Lionheart (1991)

(62%) Without doubt one of my favourite early(ish) Van Damme movies that is so much more like Street fighter the video game than the actual Street fighter film. This is nuts and bolts late 80's early 90's action B-movie fun right from the very beginning. Van Damme is on physical top form with some impressive moves from the many fights featured, the story is good simple action movie stuff, and even though this is clearly a lowish budgeted film it's always watchable and entertaining. Performance wise this isn't anything of course worth speaking of, but Harrison Page is good fun as the sleazy manager, while Deborah Rennard gets plenty of screen time wearing some of the periods' more curious fashions. Overall any true of Mr Damme should certainly check this out.

With the successful releases of Bloodsport (1988) & Kickboxer (1989), Jean-Claude Van Damme was on his way to be a big martial arts star attraction. A year later Van Damme would return to one of his friends that helped him make it to stardom. That man is Sheldon Lettich, the screenwriter for Bloodsport (1988). Here Lettich is the screenwriter along with Van Damme and also directs the film in which Van Damme stars in. Does it all play out though, not exactly to what some may want or expect. For most Van Damme fans it will please, but for others it'll annoy beyond belief.Van Damme plays French Foreign Legion deserter named Lyon who takes it upon himself to travel to L.A. at whatever cost to help out his brother and sister-in-law who are in need of financial help. For him deserting the Foreign Legion, his captain sends out two spies to try and find him. I'm beginning to see a pattern where Van Damme plays a character that is so devoted to his family that he'll travel half way around the world to see them. He did that for Bloodsport (1988) & Kickboxer (1989). I hope he starts to play some other kinds of characters because this is starting to get too typical for him. Upon getting to L.A., he befriends a bum named Joshua (Harrison Page) who helps him earn a load of money by doing local fights for him.Through Joshua, he then meets Cynthia (Deborah Rennard), the head of some big coporation that sets up these fights. It is here that Lyon acquires his name Lionheart and where he must choose to fight for himself or his family. Now this is an OK plot if it were executed in the right way but that isn't accomplished here. There is not one shred of a background on any character until about some ways into the running time and that's agitating because what does the audience have to connect with? They won't have anyone to sympathize for because no one knows what they're going through except that someone was hurt.The character development is another flaw. It's not that its absent but more of badly placed timing. There are some characters that will all of a sudden change their mind within a split second and expect the audience to be OK with their decision. It doesn't work like that. The characters themselves are nothing to be fond of either. The only two likable individuals are Lyon and Joshua. That is it. The character of Joshua actually has the most character development, which helps make him likable for audiences. Van Damme also shows good emotion but it's hard to watch him and Joshua alone to expect entertainment. None of the other characters stand out or make themselves worth standing out. And some viewers will loathe the Cynthia character. She's mean spirited, two faced and poorly acted by Ms. Deborah Rennard. The choreographed fight scenes are nothing great either. In fact, with every fight, Van Damme's opponents and fight sets get stranger and stranger. For example, an arena made of cars? Why would anyone want to risk their car being damaged in the fight? Or an arena made from a dry pool? Can these people be any cheaper? And the music by John Scott isn't good either. Some of it so out of place it feels like it doesn't belong at all. A hard watch to enjoy.Van Damme and only one of his co-stars are the only things worth watching here. The rest of the cast is forgettable along with silly fight scenes, bad music and extremely schlocky writing.

Van Damme is a celebrated action-star, who's now very rightly so regarded as a legend. 'Lionheart' explores the potential Van Damme has, and I must say, this 1990 film is a must for Van Damme fans. 'Lionheart' stars Van Damme as a paratrooper legionnaire; when his brother is seriously injured he returns to Los Angeles to enter the underground fighting circuit to raise money for his brother's family.'Lionheart' works in parts. The Fight Sequences are Outstanding and all the credit goes to Van Damme. In terms of Writing, the film has some engaging moments that work on it's advantage. Sheldon Lettich's Direction, is plain ordinary. Van Damme is truly the best thing about 'Lionheart'. The actor performs well throughout, and is Outstanding when it comes to Action. He holds the film on his shoulders and does complete justice to his part. If you're a Van Damme fanatic, then 'Lionheart' is your best bet.

Jcvd had been my favorite actors in early 1990s , i still have got his autographed photo he sent me in 1994. Even now in these times he is at least better than that freak Steven seagal. Some times on occasions along with his martial art moves he also delivers a solid performance being an actor like he did in Jcvd and in hell. However in this particular movie he delivered a fantastic performance both as an artist and martial arts tough guy. The fights were i believe after bloodsport were the most best , van dammes kicks were really awesome ,on the other hand he also played another face of a family man. The movie started when is his brother was killed by hired thugs/drug gangs after being set ab lazed , he who is serving in french foreign legion had to escape from his over zealot strict superiors to get to his sis in law and a niece he never saw. Now when he is U.S he s got no home and nothing to live on here he finds organized street fights where money is poured and paid in form of bets. Van damme meets a man named Joshua and shows him the fight skills and impresses him. Then Joshua takes him to Cynthia a very rich woman running the organized underworld fight biz while also she has connections to drug cartels. Inside she is quite vicious mean and cunning lady when she observes Lyon (van damme) s fight potential she is very anxious to capitalize on it. May she has some connection to death of his bro. Lyon for the sake of his remaining family is reluctantly agreed to fight for her while is being pursued by his officers of the legion. His manger Joshua is very concerned and sympathetic for him , always ready to help. i think i perhaps have seen this film some 20 times and still i ve not been bored. Wehn it comes to Van damme i consider it his one real great movie to be remembered.