Yancy Butler Movie:

Editorial Review:
Jean-Claude Van Damme, "the Muscles from Brussels," has sought to revitalize his flagging career by working with the most adrenalized directors from Hong Kong action films. His first such effort was this, the umpteenth remake of The Most Dangerous Game, which teamed him with Hong Kong's most fluid action poet, John Woo. Woo does what he can but, as much magic as he injects into the action, he can't turn Van Damme into an actor. Still, this is above-average fare for the wooden Belgian, in which he plays a guy trying to bust a ring of hunters who pay for the right to track and kill human quarry. And Woo has the ever-reliable Lance Henriksen as the chief bad guy, always a plus. --Marshall Fine

Hard Target [Region 2] Reviews:
John Woo makes his American film debut, down in bayou country . . .
2009-11-01 - Directed by John Woo, Hard Target (1993) was the acclaimed Hong Kong director's first film for an American studio. Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme (Timecop), the film features some of Woo's trademark techniques for action and violence, involving fights, shootouts, pyrotechnics, and vehicular stunts. While the story itself is pure fantasy, Hard Target is a rather entertaining comic book adventure that features a high level of violence, presented straightforwardly without a high degree of humor.

Set in New Orleans, the story revolves around a mysterious group led by Emil Fouchon (Lance Hendrickson), that arranges for wealthy clients to hunt humans like prey. The victims are usually down on their luck, ex-military vets, who are promised a large sum of money if they survive the deadly game. Coming from the success of Universal Soldier (1992), Van Damme was entering his prime. As Chance Boudreaux, he comes to the aid of Natasha `Nat' Binder (Yancy Butler) whose missing father is a losing player in Fouchon's game. As the pair look into the disappearance of the woman's father, they soon learn his fate. Things start to unravel, and the body count starts to climb, as Boudreaux finds himself the target of Fouchon's motley group of recreational killers.

Fouchon is menacing and talks tough, but does not have the fighting skills or stones, to back it up. Number two heavy, Pick Van Cleef (Arnold Vosloo), is pretty mean and evil, in a two dimensional way, and certainly looks the part, but his exit from the film is rather lame. Yancy Butler (Witchblade) does a good job at looking scared, shocked, and surprised. What scant intentional humor there is, comes from Wilford Brimley, who plays Boudreaux's Uncle Douvee. With a heavily overdone Cajun accent, Mr. Oatmeal takes on armed baddies with his bow and arrow.

The premise that manhunts could take place in the middle of New Orleans is pretty absurd, but with some nicely done action sequences, Hard Target is worth a look just to view John Woo's pyrotechnic style. Woo apparently wanted some script changes before he would agree to direct, and then when Van Damme was cast, the level of action was amped up. The strong supporting cast allows the focus to widen from just being about Van Damme. From here, Woo would put things together, in films like Broken Arrow (1996), and Face/Off (1997).

Half-hearted US debut for action maestro John Woo
2009-10-15 -
HARD TARGET

(USA - 1993)

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Theatrical soundtracks: DTS / Dolby Stereo

Whilst searching New Orleans for a friend who's fallen on hard times, a brave sailor (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is targeted by wealthy sadists (led by Lance Henriksen) who hunt human prey through the city's underbelly.

It's no surprise to find Sam Raimi's name in the credits of this high-profile entry, the US debut of acclaimed action director John Woo; both men earned their dues in the low budget arena before breaking into mainstream features (on opposite sides of the world), and both have become standard-bearers for subsequent generations of commercial filmmakers. Unfortunately, Chuck Pfarrer's shallow script jettisons the heartfelt melodrama of Woo's Hong Kong output (BULLET IN THE HEAD, HARD-BOILED, etc.) and concentrates instead on action for its own sake, demonstrating a singular lack of trust in Woo's ability to court American sensibilities. The director's visual style remains largely intact, however, including his obsessive fascination with weaponry and gunfire, while Van Damme replaces Chow Yun-fat as Woo's stateside hero of choice (the action star is rendered exquisitely beautiful by Russell Carpenter's worshipful camera).

