JCVD Reviews
- Twitch: Review (September 5, 2008)
- Variety: JCVD Review (May 18, 2008)
- Film Junk: TIFF: JCVD Review (September 6, 2008)
- ScreenGrab: Fantastic Fest JCVD Review
- Cinematical: JCVD Review (September 7, 2008)
JCVD Reviews
Read reviews of JCVD, an action film that pokes fun at the life of movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme. Reviewers found the film to be better than they had expected, in most cases.
In the satiric film, Van Damme is out of money and is losing every action role to film rival, Steven Segal. In addition to his financial difficulty, Van Damme is fighting for custody of his daughter. Unable to cope, he escapes back to his native Brussels, where he gets himself into an even more difficult situation.
Fast Facts
- Director: Mabrouk El Mechri
- Jean-Claude Van Damme known as the '"Muscles from Brussels"1
- Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Francois Damiens, Zinedine Soualem, Karim Belkhadra
- Writers: Frederic Benudis, Mabrouk El Mechri and Christophe Turpin
- Tagline: Be Aware
- Release date: November 7, 2008 in the United States
- Premiered: June 4, 2008 in France and Switzerland
Synopsis
Jean-Claude Van Damme tries to escape his problems by returning to Brussels. There he is involved in a real-life hostage situation similar to those he encounters in his film roles. He is forced to take on the police and the perpetrators in a conflict that captures the attention of the world.
Critic Quotes
"That JCVD is able to show you a new face to its star and subject at all makes it a major accomplishment. That it does so with such an incredible sense of style, insight, and pure entertainment value makes it a revelation. Ladies and gentlemen, after spending decades turning out lowest-common-denominator action pictures Jean Claude Van Damme has just made a truly great film. No matter what criteria you may use to judge it - scripting, cinematography, humour, action, even dramatic performance - JCVD is one remarkable piece of work. Yes, I flat out love this film." -Todd Brown, TIFF Review2
"Baffled. Befuddled. Bewildered. That about sums up my experience watching JCVD, one of the most anticipated movies at this year's Fantastic Fest. The advance buzz on the film was flush with comparisons to Being John Malkovich, but that’s a reach. Maybe it's just that I'm not steeped in the minutiae of Jean-Claude Van Damme's career, or there's something about the Belgian sensibility that eludes me, but while it certainly has its moments, JCVD mainly left me scratching my head." -Scott Von Doviak, Fantastic Fest Review3
"Still, although the concept could have easily been a disaster, JCVD is way better than it has any business being. It’s clever, well acted, and well directed, and simply a lot of fun. I don’t think it’s quite the masterpiece that some are making it out to be, and I don’t know if it will necessarily revitalize his career, but it’s certainly more respectable than just about anything he’s ever done." -Sean, TIFF Review4
