Hard Target (1993)

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Van Damme is usually criticized for his acting, but I do enjoy watching him. Maybe it is his boyish good looks or 'unique' acting that draws me to his films. As for Lance Henriksen, I've been a big fan since I first saw him in 'Pumpkinhead'. He is just such an amazingly versatile, good actor.Lets face it, if you're looking for a good plot, you won't find it here. If you're looking for non-stop action, then you've chosen the perfect movie. The action scenes are great - typically John Woo style. (Also typically Woo style are the terrible bad guy shooters. I mean these guys shoot rounds of ammo without hitting a single target!!). I'll forgive the film's bad plot by compensating on the awesome action scenes. The action deluxe climax scene was fantastic, with stunning effects and visuals. This is indeed a very entertaining film.

This movie is really a delight if you like action movies. Van Damme must be a very likable guy in real life I bet. I gave this a higher rating than Timecop because there is more action, and the villains are a little more despicable. It is set in surrounding areas of Louisiana and New Orleans. Van Damme is a poor man, who happens to get caught up in a conspiracy of other homeless people being hunted for sport. A shady underground organization preys on city homeless at times of government shutdowns, and uses the streets as a hunting ground. This movie could have been helped by a little bit of romance between the two lead characters. Yancy Butler could have at least helped the character by at least showing some platonic affection towards Van Damme's character; I would have given this a 10 if that were true.

Fantastic movie. I drifted off a bit towards the end, but the whole thing was just superb. If you looked at that script on paper you would just go "yeah, and...?" but John Woo completely takes it and turns it into something made of fire and music. OK, a lot of it is cheesy, but in an enjoyable 90s way, with probably the most amount of slow-motion I've ever seen in a film, more camera movement than if you attached a GoPro to a excitable puppy for two hours, an incredible number of explosions and some great dialogue (in particular I liked "Wakey, Wakey... you fat f***!" and "You are a f****** buffalo!") Van Damm is excellent. He is really able to handle the emotional side of the story well. Sure, he's not Marlon Brando, but he is WAY better than what passes for an action star these days. I mean he is pretty good at times to be honest, despite having little to work with. Anyway, the main thing is that he kicks a few people really hard and ends up in a vest doing back-flips through fire. I mean that's all that really matters in life, isn't it? Notable castings include Lance Henriksen (an absolute pro), Arnold Vosloo (menacing and really creates a wonderful secondary bad guy), Yancy Butler (gorgeous and exciting) and character actor Wilford Brimley who is doing a French accent so terrible that you would think his prep for the role involved watching the German dubs of the Peter Sellers Pink Panther movies.

There's a hard edge to "Hard Target" befitting of a John Woo actioner. It's got all of the man's touches: balletic shootouts, dual-wielding Berettas, those damn doves, slo-mo peppered throughout. And I found the subject matter fairly dark: rich jagoffs hunting man for sport - homeless veterans, to be precise. My issue with this movie, aside from the pacing issues (it ever really takes of, it marches)is that such a harsh premise is played for schlock value.It's what this movie is "on paper" that I found so amusing. The bad guys here are led by Lance Henriksen (legit) . . . and that dude from "The Mummy". Van Damme here is unleashing pain with a mullet of almost superhero proportions (I dug that tuck-n-roll over a speeding SUV). And then at some point, very late in the game, Wilford Brimley shows up as some sort of Bayou hillbilly. What was the casting director smoking on that day? The icing on this weird cake of doom is Sam Raimi's name with a producer credit.WTH, indeed.6/10