The Last Mercenary (2021) – 58%
“The Last Mercenary” gave Van Damme a chance to fake the action movies he filmed for two decades. In the film, he plays a government agent known as Tuman, who returns to France to help his son, accused of a crime he did not commit. Van Damme plays here completely, he can laugh at himself and show how funny he really is. Rotten Tomatoes critics praised Van Damme in the film, called him “self-aware” and praised his lines as “tired good mood”.
Hard Target (1993) – 60%
While Bloodsport made Van Damme a star, Hard Target really caught the attention of critics. This movie was a loose remake of the classic The Most Dangerous Game where John Woo made his Hollywood debut in this action movie. Van Damme plays Chance Boudreau, a homeless veteran who helps a woman find her missing father in New Orleans. Critics praised Wu’s direction and Lance Henriksen as the bad guy, stating that Wu’s portrayal of Van Damme was as reverent as Sergio Leone’s portrayal of Clint Eastwood.
The Expendables 2 (2012) – 67%Â
Sylvester Stallone had a brilliant idea when he took his fellow action heroes of the 80s and 90s and brought them all together in a big-budget action movie. It only made sense that when The Expendables 2 turned around, Van Damme joined the fray. What was great was that he showed up as a bad guy named Jean Vilaine, and it’s no surprise that he was part of the best action scenes in the Expendables franchise. Van Damme proved he was still just as funny, realizing why he’s famous.RELATED:
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Minions: The Rise Of Gru (2022) – 70%Â
Van Damme joined the cast of Despicable Me in its latest installment, Minions: The Rise of Gru, playing a character named Gene Claws. Van Damme was a member of the Vicious 6 who had a mechanical lobster claw on his right hand. One Rotten Tomatoes critic said the film was “brought to life by talented voice acting” and of course Van Damme was part of that.
Enemies Closer (2013) – 79%
What was unusual about this movie was that it gave Van Damme the chance to play a villain in an action movie. He plays Xander, a gang leader who wanted to find drugs lost in the woods. Tom Everett Scott and Orlando Jones play heroes, former enemies turned allies, but Van Damme really stole the show when he appeared alongside the film’s stars. It’s rare for an action star to play a villain, so fans should definitely check it out.
The Bouncer (2018) – 80%Â
The Bouncer was a 2018 action movie that was darker and a bit more serious than most Van Damme films. In the film, he plays a bouncer named Lucas, who is ultimately forced to protect his daughter when his own actions put a target in her head. Van Damme eschews the humor he brought to later roles, and here it has taken on a darker and more raw undertone. There’s nothing in The Bouncer, but it showed that Van Damme still has a lot to offer action movies, even in his later years.RELATED:
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No Retreat, No Surrender (1986) – 80%Â
Jean-Claude Van Damme’s oldest film to be critically acclaimed by Rotten Tomatoes was his 1986 film No Retreat, No Surrender. It was a breakthrough for Van Damme and the first American film directed by Corey Yuen. The film pays homage to Bruce Lee, with a fictional version of the martial artist appearing as a ghost. Van Damme plays a karate student named Jason Stillwell who defends his dojo from a villainous group that wants to destroy them.
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) – 80%
“Kung Fu Panda 2” in this film, Van Damme took on the role of Master Krok, one of the kung fu masters who were subdued by Lord Shen. The sequel was a huge improvement on the original. The animation was impressive, and the story is a little darker, more mature, and more enjoyable. Critics praised the animation and said the film “never loses sight of its purpose:
JCVD (2008) – 84%
JCVD In this film, he plays an incredible fictionalized version of himself as he struggles with a career decline and then finds himself at the center of a bank robbery in Belgium. Since people know him as action hero Jean-Claude Van Damme, the actor has to figure out how he can handle the situation. He delivers an emotional and self-deprecating performance that could be the best performance of his career.