The Muscles from Brussels has had a long and impressive career, which almost kicked off as the Predator in the first Predator film. Most fans know Jean-Claude Van Damme best as the international superstar of dozens of films starting in the 1980s through the 2020s. As one of the most recognizable martial arts action movie actors in the world, there are a lot of things that seem to happen in Van Damme’s movies that typify them.
Competitions:
Unlike many of his contemporary action stars, a large number of JCVD’s films, particularly the early ones, take place as part of fighting tournaments, such as the infamous Bloodsport. This fits with his background in competitive full-contact karate. While other comparable actors have also participated in tournaments in the past, few of them have depicted competitions in their films. Not with the prominence of JCVD, at least.
Training Montage:
No one does a training montage like Jean-Claude Van Damme. There’s a montage in virtually every one of his films, with a notable example being Double Team, although this generally holds true for any of his movies that feature some sort of martial arts competition. Given JCVD’s incredible skills, they’re usually pretty damn impressive. The hero has to get ready to face the bad guys somehow and nothing speeds the process up like a montage. South Park taught everyone that years ago.
Takes A Beating:
While Van Damme is in unbelievable shape and is a well trained martial artist, that doesn’t stop his characters from losing a fight or two. Unlike contemporaries such as Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme gets beat up a surprising amount in his movies. For example, he really doesn’t fair well in a couple of those Lionheart fights. Ultimately, these beatdowns just make the comeback that much more satisfying when he finally takes on and defeats the bad guys. It’s a big part of the build-up to the finale.RELATED:
11 Ultimate Facts About Jean Claude Van Damme’s Bloodsport.
Avenging:
One of the key points that comes up in several films with JCVD in the main role is the place. He constantly wants to avenge someone’s death, be it parents in “Double Strike”, brother in “Kickboxer” or wife in “Death Awakening”. Sometimes Van Damme tries to take revenge for past mistakes, but it seems that he is always burdened by guilt. Even the greatest movie heroes need some motivation.
Leaping 360 Degree Kick:
One of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s signature moves is the always impressive 360-degree spin kick. Seeing him leap off the ground and perform that full turn while kicking an opponent in the face never seems to get old. It happens a lot but there are some choice kicks in Bloodsport and Kickboxer. Whether the move would be successful in actual competition or in a real fight is irrelevant; it looks amazing on the big screen, and in the end, that’s what matters. If filmmakers were worried about reality, the entire industry would fall apart.
Groin Shots:
JCVD’s other signature move is a lot less honorable but no less memorable. The man is infamous for performing his epic splits, then punching his opponent straight in the groin. The Mortal Kombat character Johnny Cage was very much based on Van Damme, which is why he has such a similar move in his repertoire. Nothing like watching a fighter crotch shot is way out of a bad fight, the best of the best being in Bloodsport which he uses to wipe out a sumo wrestler. Ric Flair has been doing it successfully for decades, and he can get you from any angle.
Intense Fight Scenes:
Anyone who has watched a Van Damme film knows that things can get pretty rough. Movies like Bloodsport more than proved that. His fight scenes can be surprisingly intense, so much so that JCVD reputedly does not like shooting those scenes in the United States. It’s been said that Van Damme is concerned about liability issues and potential lawsuits. True or not, it does paint a picture of how intense he gets when shooting his fights.RELATED:
The 10 Best Jean Claude Van Damme Action Movies Of All Time.
Showing Off His Physique:
In a Van Damme film, it is guaranteed that, without question, viewers are going to get a good look at the man’s body. Someone doesn’t compete in full contact karate as long as JCVD without developing an impressive physique, which he has in spades. Kickboxer and Cyborg are just two examples of this. For anyone who wants a nice look at Van Damme’s rear end, check out Universal Soldier. Jean-Claude Van Damme is more than likely going to disrobe, either in a fight, a training montage, or in a love scene, possibly all three in one movie.