Martial Arts News

Jean-Claude Van Damme Fights For His Daughter in THE BOUNCER

In The Bouncer, Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as Lukas, a tough nightclub bouncer struggling to raise his 8-year-old daughter. One day, Lukas loses control during an altercation with a client and ends up in jail, while his daughter is taken away from him. Things take an unexpected turn when Interpol recruits Lukas to bring down a Dutch ringleader operating from Belgium in exchange for his daughter’s custody.
Directed by Julien Leclercq (The Assault, The Crew) and charged with intense action, The Bouncer is a must-see for fans of tough, gritty cinema that pulls no punches. Like the rest of the directorial credits of Julien Leclercq, The Bouncer (also known as Lukas) is set in a gritty, urban, almost noir-esque world. The settings and storylines focus on the downtrodden and the ignored, and this film is no different. What is different is to see Jean Claude Van Damme in this world.
This film is unlike the colorful action extravaganzas an audience has come to expect from Van Damme. It is a far cry from films like Universal Soldier, Street Fighter or the ‘amazing’ Double Team. More recently, Van Damme has become known for a more meta-type of film/TV, by playing himself in JCVD, or a slightly more humorous version of himself in the TV series Jean Claude Van Johnson. What he isn’t known for is a gritty, down to earth French film, which The Bouncer tries to present itself as.
The first time combination of Leclercq with Jérémie Guez was influenced by the gritty, down to earth style of French urban cinema from the last few decades, with hints of Le Haine (1995) and Un Prophète (2009) to name but a few, permeating through The Bouncer. Over the shoulder camera angles allows the audience to feel central to the action, part of the fight scenes and linked emotionally to central characters.
Narek Hakobyan

Leave a Comment
Share
Published by
Narek Hakobyan
3 years ago

Recent Posts

Elementor #58687

Take Cover (2024) Take Cover is a 2024 British action thriller film directed by Nick…

2 months ago

The 11 Most Violent Action Movies of All Time, According to Reddit

11. 'Punisher: War Zone' (2008) Although ignored by critics and mainstream audiences, Punisher: War Zone…

2 months ago

Best Scenes From Universal Soldier – Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren

About Universal Soldier (1992) Universal Soldier is a 1992 American military science-fiction action film directed…

2 months ago

“I’ve never been so scared in my life”: Even the Rambo Sylvester Stallone Was Afraid for His Life During This Helicopter Stunt

Sylvester Stallone cemented his place among Hollywood's top action stars with his breakthrough with the…

2 months ago

Every Rambo Movie Ranked, According To Critics

Like Sylvester Stallone's franchise "Rocky", the series "Rambo" has become an integral part of the…

2 months ago

Yuri Boyka vs. Rocky Balboa – Who Would Win?

Yuri Boyka Yuri Boyka He is a Russian prison fighter who once reigned over the…

3 months ago