Jean-Claude Van Damme is an established action legend in his own right, thanks in large part to his defining characteristics including his accent, physique and, of course, his handy set of martial arts moves. One of the special tools in his fighting arsenal is the reverse jump kick, a move that the actor will forever remember for its use in many of Van Damme’s films. The leaping reverse kick continues to dazzle audiences both new and old, especially when it’s performed in slow-motion for added dramatic effect. Here’s a list of the best times it’s been used in movies, ranked from cool to absolutely stratospheric.
Jack Quinn Vs. Stavros (Double Team/1997)
Van Damme faced Mickey Rourke in 1997’s Double Team, where they fought in a mine-lit arena. The two were forced to tread carefully while throwing a series of quick attacks at each other. Van Damme’s character Quinn managed to take down Stavros Rourke with a well-timed reverse jump kick that sent him into a frenzy. It was enough for Stavros to lose concentration and step on one of his own mines, which caught him. In the end, he looked into the mouth of a vicious tiger, which struck the jugular vein and eventually triggered the mine, causing a massive chain reaction explosion.RELATED:
The 10 Best Jean Claude Van Damme Fight Scenes.
Luc Deveraux Vs. Andrew Scott (Universal Solider/1992)
Van Damme’s competitive chemistry with Dolph Lundgren was perfectly reflected in the original Universal Soldier, especially in the fight scenes, which showed the former’s smaller physique compared to the latter’s huge presence. Van Damme throws a lot of roundhouse kicks here, but he saves the backspin kick option for last. After throwing a few hard punches, Andrew Scott catches his leg and twists it, allowing Deveraux to immediately counter. Interestingly, Scott twists Deveraux’s ankle in the opposite direction of the kick, which was likely a continuity error.
Christopher Dubois Vs. Khan (The Quest/1996)
By the time 1996 had rolled around, audiences had seen Van Damme’s signature leaping reverse kick so many times that any movie without it felt incomplete. The Quest found him reunited with his Lionheart co-star Abdel Qissi who played the role of the Mongolian fighter Khan. Here, his leaping reverse kick only served to annoy Khan who came back with a devastating hit that knocked Dubois back into the crowd. However, Dubois pressed his attack and continued to beat on Khan until he went down for the count.
Ivan Kraschinsky Vs. Frank Peters (No Retreat, No Surrender/1986)
One of Van Damme’s first uses of the reverse jump kick came during his breakthrough performance in the film No Retreat, No Surrender. In the final act, his character Ivan Kraschinsky battles several opponents in the ring, whom he destroys before finally suffering the same fate. His battle with Frank Peters appears evenly matched at first, but Krashinsky soon manages to strangle him. He finally put an end to Peters by throwing him around the ring like a rag doll before bouncing off the ropes and taking him down with a reverse jumping kick.
Colonel Guile Vs. M. Bison (Street Fighter/1994)
Raul Julia brought a ton of presence to the role of M. Bison in the much-camped 1994 live action Street Fighter movie, and it’s difficult to imagine the film without him. His fight with Van Damme’s Guile is both silly and highly entertaining with Julia bringing an honest believability to the maniacal character. Bison manages to get the upper hand against Guile with his electromagnetic Psycho Crusher attack, but Guile uses it to his advantage by leap-reverse kicking him into his own TV display which triggers a massive explosion…
Kurt Sloane Vs. Tong Po (Kickboxer/1989)
Tong Po remains one of Van Damme’s most menacing and nasty villains. Not only did he paralyze character Kurt Sloane’s brother in a fight, but he also raped a friend and then blackmailed him into putting up a fight. By the time the final act arrived, Sloane was ready for revenge. After beating him unconscious, Tong Po became enraged and attacked him with a torch. Sloan responded with a Thai-style spinning kick that left him wide open for a classic jumping back kick executed in slow motion that allowed Van Damme to moan for an eternity.RELATED:
The 10 Best Jean Claude Van Damme Action Movies Of All Time.
Chad Wagner Vs. Moon (Double Impact/1991)
Van Damme met the hulking Bolo Yung in the 1991 film Double Impact. However, he ultimately got his comeuppance in the final act when Jung Moon’s character attacked him and tried to kill him with a heavy gun. Van Damme’s character Chad was better prepared for the fight almost from the start and managed to take a good beating. Moon grew increasingly angry and charged at Chad in a rage, only to be kicked to the face by a reverse kick from Van Damme. The blow turned the tide of the fight, stunning Moon long enough for Chad to land a few more kicks before sending him into the electrical fuse box.
Gibson Rickenbacker Vs. Chain Thug (Cyborg/1989)
One of Van Damme’s first sci-fi ventures was 1989’s Cyborg, in which he played Gibson Rickenbacker, a mercenary “slinger” hired to escort a young woman carrying information about a cure for a deadly plague. Along the way, he is attacked by pirates led by Fender Tremolo, a brutal fighter who wants to monopolize the cure. Van Damme does a particularly unique jumping reverse kick after a bandit wielding a chain manages to tangle his ankle, causing Rickenbacker to swoop in and slit the bandit’s throat with a knife hidden in the toe of his boat.
Frank Dux Vs. Chong Li (Bloodsport/1988)
After beating Chong Li down in the final fight of Bloodsport, the latter decides to cheat by throwing a ground up salt pill in Frank Dux’s face which blinds him and leaves him wide open for attack. Chong Li begins beating on Frank Dux to the point where it seems like the match has been lost. However, Dux implements his early training under the wise tutelage of his sensei Senzo Tanaka and counters Chong Li’s attacks. To add insult to injury, he nails Chong Li dead in the face with not one, not two, not three…but four leaping reverse kicks that put him face-down in the mat.