SunnyHello Nice effects though.

Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

jasonisageek I have to admit that around Maximum Risk and Knockoff (late 90's era JCVD), Jean-Claude lost me. I found no enjoyment in either of those films, and while I absolutely loved Double Team (1997), anything after went straight to home video, which usually means low-quality films, and that's just never a good sign. I did try a few of his films here and there, but I could never sit through one completely. They just weren't any good. So I pretty much strayed from him films until 2008's JCVD. But even then, with his career seemingly at a resurgence, nothing that came after that was any good either. In fact, the only thing I actually liked from him in the last 20 years is easily the Amazon show pilot for Van Johnson, where he was just absolutely brilliant. I haven't heard anything new about it yet, but I do hope it gets picked up for a series.Philippe Savauge (JCVD), an army vet suffering from PTSD, is hired as a bodyguard for local boxing champ Wayne Barclay (Razaaq Adoti). When a local drug kingpin, Terrell Singletery (Viv Leacock) is released from a prison stint, he sets his sights on exacting revenge on Barclay from a long-running feud. Savauge soon realizes he has his work cut out for him and things get even more complicated when it seems like Barclay's sister and manager Tamara (Vivica A. Fox) might have a thing for Savauge. The Hard Corpse reunites Van Damme with his Lionheart and Double Impact writer/director Sheldon Lettich, and honestly, that was the only selling point for me to actually make the effort to watch this. Sure it had been many, many years since either of them had a hit, but I went in hopeful. And you know, it wasn't bad. Not at all the kind of film I was expecting, but it wasn't terrible either. It was shockingly able to keep my attention even though it ultimately ended up being the kind of film that I don't necessarily seek out. And after having seen it, it's not a film I will probably ever watch again and won't go down as one of Jean-Claude's better films.There's really not much motivation for you to actually check this out, unless you're a die hard completest of JCVD films. There's really not a lot of action, and you only ever see him use his martial arts skills during one scene in the film. Even then, it comes across so "blah". You'd never know these two (Lettich and Van Damme) were the same team behind some of his earlier classics like Bloodsport, Lionheart and Double Impact (a personal favorite). But still, it's not a bad film. Just not a good or enjoyable one. Sheldon Lettich, while one of the few who spearheaded the whole martial arts/action movement in the late 80's to early 90's has clearly lost his mojo by this film. While he would only ever direct 8 films in his career, this would be his last. What makes the experience more trying is that Van Damme just looks so tired and uninterested here. He literally looks like he couldn't give a damn anymore than he already does and comes across as completely bored and unmotivated. Sad day indeed. Not one of his worst, but you can certainly find a better way to spend an hour and a half of your time. www.robotGEEKSCultCinema.blogspot.com

Leofwine_draca THE HARD CORPS is a film I'd like a lot more if it wasn't for the subject matter. It's a film that looks good, seeing Van Damme team up once more with director Sheldon Lettich, with whom he made some cheesy classics back in the day (such as DOUBLE IMPACT), which are still personal favourites of mine. There are some decent action scenes sprinkled around, including a great bit where our hero machine-guns a car and has a fist fight with a younger, fitter opponent, reminding us that he's still got 'it'.But for too much of the running time, the film gets bogged down in the storyline surrounding a black boxer and the man who vows to have him killed. Too many 'gangsta' stereotypes creep into the script, especially at the climax, so that this resembles nothing more than one of those poor Seagal movies.It's not totally without merit, though. Van Damme isn't required to act much here, as in other, recent movies, but he's still fun to watch. The (few) action scenes are fun, and I like Lettich's direction. I just wish that they'd gone for a better script rather than desperately trying to appeal to the young, black, male crowd.

callanvass A war veteran with a haunted past named Philippe Sauvage gets offered a chance to be the bodyguard for retired boxer Wayne Barclay, along with friend Clarence Bowden to protect Wayne from released prisoner, Terrell Singletery. He is initially let go by Wayne's beautiful sister, Tamara for being too awkward (Vivica Fox) , but she changes her mind when Phillipe saves her Brother's life during an assassination attempt at a club. After Clarence dies in the process, Phillipe gets hired full-time by Tamara to set up the new security team. Conflict arises between Barclay & Sauvage when the shady Detective Teague tells Wayne about Sauvage's past, and Sauvage starts falling for Tamara. Steven Seagal turned this down (Thank god) JCVD took the part instead. I'm a big JCVD fan and I think this is one of JCVD's unheralded STD movies. It isn't exactly a good film, but it does manage to be fairly entertaining when all is said and done. It has some well timed humor, lively characters, and a solid pace. I think people condemn this film because of the lack of action scenes. It isn't completely void of them. We do get a couple of above average fight scenes, but I would's say it is filled with action, because it isn't. There is some cheap war flashbacks involving VD's character that feel otiose and out of place. It is never boring, despite the lack of action. The film's best fight scene, might just be the most disappointing. There is a somewhat lengthy scrap between Wayne Barclay & Sauvage in the second half. It does have its moments, but I felt it could have been so much more. Instead, it turned out to be a "Who's dick is bigger" type scrap. The film made sure neither man looked weak in the fight, which was smart, but it should have been more emotional. I also hated the rap music throughout the movie. We get your typical "In the hood" dialog sometimes. My favorite line has to be "When was the last time you had your ham glazed?" I spit my beer out and laughed my ass off. Van Damme isn't too shabby here. He always has a welcome presence, even with a film that is below his standards. He looks to be sleepwalking at times, but he does have moments that impress as well. Fellow JCVD fans will be pleased to know he does some of his trademark kicks, including the patented leg sweep. His romance with Vivica Fox was quite cute. Razaaq Adoti is actually very charismatic as Wayne Barclay. He felt like a real boxer. Some of his dialog made me shake my head, but I really liked him. Vivica Fox is very sexy and did well in her role. She was sassy and enjoyable to watch. Viv Leacock is pretty poor as the villain. He said the word "B****tch" WAY too many times. He wasn't all that menacing either. The rest of the cast is OK. The ending makes me grin every time I watch it. Call me a lame romantic if you will, but I can't help it. Final Thoughts: It isn't great, let me get that out of the way. You could do a hell of a lot worse. With all of the garbage Steven Seagal, Wesley Snipes, etc churn out these days, Van Damme at least tries. This one is a solid time waster. I rather like it5.6/10

look_mummy_im_flying Only one word can sum this movie up properly - ridiculous.I found more meaning in any given Pauly Shore movie. The acting can only be described as wooden, the script has more cheese than a dairy farm, and Van Moron is way past his prime...if he ever had one, that is. Every single line of the script was one cliché after another, and there was no originality what so ever. The support cast, although they were clearly trying their very best, missed the mark completely. However, they cannot be blamed for the atrocious waste of time this movie turned out to be. I suppose that it is extremely hard work to attempt to take yourself seriously as an actor when you're given a project like 'The Hard Corps' to work on. Each character is a ridiculous stereotype, the kind that you only find in made for TV movies or anything 'starring' Van Damme.I do admit that this film will definitely appeal to the mindless, brain dead members of society who actually think that slow-mo fighting is the epitome of cool, but for the enthusiastic film fans out there who enjoy at least a tiny bit of intellectual stimulation - give it a miss.In conclusion: DON'T BOTHER.