Hard Target

Starring: Jean Claude Van Damme, Yancy Butler, Lance Henriksen and Wilford Brimley.
Directed by John Woo

From the blurb on the video...

A daughter drives to Louisiana to find her father, a homeless Vietnam Vet who has gone missing. She meets and enlists the help of Chance Boudreaux (JC Van Damme), a tough Cajun who unwillingly agrees (unwillingly agrees? That's what it says) to help her in her search.

As the two begin asking questions, they stumble upon a horrifying trade in humanity. A group of businessmen are finding homeless vets and using them as prey in real-life, highly costly human hunting games. The loser dies.

My comments YB's performance in this film seemed a bit wooden compared to others however, this is a must-see simply for John Woo's amazing direction. Not that I advocate mindless violence, but WOW! :D Van Damme is okay in one of his only performances where he keeps his shirt on ;) (there is however, one small gratuitous muscle flexing shot). Wilford Brimley sports a strange accent but is kind of loveable as Uncle Douvee and Lance Henriksen is brilliant as always.

My fave YB scene - undoubtedly the "Oh-my-god-is-that-a-snake-I-think-my-eyes-are-going-to-pop-out-of-my-head-scene" - cracks me up every time

Other links

For the credits check out The Internet Movie Database
For details of the missing scenes available in the director's cut, including the love scene that was cut out, check out William S Wilson's comprehensive coverage
From Movie Guide on the US TV Guide site
A site devoted to the the cinema of John Woo
A very brief blurb about Hard Target from DTS an on-line laser disc shop

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