Customer Reviews

The Hard Corps

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I humbly admit that I am one of Jean Claude's biggest fans. From Cyborg to Replicant, I've stood by him and his array of slightly predictable yet wildly entertaining films. There were hiccups along the way such as Universal Soldier 2, Knock Off and Street Fighter, but overall, JC has put out some of the best action films of the late eighties and nineties.

Unfortunately, I think it's time he throws in the towel and retires from the cinematic limelight. Compared to some of his recent flops, The Hard Corps isn't horrible; it's just bad. The movie is a stretch to hold your attention. You really don't care due to the poor acting, poor script and poor direction of Sheldon Lettich. (BTW, Mr. Lettich knocked out such classics as Bloodsport and Kickboxer, but he has hit the wall in terms of creativity.) Van Damme is known for his martial arts, but the last several films have portrayed him as too old to do what got him to where he is. Maybe he can't do the splits anymore; maybe he can't do a roundhouse anymore, and maybe we just couldn't care less anymore. Where are the vintage scenes from Timecop or Hard Target? These low-budget, B-movie excuses for plot-line are not only painful but boring. It's not even action any more when you can predict the next scene before it happens.

JC, you are an icon. You're one of the best. I implore you to either return to your roots or give it up before you've ruined your reputation beyond repair.

this very enjoyable jean claude van damme movie he is playing a combat vet who just spent the last 3 years fighting in afghanistan and iraq the action scenes are better than his last movie .acting is good a lot more martial arts oriented good action over all must see for van damme fans .

Jean Claude Van Damme plays an ex-soldier who takes a job as a bodyguard for an ex-boxer and businessman who is threatened by a rap artist who has just been released from prison.

While this is not a great movie, not as good as "In Hell", it's entertaining enough and a step up from Van Damme's previous movie, "Second in Command". Van Damme fans should enjoy it.

I agree with one of the other reviews that says that to many fight scenes would have been unfit for the character. I really like this movie. Even though I wouldn't consider it one of my favorites, it was definately worth watching. I truly reccomend this movie to anyone who like van damme.


Thanks for reading my review.

The Hard Corps (2006) is an off-beat, mildly amusing action feature, that makes a bid for the hip hop audience. Action star Jean-Claude Van Damme is Philippe Sauvage, an ex-soldier, now doing personal security work. Retired boxer Wayne Barclay (Razaaq Adoti), needs protection, when Terrell Singletery (Viv Leacock), a man he helped send to prison, is released early. Reluctantly hired by Barclay's sister Tamara (Vivica A. Fox), Sauvage is given complete control over Barclay's security, after he saves the fighter's life in an attempted hit.

Sauvage's assembled team of bodyguards play to mixed reviews, as they foil another attempt on Barclay's life, but the results are not as good at a rally, where the bodyguards apparently take down an innocent man. Barclay likes doing things his way, with his emotions often getting the better of him. Singletery is determined to see Barclay dead, and when he abducts Tamara, it sets the stage for a cartoonish final showdown, which features more of Adoti's fighting skills than Van Damme's.

The film is written and directed by Sheldon Lettich. A frequent collaborator with Van Damme, Lettich also wrote and directed Lionheart (1990), and Double Impact (1991), which featured Dennis Rodman. An action feature that was not meant to be realistic or taken seriously, The Hard Corps mixes gunplay, with a bit of fighting, and a sprinkle of race based humor. Disappointingly this release is fullscreen, without any extras.

The Jean Claude Van Damme Review Matrix (JCVD-RM)

