THE RETURN of Van Damme!

[Xak]

His first big budget hollywood movie since the 90s. LOOKS FREAKIN HILARIOUS

Welcome To The Jungle | trailer #1 US (2014) Jean-Claude Van Damme

[Psycho Punch]

Van Damme, Schwarzenegger and Stallone movies are my favorites. Brainless action movies done right.

[NightWolve]

I was wondering what I'd find clicking in this thread... Would I cringe or what ?? Heh-heh. I thought JCVD was mostly relegated to straight-to-video exile, but this could be something decent enough. A little corny at parts, but I'm sure I would enjoy it. I recently bought "The Hard Corps" just because I'm a reluctant fan of his since "Bloodsport" and "Double Impact" and it was decent enough, but it's too bad his career mostly tanked after "The Quest" and the big budget bomb of a sequel, "Universal Soldier: The Return." If you could've gotten Roland Emmerich to direct it again ("Stargate", "Independence Day", "2012", "The Patriot", etc.) then maybe it would've been worth making and of similar quality to the first one.

Well, I doubted the "big budget" claim on this one so I looked it up:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2193265/

Budget was $3,500,000... I don't think that qualifies as "big," but relative to all the budgets of his previous straight-to-video releases that are only good for a dollar rental, maybe... ;) Anyhow, it's good to see him still at it I suppose.

Edit: Just remembered, recall that he did land a role in Stallone's "Expendables 2" - he was the main villain, so *that* was his first big budget movie since the 90's. Of course it was a success given Sly's idea to take all the great action actors of the 80's/90's and slap 'em all together in tag team action, etc. Supposedly, Sly tried to get JCVD to star in the first one, but he turned it down like a fool. He didn't repeat that mistake given the success of the first one next time around.

[turbokon]

That movie looks funny, I would definitely watch it when it hits theater.  Glad to see there are others that are fans of Van Damne.  Yeah, I love his earlier action flicks, I still watch them every now and then.  A few of his direct to video's are pretty good, "In Hell" and "Assassination Game". "JVCD" was excellent. Him and turbografx were a major part of my childhood.  Those two things were the only things I ever talked about. My cousin actually told me one time he was tried of hearing about Van Damne and turbografx, LOL. First movie of his I ever watched and still my all time favorite is "Bloodsport". I started karate because of this movie. I used to pause his kicks and played it in slow motion so that I can practice them. I got the forms down pretty good. Even to this day, people say my kicking style is like his, which I'm not ashamed of.  I studied kenpo karate thru out high school but it wasn't the style I was looking for. I finally found what I was looking for in Seibukan Karate which I'm still a practitioner of. Say what you will about Van Damne but he was a legit martial artist.

Here is video of me from a few years back kicking on an armless dummie:)

[NightWolve]

Here is video of me from a few years back kicking on an armless dummie:)

Hey, why don't you pick on a dummy with arms?! Are you chicken?

Yeah, I agree with Nulltard, turbokon. That was not a fair fight for dummy not hit back... ;) Picking on defenseless dummies...that's low.

[Xak]

Great technique Turbokon!

But you know this already maaaaaan.

[turbokon]

Lol, I miss that dummy. I had to leave him behind when we moved. I can use a good workout partner  right now.

Thanks Xak:)

[roflmao]

All I can add to this thread is that Expendables 2 was awesome!

And it's on Netflix.

[turbokon]

Agreed rolfmao:)

Just show the teaser for the third.

[NightWolve]

I hate to NecroPhile something of Xak's (I know, I know!), but I wanted to mention I rented this the other night and I was very surprised... It's probably one of the best things JCVD has done in recent memory. His role is kind of short in this though and he suffers from his usual acting issues, so I mostly enjoyed the movie due to the other actors, but it is good he got a role like this to have on his resume.

The plot is a comedic parody of Lord of the Flies basically, and that's about all you can say without ruining it for somebody else. Anyway, I would happily add this to my Movie Picks. Thumbs up, and worth a rental! Glad I took a chance on it.

[esteban]

I still haven't seen this, so thanks for reminding me.

[chany60126]

I saw this movie a couple of weeks ago, and I did not like it. Like Nightwolve said, his role is pretty small in the movie. It boggles me why he's in the center of the DVD cover since he is not the main character. He has very few fight scenes, and the ones that are in there, he executes over exaggerated kicks in slow-motion. I understand it was done this way to add comedic value, but Van Damme is always unintentionally funny in his movies. He is an excellent martial artist, and I would like to have seen him fight more. I am sure he can't move around like he used to back in the early nineties, but something like Expendables 2 would have been good. I did not care at all for the Lords of the Flies movie plot that I had to sit through.

My recommendation, watch another JCVD movie. I watched the movie Sudden Death about a month ago. That movie freakin' rocks! He plays the role of a security guard at the Stanley Cup that tries to take down a terrorist group. You'll see him do anything from fighting with the team mascot, to putting on a pair of ice skates and chasing down the baddies.

