MVD Rewind once again dips into the vaults of the mom and
pop video stores to bring back a movie that was found on the shelves there for
fans to enjoy when they wanted. LIONHEART stars Jean-Claude Van Damme at the top
of his game early in his career when he was heating up the box office with his
action films. When looking up his timeline on imdb. com I was stunned to
realize that his best movies and the time he was topping the box office only
lasted 10 years. Yes, he’s continued to make movies but their popularity has
dwindled over time and like Steven Seagal he’s found himself in the straight to
DVD market. Fortunately movies like this have found their way to disc showing
how good he was.
In LIONHEART we start off with the death of a man torched
with gasoline by a gang. With no money to pay his doctor bills his wife Helene
(Lisa Pelikan) and daughter Nicole (Ashley Johnson) are left with an increase
debt and she writes to his brother. That brother is Lyon (Van Damme), a member
of the French Foreign Legion and stationed in Africa. Asking for leave to be
with his family he is denied and thus escapes and runs for the US followed by
Legion members intent on his return.
Landing in New York with no money Lyon hears a commotion
under a bridge and comes across a bare fist fight for money taking place. A
lower level gambling operation run by Joshua (Harrison Page) Lyon sees this as
a quick opportunity to make a few dollars. The find end quickly and Joshua
realizes he has a fighter that can get him back in the big time again. A quick
meal later and he’s Lyon’s manager and they set off to make enough money to get
him to LA where his brother and his family are.
Joshua takes Lyon to a fight organized by Cynthia (Deborah
Rennard) and her right hand man Russell (Brian Thompson). Cynthia is at the top
of the illegal fight food chain. She too sees the potential in Lyon and they
begin scheduling fights that pay well. Once he has enough money he lets them
know he’s going to LA. Cynthia lets them both know she’ll see them out there.
Lyon and Joshua arrive to find that his brother has passed.
Feeling obligated he tries to give Helene money but she refuses, angry that he
didn’t make it back before his brother passed. We also learn that Lyon took the
fall for his brother years ago resulting in his having to leave. Consulting
with Joshua he agrees to more fights and sets up a way to get the money to
Helene without her knowing.
While the fights progress Helene’s place is being watched at
the same time by the Legion members who followed him to America in hopes of
capturing him and taking him back. Now Lyon not only has to be concerned about
himself as each fight moves him to a more deadly opponent but he has to worry
about his family’s safety as well.
As is most often the case all of these fights lead to the
big one, the one with the massive payoff and the most danger. Cynthia has set
up a fight she thinks Lyon can’t win and has bet all on his opponent. Joshua,
remembering what Cynthia did to him in the past which left him crippled and
unable to fight, must decide between betting the right way or trusting his
friend. And at the end will Lyon be able to remain with his family or will the
Legion members take him back?
For an action film of this kind it has a simple and yet
effective story. That’s one thing that is missing from so many films like this
being made today. It doesn’t have to be overly complicated or involve drug
cartels and Russian mafia big wigs. Instead this tells a story that fulfills
the need for action while having a heart at its core. It also doesn’t rely on
its lead actor, Van Damme, to be an incredibly talented thespian but he still
manages to pull off a solid performance here.
I was surprised when the movie began to realize that it was
released by Imperial. This was a main video supplier back in the old mom and
pop video days that has since disappeared. But they specialized in films like
this with most not being as high a quality as this one is. Even more surprising
was to realize that the Ashley Johnson who plays the young Nicole is the same
Johnson who now stars on TV’s BLINDSPOT. How time flies.
In the end the movie entertains and that’s one of the most
difficult things to do for an action film that focuses on a main character with
an actor who hadn’t been around all that long. Looking back at his list of
credits Van Damme solidified his stature as an action star in just 3 years with
this film being one among the films he made. The others (BLOODSPORT, CYBORG and
KICKBOXER) all worked to make him a superstar in the same mold that the early
films of Seagal did. Unfortunately his career didn’t stay in high gear although
his output did. His movies are still coming out with regularity but nowhere
near as good as his earlier films, this being one of his better ones that’s
worth revisiting.
MVD has done an amazing job here recreating that feel of the
old video store with their packaging as they have with all of their Video
Rewind Collection. The sleeve for the film has printed stickers for “2 day
rentals” and “Bee kind remember to rewind”. Kids today might not understand the
reference but those who loved going to the video stores in the 80s will get a
kick out of the labels. The extras included here are more than one would expect
as well. They include both the theatrical release of the film and an extended
cut, an archival audio commentary track by director/writer Sheldon Lettich and
Harrison Page on the extended cut, a new featurette LIONHARD: THE INSIDE STORY
with interviews including Van Damme, Lettich, producer Eric Karson, Page,
Rennard and Thompson, a new featurette INSIDE LIONHEART WITH THE FILMMAKERS AND
CAST, a new featurette LIONHEART: BEHIND THE FIGHTS, an archival making of
featurette, an archival interview with Lettich, an archival interview with
Page, 5 promotional TV clips, a behind the scenes photo gallery, the original
theatrical trailer and a collectible mini-poster.
Fans of Van Damme will find this a must have to add to their
collection. Fans of action films will find an entertaining film worth
revisiting. And fans of the old mom and pop video stores will want to pick this
one up as well. It’s a lot of fun and worth doing so.
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