty ol'town don't take kindly to newcomers, so Jack, and his pet rabbit, also named Jack (there's an explanation) must defend himself there from the locals. After some twists and turns in the plot, we finally get to the fight scene between Scott Adkins and Van Damme that we all want. Will human Jack and rabbit Jack get what they came to New Mexico for? We're happy to announce that The Shepherd is a winner! Overall this is a solid, entertaining, quality movie that delivers the goods. And why wouldn't it, as it was directed by the capable and dependable Isaac Florentine, whose name is becoming synonymous with satisfying action creations. This movie really should have gone to the theater in America. Sure, there's at least one scene that's a bit too long, and there might be some other quibbles here and there, but this movie is prime JCVD all the way.Naturally, Van Damme plays yet another guy with a French name. This harks back to past JCVD efforts, while references in the movie to hurricane Katrina, the war in Afghanistan, and of course, the issues surrounding the U.S./Mexico border firmly bring The Shepherd into current, relevant territory. It is somewhat lame that the bad guys are former U.S. Soldiers - what, they couldn't think of any other type of person that could be evil? - but we get it, they are "rogue" agents and all that. But it's puzzling why that's the place the writers went to. They even find time to sneak in some Punchfighting! Sure, it's unnecessary, but who cares? It's just fun. Of course, there's the prerequisite torture scene, which is just another excuse for shirtlessness. We love Scott Adkins, and he does a good job as one of the baddies, but we think he makes a better good guy. Someone we've always lovingly compared Adkins to is Gary Daniels, and it would be weird seeing him as a baddie (even though it has happened, mainly in the earlier part of his career). That aside, Adkins is a talented martial artist and has strong screen presence. His fight with Van Damme gives you what you want. They would team up again in the disappointing and inferior Assassination Games (2011). Also Van Damme has a pet turtle in that movie. Either a rabbit or a turtle, and Scott Adkins. But that's where the similarities between the two movies end.The Shepherd just goes to show that if you use Van Damme right, he's still a viable star. This can firmly be placed in Van Damme's win columnFor more insanity, please visit: comeuppancereviews.com

Jean-Claude plays a tired, sad looking character which works well for this movie; he's been through the death of his daughter due to drugs and is out for revenge on the suppliers as a border patrol agent. The film is quite stylish, with parts bordering on a spaghetti-western style with both the cinematography and music. The style of the film is much more interesting than the story, as are some of the fight scenes and I was pleased to see that most of them were filmed clearly (wide shots) so you can actually see what is happening (unlike some bigger budget films, like the recent Batman, that show fights in close-up so you can't really tell what's going on). The only bad side to the fighting is that the best bad-guy martial artist at the end has much better kicks than Jean-Claude which is not what you would expect if you've seen many of Jean-Claude's films. Overall an interesting stylized film that definitely could have been much better but was still entertaining.

I enjoyed it. There you go, I said it again. I even bought this movie on DVD and enjoyed it a couple of more times. Call me old fashioned but I prefer movies like this to garbage like Die Hard 4 which hold up the box office and get critical acclaim just because you have some old guy saving America. Van Damme moves well for a guy of his age(47 I think), delivering kicks that reminds one of Kickboxer. If you like old school action and and explosions, this is the movie to watch. This is one of Van Damme's best works.Van Damme and Steven Seagal movies get released theatrically where I live so I never miss a chance to watch our old school action stars on the big screen.