I wonder if this will actually stick. He's 61 now, but we've seen from guys like Liam Neeson that you can still do action movies well into your 60s.
I also wonder if he'll try to pursue other sorts of roles and, instead of retiring completely, will try to be a dramatic actor.
https://screenrant.com/van-damme-last-action-movie-whats-my-name/
He has to make a proper sequel to Bloodsport before he can retire.
You've see this right?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIk91uagubk
Tell me that wouldn't make a great film?
Ha, I had not seen that.
I don't know man, I think it might actually be depressing to see him try to do a Bloodsport sequel now. It would just be a reminder of how old he's gotten and how old we're all getting.
Yeah but Liam Neeson can actually act.
shareI think Van Damme is a better actor than he gets credit for. I saw this all the way back when he did Double Impact. But for probably the best example of pure acting go watch JCVD.
shareOkay, so Double Impact is a favorite of mine and I thought he was fantastic as Alex (not the other brother). He should have played more gritty, grumpy characters like that. I was surprised that he could pull it off.
shareI actually just rewatched Double Impact a few weeks ago after picking up this collector's edition Blu-Ray:
https://www.amazon.com/Double-Impact-Jean-Claude-Van-Damme/dp/B07J3691ZL/
I agree about his portrayal of Alex. He did great work there. I think probably the reason he didn't do more characters like that was because he always wanted to be the likable hero.
On a related note, I'll mention that he was also excellent as the villain in Expendables 2.
I was still a kid, but I'm remembering him stating that "Sudden Death" was his last action film... I might be wrong, was it "The Quest"?
Anyways, I liked Sudden Death a lot, but didn't care for The Quest.
I believe he may have said that The Quest was going to be his last MARTIAL ARTS film. And it actually was the last pure martial arts movie he starred in.
I kind of feel you on not being impressed with The Quest. I'm not sure why, because it seems to have all the right individual elements for a cool karate flick--exotic location, an attractive female co-star, a tournament with a cool mythology surrounding it, Van Damme looking jacked and doing kicks, and even a prestige actor in the form of Roger Moore--but for some reason it didn't all come together in a fully satisfying way.
I'll take your word, as 'The Quest' is his last "martial arts" film. I hate when my memory mixes everything up lol
Maybe I'll give it another try, re: The Quest. I rented it as a teen, watched it on tv, and saw a few reviews... but I'll watch it again. But I hope I'll like it more than before.
Out of all JVD films, I put "Lion Heart" and "Blood Sport" as my favorites for nostalgia reseasons. Of course 'Stree Fighter' because it was a fun film.
The Quest is not a bad movie. I first watched it at the theater--I was pretty young and I think it was the first movie I ever watched in a theater by myself--and I later bought it on DVD and rewatched it a few times. But I also think that with some tweaks it could've been better.
My Top 3 JCVD movies have always been Bloodsport, Kickboxer and Double Impact.
The Quest isn't bad. And Legionnaire is a surprisingly good straight-to-video movie.
The Order is another straight-to-video movie he did, and it's not genuinely good (as I feel Legionnaire is), but I think it at least falls into "guilty pleasure" territory.
For Van Damme's best dramatic work JCVD is a must-see.
I can't say that I'm a fan.
But I just learned a few days ago that there is a film out there that stars Van Damme, Mickey Rourke and basketball weirdo Dennis Rodman.
Double Team (97)
I'm gonna have to watch this.
That's a wacky film.
I can't say that it's a good movie, but it's at least worth one watch due to the very surprising combination of performers.
Also, fun fact: That movie was made when Van Damme was all up in the throes of a cocaine addiction. You'll notice that his physique doesn't look nearly as good as it did just a year before in The Quest. I'm sure that's because he was just doing cocaine and barely training.
Interesting. Yeah the combo of performers is so odd that it would make a good trivia question.
share