Needless to say, the action scenes are choreographed with grace and conviction (Van Damme never punches an opponent when a flying kick will do the job just as well!), and Henriksen makes a formidable villain (performing his own fire stunt in one of the film's most breathtaking sequences). But the scenario rings entirely hollow, despite fine production values and a capable cast, including heroine Yancy Butler, boo-hiss henchman Arnold Vosloo, and Eliott Keener (BORN WILD) as a sleazy porn merchant who suffers for his association with Henriksen. Look out for the witty visual homages to both LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) and OPERA (1987), demonstrating Woo's mastery of the visual medium and his appreciation of movie history.


Better than Mardi Gras
2009-03-04 - The Jean Claude Van Damme Review Matrix (JCVD-RM)

1. Who is he? Chance Boudreaux, the annual winner of New Orleans' "Worst permullet" contest.
2. Which family member/friend must be avenged? A fellow homeless vet
3. Does he take his shirt off? He stays in the same horrible jean jacket the entire movie
4. Does he have sex with a C-List actress? I was crossing my finger for him, but it didn't work out
5. Is there a tournament? No tournament, just a hunt
6. Is training needed for this tournament? He got some military training earlier in life
7. Does he do the splits in training or in the tournament? The only splits are of the flying kick variety
8. Does he punch someone in the balls? Unbelievably, all cojones remain safe
9. Does he do a series of flying or 360 kicks? Awesome collection of kicks in this one, it's like JCVD was doing tricks. He knocks out a guy's cigar, makes another guy spit, and takes off some designer glasses with another roundhouse.
10. Is his enemy unbeatable? Like most rich people, they think they are...that is, until they've met JCMFVD!
11. Does he overcome an injury or other hindrance? He gets shot, beat, and burned.
12. Does he win? With the help of his "Cajun" uncle (Brimley), the good guys win yet again.

An opening sequence of ominous villains - led by the ever-capable Emil Fouchon (Henrikson) and creepy henchman Pik van Cleef (Vosloo) - with high-powered bows of some kind, hunting a beleaguered, downtrodden man foreshadows the type of awesome premise that JCVD typically nails. In this John Woo production, however, it symbolizes the stylized excess that is the cinema version of sugar cookie, covered in frosting, deep fried inside divinity - it was just a bit much.

Gorgeous Natasha Binder (Yancy Butler) is looking for her father, the aforementioned moving archery target, a homeless man with whom she barely conversed. She quickly enlists the help of Chance Boudreaux, a local drifter and combat veteran, to find her father. Together, the twosome discovers a local reenactment of The Most Dangerous Game, where rich men hunt poor ex-military men for sport.

Tons of great action ensues, but a few bad scenes are present. One has JCVD surfing on a speeding motorcycle as it approaches an SUV filled to the brim with bad guys firing automatic weapons. A few scenes later there is an incredibly lame scene where he punches a rattle snake; although, the snake later takes a pistol between the fangs in a gloriously explosive death. The final showdown comes in a huge warehouse that is evidently a graveyard for Mardi Gras floats as well as an ordinance depot. Guns, arrows, explosions, kicks, punches, flips...saturation. Nonstop, adrenaline pumping action, it's just a bit too much, even for a JCVDaholic like me.

Another great Jean-Claude Van Damme
2008-10-17 - Arrived in perfect condition for a good price. I love VHS because there's no skipping involved.

One Of Van Damme's Best
2008-09-14 - Hard Target is clealry of the best movies Van Damme ever made. Van Damme movies where he picked up a gun were never that good but here with the cinematography and stylish vison of John Woo, Van Damme gives a good performance still has a chance for a few karate scenes and makes one of the best action movies of the nineties. Lance Henikrsen( whose always good) and Arnold Vosloo make great bad guys. Yancy Butler is sexy as hell (even though a T&A scene would have been good.) If you 've never seen this film check it out it's one of Van Damme best and Woo's first Amercian film.