A bulky suited figure appears (back to camera) wearing
what looks like an inexpensive wig to signal the greying
of years. As the figure approaches a bar not dissimilar
from that found in Desperado his youthful voice reveals
what we already suspect: this is our hero, J.C.V.D., and
don't you ever forget it. This time he is not only
starring and responsible for co-authoring the story line,
but has directed the whole bout: sort of an exercise in
monetary martial arts. In this tale the action superstar,
in the character of Chris DuBois, begins as a clown-faced
Fagin whose heart is in the right place, but hand is in
other people's pockets. Pursued by mobsters and police
alike, he leaps onto a ship, knocking himself out. Upon
awakening, he discovers that he is free from the cops and
robbers only to be chained and shackled by a gang of gun
smuggling Turks. Achieving freedom once again, very much
like Pearl White, as pirates storm the freighter, he
trustingly accompanies the scoundrel Lord Dobbs (Roger
Moore) to Muay Thai Island only to be sold as a fighter.
While indentured and sharpening his fighting skills, he
hears of the Ghang-gheng, a secret invitation-only martial
arts competition of the world's 16 best fighters. Of
course, our boy wants to go. Get the gist? Once we get to
the competition, the prize of which is a golden dragon,
there are lots and lots of fighters, lots of fighting
styles, lots of aggression, and lots of work for Foley
artists.
Janet Gunn as Carrie Newton, the female interest this time
around, carries a cigarette like no other reporter I've
ever seen and James Remar, as J.C.'s ticket to glory,
manages to give the most thinly sliced performance in his
career. Roger Moore looks like he had fun shooting in
Thailand. Phuket. Most notable is the conglomeration of
fighters and fighting styles that Van Damme has gathered
together. Keep an eye open for Brazilian Capoeirista
master Cesar Caneiro and Chinese Wu Shu champion Peter
Wong for performances that resemble dance. And, of
course, who could dismiss the threatening eyebrows of
Abdel Quissi as the threatening Mongolian warrior Khan?
But, no matter how many come to battle, we have no doubt
that the boyish Belgian with the bright blue eyes will win
the day.
Van Damme himself describes the film as "Ben Hur meets The
Man Who Would Be King in Asia, with a touch of an old
Saturday matinee serial." What more is there to say?
© 1994-2006 The Green Hartnett
|