[turbokon]

I watched "Welcome to the Jungle" and I thought it was funny.  Also watched "Enemies Closer" where he plays the bad guy.  He was maniac. He sure did played and looked the part.

[Flare65]

Looks like a C-list actor in a starring role over a bunch of D-list actors.

[Ninja16608]

That movie looks funny, I would definitely watch it when it hits theater.  Glad to see there are others that are fans of Van Damne.  Yeah, I love his earlier action flicks, I still watch them every now and then.  A few of his direct to video's are pretty good, "In Hell" and "Assassination Game". "JVCD" was excellent. Him and turbografx were a major part of my childhood.  Those two things were the only things I ever talked about. My cousin actually told me one time he was tried of hearing about Van Damne and turbografx, LOL. First movie of his I ever watched and still my all time favorite is "Bloodsport". I started karate because of this movie. I used to pause his kicks and played it in slow motion so that I can practice them. I got the forms down pretty good. Even to this day, people say my kicking style is like his, which I'm not ashamed of.  I studied kenpo karate thru out high school but it wasn't the style I was looking for. I finally found what I was looking for in Seibukan Karate which I'm still a practitioner of. Say what you will about Van Damne but he was a legit martial artist.

Here is video of me from a few years back kicking on an armless dummie:)

Dancer turned Martial artist, But yes back when he was doing Blood Sport and the like he was one of my favorite actors. I too was/am involved in the Martial arts and I love it. Many tourneys won, national rank yahdda yahdda. Now I just work out when I can. The best part about learning an art is you never forget it just get rusty :-)   Nice form man, how long you been at it. 30 years for me :-)

[turbokon]

Thanks ninja, I've been into martial arts for a little over 20 years now.  I haven't trained consistently since I moved from Kansas over a year ago.  There is no traditional dojo' around here.  The closest where I can train in my style is about 4 hours away.  Right now I sneak in a training on my own whenever I can. 

I have to respectfully disagree with you when say Van Damme was a dancer turned martial artist.  He was a martial artist first and later took Ballet to help with flexibility.

[Ninja16608]

Thanks ninja, I've been into martial arts for a little over 20 years now.  I haven't trained consistently since I moved from Kansas over a year ago.  There is no traditional dojo' around here.  The closest where I can train in my style is about 4 hours away.  Right now I sneak in a training on my own whenever I can. 

I have to respectfully disagree with you when say Van Damme was a dancer turned martial artist.  He was a martial artist first and later took Ballet to help with flexibility.

The story I read was dancer first. They might have been misinformed also. Either way I love the guy and have all his movies. He and Arnold were the big hitters when I was growing up. In any case the splits and the high kicks he did were awesome, although not real to life, as you know the only reason for high kicks/jump kicks was to dismount horse back riders and really has no place in the fights of today except to "finish" an opponent, but man they look flashy :-) After joining my dojo (now closed) I had two street fights and never once lifted my foot past waist/stomach area. Even in the tourneys I would not use the high kicks, it was too easy to get caught :-) Yeah like you I have to sneak in my training when and where I can. Keep at it brother *Bows*

[Tatsujin]

lol, am wathing this right now. so far funney, but at times also way too much over-funney = meh.

[Duo_R]

looks funny, but I think I want to see him in  Expendables 2 first (and I still have to watch the 1st one).

[roflmao]

looks funny, but I think I want to see him in  Expendables 2 first (and I still have to watch the 1st one).

They are both AWESOME!

[turbokon]

Thanks ninja, I've been into martial arts for a little over 20 years now.  I haven't trained consistently since I moved from Kansas over a year ago.  There is no traditional dojo' around here.  The closest where I can train in my style is about 4 hours away.  Right now I sneak in a training on my own whenever I can. 

I have to respectfully disagree with you when say Van Damme was a dancer turned martial artist.  He was a martial artist first and later took Ballet to help with flexibility.

The story I read was dancer first. They might have been misinformed also. Either way I love the guy and have all his movies. He and Arnold were the big hitters when I was growing up. In any case the splits and the high kicks he did were awesome, although not real to life, as you know the only reason for high kicks/jump kicks was to dismount horse back riders and really has no place in the fights of today except to "finish" an opponent, but man they look flashy :-) After joining my dojo (now closed) I had two street fights and never once lifted my foot past waist/stomach area. Even in the tourneys I would not use the high kicks, it was too easy to get caught :-) Yeah like you I have to sneak in my training when and where I can. Keep at it brother *Bows*

Bowing back at you bro;)

[madboom0522]

Now, does everyone forget his big staring role as a gay man?...... Have to watch on youtube very funny....  here we go..


Jean Claude Van Damme is Gay

[Psycho Punch]

Hahah never imagined him in a role like that. Very funny.

[madboom0522]

You have to watch the whole move.... Terrible.....and funny...