Comparing the career arcs of martial arts blockbuster icons isn’t easy, and some argue it’s impossible. On the one hand, side-by-side box office comparisons are a seemingly obvious ploy. Conversely, a career is much more than successful movie roles, especially when it comes to the legacy of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal. Although both Van Damme and Segal were adamant about their rights in the 80s and 90s, we put them side by side to see whose careers went more favorably for decades.
Lasting Legacy in Film (Based on Ratings)
Looking at the top-rated films, Seagal received a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes for Fan Favorite Under Siege and JCVD with a 92% for 2018’s Kickboxer: Retaliation. While both actors dominated the 80s and 90s, the slow burn through of the outdated stages of their careers is noteworthy. Blockbuster success doesn’t necessarily mean critical success, which both stars suffer from. After all, Seagal and Van Damme are both martial artists first and actors and artists second.Who is More Accomplished in the Martial Arts Community?
JCVD boasts a daunting amount of awards and accolades compared to its contemporaries, including: gold at Mr. Belgian Bodybuilding Championships at 76 (Gold), Belgian Lightweight Karate Championships at 77- m (gold), karate Belgium. European Team Championship in 1979 (gold) and the Belgian Coupe des Espoirs Karate Championship in 1980 (silver). His full roster of light contact and kickboxing competitions shows he has serious business on and off screen in mind.Seagal is by no means an amateur, but in his upbringing he went a different way. In fact, he holds a 7th dan black belt in aikido, a discipline based not so much on fighting as on situational awareness. Seagal has no awards, but it is worth noting that he ran his father-in-law’s dojo in Japan in his early years. While Segal clearly has moves in his films, he is objectively a lesser titled fighter than Van Damme.