1. Who is he? He's a hallucination-prone, recovering alcoholic, troubled former U.S. soldier Phillippe Sauvage who served in Afghanistan and a few times in Iraq.
2. Which family member/friend must be avenged? His former Sergeant Major, with whom he served multiple tours, was killed in a shootout.
3. Does he take his shirt off? Unbelievably, it doesn't happen.
4. Does he have sex with a C-List actress? It was probably a deleted scene (or will be in the sequel), but JCVD hit the jackpot in this one and he hooked up with Tamara Barclay (Vivica A. Fox). C-List? Pshaw!!
5. Is there a tournament? He trains several novice bodyguards like there is going to be a tournament, but it's just to protect the champ.
6. Is training needed for this tournament? In a surprise twist, JCVD trains others!
7. Does he do the splits in training or in the tournament? The actual splits aren't done, but in the penultimate battle, he does a kick that exposes "Big Jim and the Twins" to the enemy - close enough.
8. Does he punch someone in the balls? No, but one of Wayne's booty-call girls field-goals a thug's balls somewhere near his esophagus.
9. Does he do a series of flying or 360 kicks? Good ol' JCVD, he had me going for a while. He saved the 360-goodness for the very end.
10. Is his enemy unbeatable? Hardly. A group of ignorant thugs who hold their pistols sideways do not a formidable enemy make.
11. Does he overcome an injury or other hindrance? Aside from being fragile and suffering from PTSD, there are no real injuries of which to speak.
12. Does he win? He basically assassinates everyone; so, I'd call that a win.

A former boxer, Wayne Barclay, needs protection from a cliché-ridden Suge Knight wannabe. Eventually, a battle-hardened Sauvage (JCVD sporting a huge, baseball-sized knot on his head throughout the movie) is hired and tasked to build his own security team. The people he plans on hiring are the "hardest of the hard corp," but that basically ends up being one former soldier buddy and a few people from Barclay's gym.

To summarize this movie, I'd borrow a line from Wayne: it's like "pouring water on $*&# and calling it gravy". The convoluted plot, the stereotypical black characters, and the paint-by-numbers approach shouldn't work. It should be ridiculous. Adding JCVD's over-complicated character is brilliant. It's never enough for JCVD to have a drinking problem in a movie; the character has to be riddled with problems and responsible for the My Lai Massacre in order for JCVD to bite. Somehow, however, all of it together simply works.

As far as production value goes, it's slightly better than average for JCVD. It steals bits from several other movies (The Bodyguard, Major League, Four Brothers, Rocky II, Romeo Must Die,New Jack City, Jungle Fever) but ends up providing a relatively new, enjoyable experience. Watch this movie. That's an order, soldier.

I dont like to compare movies instead i would rather judge each on its own merits and quite frankly this Vann Damme movie im glad to have watched! Theres plenty of good action sequences and pretty believeble bad guys all helped make this a Vanny movie to see.
Know one should expect J.C.V.D to be the absolute high kicker he was in premier heydays and should rather expect to see a more matured actor cum action star as in these newer offerings from Vanny are more story biased than balls-out action but with The Hard Corps action fiends will not be dissapointed!!A super effort from the best Martial Arts action /movie star ever to be silver screened..Worth every penny..

What a good thug, action movie. I couldn't go to sleep until the movie was over at 3 am. I've watched it over and over. Can't beat the price.

I enjoyed the movie very much. Even though Van Damme is noticeable aging, he was full of energy as he always was. Seems as though he hasn't lost a step physically, either! Razaaq Adoti played an excellent part as a tough s.o.b. I'd like to see him in more movies. Vivica A. Fox's acting was mediocore and lacklustre as usual. Nevertheless, I liked the plot and the action scenes.

Don't let the other reviews of this movie fool you. Some JCVD fans may be dissapointed due to the minimal martial arts scenes in this film.However, this is not a martial arts movie, it is a suspense drama movie that contains more acting and less fighting. With that in mind, I see this film as a transition for Van Damme who appears to be stepping away from martial arts films and stepping toward suspense movies.

Van Damme delivers an emotional yet highly entertaining
performance as a military veteran who is haunted by an accidental bombing of innocent civilians and many children by terrorists. There are some flash back scenes which vividly show Van Damme's inner struggle to cope with the painful memory of war.
Vivica Fox manages her famous brother who is an ex-athlete turned business man. The bad guys want to "eliminate" Vivica's brother by any means neccessary. Basically, Van Damme is hired as a bodyguard to protect her brother from the bad guys. That is where the movie takes a turn from action to drama. The supporting cast (including the bad guys) are believable. Also, there is a very shocking torture scene involving pitbulls!
Van Damme has truly "stepped up to the acting plate", so to speak.

I rate this movie 5 stars because of the gripping plot and as always, Van Damme shows that he is more than just an athlete & martial artist. He is a highly skilled actor who I see making several more entertaining suspense dramas.