JCVD (2008) Review

Action heroes dominated 1980s and 90s cinema marquees. Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis were at the top of their games, while Jackie Chan became an international icon. Superstars like Harrison Ford, Kurt Russell and Mel Gibson balanced action roles with major dramatic work, and even Steven Seagal was taken seriously (for a little while, anyway). Jean-Claude Van Damme was one such name in lights- the flexible Belgian dynamo who combined Willis’ charm with Chan’s acrobatic showmanship. For a time, he was a major box-office draw.

Ultimately it was not meant to last. Like many of his contemporaries, such as Seagal and Dolph Lundgren, Van Damme’s star rather quickly dimmed. His films grew smaller, stranger and easier to overlook. Unlike Seagal, though, it was not for lack of effort or talent on his part. He consistently worked with interesting directors, like Ringo Lam, John Woo and Tsui Hark, and was a fixture on the direct-to-video scene. It was in one of these lower-budget pictures that Van Damme proved he was a better actor than he had ever been given credit for- 2008’s ‘JCVD’.

Directed by Mabrouk El Mechri, ‘JCVD’ is something of a potpourri of genres- part heist thriller, part self-aware satire, part grounded comic-drama. It follows Van Damme as a fictionalised version of himself, whose career has hit the skids and whose personal life is falling apart. On a trip home to his native Belgium, he becomes embroiled in an intense hostage crisis- a situation not unlike one of his classic blockbusters; though far more unpredictable.

A kind of bridge between ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ and ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,’ it is engaging and well-written, confidently moving between tension, humour and melancholy. El Mechri uses the hostage situation as a pressure cooker for everything the central character has been carrying- namely his past failures, both personal and professional. The film’s portrayal of Van Damme is that of a man whose best years- and peak achievements- are far behind him, openly satirising his image, skewering the vanity, missteps and faded glory that once defined his career.

Offering a surprisingly nuanced portrait of celebrity, the narrative explores the loneliness of commodification, the absurdity of public expectation and the emotional toll of watching your own myth outgrow you. It’s reminiscent of the William Shatner song ‘Real’, wryly reminding us that saving the world on screen does not make one equipped to do so in reality.

El Mechri’s exploration of these themes- in addition to the comedy therein- never feels heavy-handed or tacked-on, rather emerging naturally throughout the course of the narrative. His snappy dialogue and characterisation are strong and believable, while high-octane moments of well-choreographed action remain measured and purposeful rather than gratuitous.

Director of photography Pierre-Yves Bastard’s cinematography, alongside André Fonsny’s production design, reinforces the naturalistic tone. Shot with a gritty, desaturated palette, ‘JCVD’ boasts an immersive, lived-in aesthetic that feels miles away from the glossy action vehicles Van Damme once headlined. Handheld camerawork and naturalistic lighting give proceedings a raw immediacy, while the cramped interiors emphasise the sense of a man boxed in by circumstance- and by his own past.

Gast Waltzing’s score complements the mood, though isn’t particularly memorable, while editor Kako Kelber keeps the narrative moving at a brisk pace, maintaining tension without sacrificing the quieter, more introspective moments- a 6 minute one-take monologue Van Damme delivers straight to camera being a particular highlight.

As the titular character, Van Damme delivers what is easily the finest performance of his career thus far. Playing a fictionalised version of himself could have easily just been a gimmick, but he approaches the role with a disarming self-awareness. He appears tired, bitter- broken, even. It is a performance brimming with nuance and depth, while also showing Van Damme doesn’t take his image too seriously. His co-stars- particularly François Damiens and Karim Belkhadra- are uniformly strong, contributing to the film’s gritty atmosphere and understated comedy.

Although his box-office bankability failed to outlast some of his biggest contemporaries, ‘JCVD’ lands an emotional punch, serving as a compelling corrective that reframes Jean-Claude Van Damme as more than the image he once projected. Well-written, atmospheric and strongly acted, it works on multiple levels, and is a rare star vehicle that dismantles the star at its centre, revealing, in this case, a performer of surprising depth and sensitivity. Who knew the Muscles from Brussels’ most powerful move would be showing vulnerability?