Really? I thought Double Impact was fucking terrible.
My top 5:
1. Bloodsport
Easily one of the best low budget films that worked. A cast full of hard working actors that were hungry to make it big aswell as some genre greats making comebacks (if only for a few moments). This boasts some of the greatest fight scenes ever commited to film and spawned a shitload of imitators (my favorite was Bloodmatch).
2. Death Warrant
This had a tense atomosphere and is a really great prision exploitation flick. The last role I remember Cynthia Gibb in which is a pity she had a really likeable personality as a actress. Patrick Kilpatrick was a great villian similar to Richard Lynch in style (why these guys aren't utilised is beyond me.... no doubt tared and feathered by film snobbery).
3. Wrong Bet
Lionheart to you guys but I always thought that name sucked. Somewhere inbetween Rocky/Rambo/Death Wish and of course a reworked Bloodsport theme (done a lot better although not as bloodthirsty and nasy minded as Kickboxer). Great story with a lot of heart (hahaha) that's raw, brutal and believable unlike the slick Hollywood Nowhere To Run (which was part of the tuff action hero turning S.N.A.G era). I don't see this around as much as I used to but I'll always have a soft spot for it.... perhaps his best role. Down to earth story that had you rooting for the good guy because you believed in what he was fighting for.
4. Hard Target
Van Damme being hunted by Lance Henriksen directed by John Woo produced by Sam Rami? Fuck yeh great flick! I'd rate this higher but the characters are pretty one deminsional and I didn't really connect to them. This film has some great style and the final shootout at the warehouse is a fantastic piece of action cinema.
5. Universal Soldier
Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren's answer to T-2. This saw him enter the world of bigger budget vehilces (Timecop is probably a better film and executed more effectively but I like US better because its darker and has a more believable storyline). Lundgren's preformance owns Van Dammes and its a pity he never made it bigger than being Stallone or Van Damme's memisis
after some strong preformances in Dark Angel and The Punisher (flame me about the Punisher.... whatever. I don't care its easily one of the best late 80s action flicks).
.....and apart from Cyborg, Timecop and Wake of Death I found a lot of his flicks average at best. I didn't check out The Quest (which he directed) but a friend of mine who is down with 80s action shit told me it was decent so I might give the fucker a day in court.
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