Great Film: Hard Target
Don't watch what you can't enjoy!
Typical of the absurd criticism comes the way of most any Van Damme film is
a reviewer I noticed below, who protractedly raves on paragraph after
paragraph about nothing more incidental than the credibility-challenging
motor cycle sequence. Jesus wept, what the hell does it matter whether such
is possible or not? Is the freeway chase in THE MATRIX or TERMINATOR 3
likely? We go to the movies primarily to be entertained....to take a step
into a world where reality takes a rain-check half the time! HARD TARGET is
right up there with Van Damme's best work, and yes he DOES work. Personally
I consider it his best film. Being Woo's first American outing, he
creatively put a lot into this. Although scaled down, I found it equally as
entertaining as FACE OFF, which like BROKEN ARROW, offered insane,
impossible but FUN action sequences.
HARD TARGET is a stylistic film that although admittedly ripped off from THE
MOST DANGEROUS GAME (but so too was THE RUNNING MAN and DOGBOYS) delivers
some superb sequencies. Van Damme is NOT wooden, he's not one half-bad Cajun
with a real bad attitude. Matter of fact, HARD TARGET succeeds because it
has that one vital spark necessary to any worthwhile flick - interesting
characters! Vosloo (Before THE MUMMY) is absolutely great as Henriksen's
right hand man. A professional killer with no shred of decency. Er, thats
what a killer is SUPPOSED to be! When he utters that line "Randall,
Randall, Randall!" you just know that Randall is about to have a real bad
day! Henriksen chews up the film as the soul-less Fouchon....he even goes
out with class...
"Oops!"
Yancy Butler is not one to ignore either. Spunky little thing who took her
charisma to another level in DROP ZONE! And dear old Wilf Brimley as
Chance's reliable and feisty Uncle. He almost steals the
film.
If you don't like this one you're really hard to please and if you wanna
complain about Van Damme's acting again? for God's sake go watch THE ENGLISH
PATIENT.
Cast
- Emil Fouchon played by Lance Henriksen
- Chance Boudreaux played by Jean-claude Van Damme
- Douglas Binder played by Chuck Pfarrer
- Mr. Lopacki played by Robert Apisa
- Pik Van Cleef played by Arnold Vosloo
- Frick played by Douglas Forsythe Rye
- Frack (as Michael D. Leinert) played by Mike Leinert
