None other than, himself! On the face of it, many might see this film as being a parody/spoof, one not to be taking seriously. Nothing could be further from the truth however, as Van Damme unleashes the cobwebs to produce a performance that will come as a surprise to many people of his adoring fans in Hollywood.
CUSTODY
After a lavish opening credit sequence, used as the back drop to the Belgian star's latest film, we find Van Damme locked in a custody battle with his estranged ex-wife over his daughter. It is obvious from this that the film is going to show Van Damme as a down-on-his-luck, washed-up type, who world is falling apart before our very eyes. Desperate to find funds to keep his case alive, he ventures into the local post office in Brussels, where he is returning for a vacation, only to be unwittingly caught up in a robbery that is mid-way through in its development.
Suddenly, he finds himself being framed for the robbery, with the outcome less than certain for the audience. The local police force have taken their position outside and they believe that Jean Claude is responsible for what has just happened. Van Damme now has a fight on his hands to force the situation back in his, and the hostages, favour and convince the outside world of innocence.
SATIRE
While the film has a very serious matter at its heart, there are still elements of biting satire that it will be extremely pleasing to fans of cinematic culture. There are a number of references to Hong Kong director John Woo, and how Van Damme made him what he is today. One of the robbers even says that Woo would still be "shooting pigeons in Hong Kong", if it wasn't for the 47 year old. There is also an extremely funny gag about Van Damme losing a part to Steven Seagal because the Under Siege actor has agreed to cut off his ponytail.
MONOLOGUE
Performance-wise, there are a number of very enterprising supporting roles played note-perfectly by the likes of Zinedine Soualem and Francois Damiens. However, the film belongs completely to Van Damme. Not afraid to show his vulnerable side, the Muscles From Brussels is clearly very comfortable speaking in his native language which helps to bring the best out of him. His best scene comes in a remarkable five minute monologue to the camera where he movingly opens his heart to all the pain and regret he has and how lucky he feels to have worked in his dream job for so many years.
UK
Anybody who will have seen this film will see immediately that this is many levels above the usual Van Damme film. Yet, it has been marked very poorly in the United Kingdom where, sadly, it didn't get a cinematic release and the DVD cover makes it look like your srtandard Van Damme release. This is an awful shame as more people should see this film and appreciate it for what it is.
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