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Hard Target
1993
In his Hollywood directorial debut, Hong Kong sensation John Woo styles this action movie about a simple Merchant Marine (Jean-Claude Van Damme) who seeks to protect a beautiful woman whose father was murdered by an organization that sells the opportunity to hunt human prey in a safari game. Read more
| Starring | Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lance Henriksen, Wilford Brimley, Yancy Butler |
|---|---|
| Director | John Woo |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
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Critics' reviews (5)
View all -
Cult Hong Kong director John Woo's Hollywood debut was regarded as a major disappointment by his die-hard fans, but it's a lot better than most American action fodder. It's also easily Jean-Claude Van Damme's best movie, even if Woo doesn't quite achieve the impossible and coax a performance out of him. Armed with the dodgiest haircut since Hoddle and Waddle in their Spurs' heyday (ask the football fan next to you!), Van Damme plays an unemployed sailor who spoils the human hunting games of some wealthy millionaires when he fights back. The plotting is minimal, but Lance Henriksen and Arnold Vosloo make for terrific baddies and Woo orchestrates some stunning action set pieces, including a spectacular finale, with panache.
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John Woo, Hong Kong's influential director of action films, makes his American debut with yet another re-make of The Most Dangerous Game; the experience seems not to have been a happy one for him, or for his audience.
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"...Briskly vigorous....Woo helps his star display his specialty -- high-powered martial arts skills -- with greater panache and stylization than before..."
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
View all -
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
ONE OF VANDAMMES BEST
A must for all fans of the high kicking belgian-cracking fight scenes,great entertainment
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
TOP MOVIE !!!
John Woo's first Hollywood feature stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chance Boudreaux, a down-and-out Cajun merchant seaman, who, after saving a young woman, Natasha Binder (Yancy Butler), from a gang of thugs on the streets of New Orleans, agrees to help her search for her father (Chuck Pfarrer), a homeless Vietnam vet. They locate local businessman Randall Poe (Elliott Keener), for whom the vet had been working, and learn that her father has become a victim of wealthy sportsman Emil Fouchon (Lance Henriksen), who, along with his cronies, hunts homeless men as a form of recreation. After Fouchon finds out that the girl is investigating the murder of her father, he arranges for she and Chance to be ambushed, but they manage to escape into the backwoods of Louisiana -- his stomping grounds. Realizing he needs to regroup, Fouchon assembles a private army to invade the bayous. They track the pair to the rustic cabin of Chance's Uncle Douvee (Wilford Brimley), and the real fireworks begin.
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
john woo can do better!
The new blood started here!
Hard target john woo's first hollywood movie,is a story told and re-told,but this time with john woo's direction,being his first film outside of hongkong,this is a rather tame affair and shows promise of what he can do for a US studio,all the trademarks are here,but its nothing original!
van damme gets to make use of his skills and his career beyond this is going downward,one of his last few cinematic attempts before dtv hell,good bad guy acting with lance henrikson,& arnold vosloo
john woo has yet to show us what he can do! -
Most recent members' reviews (2)
View all -
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Le Van Damme, ee ay le poof!
All Arnold Vosloo fans take note, this is the great man's finest hour!
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
john woo can do better!
The new blood started here!
Hard target john woo's first hollywood movie,is a story told and re-told,but this time with john woo's direction,being his first film outside of hongkong,this is a rather tame affair and shows promise of what he can do for a US studio,all the trademarks are here,but its nothing original!
van damme gets to make use of his skills and his career beyond this is going downward,one of his last few cinematic attempts before dtv hell,good bad guy acting with lance henrikson,& arnold vosloo
john woo has yet to show us what he can do!
-
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
ONE OF VANDAMMES BEST
A must for all fans of the high kicking belgian-cracking fight scenes,great entertainment
-
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
TOP MOVIE !!!
John Woo's first Hollywood feature stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chance Boudreaux, a down-and-out Cajun merchant seaman, who, after saving a young woman, Natasha Binder (Yancy Butler), from a gang of thugs on the streets of New Orleans, agrees to help her search for her father (Chuck Pfarrer), a homeless Vietnam vet. They locate local businessman Randall Poe (Elliott Keener), for whom the vet had been working, and learn that her father has become a victim of wealthy sportsman Emil Fouchon (Lance Henriksen), who, along with his cronies, hunts homeless men as a form of recreation. After Fouchon finds out that the girl is investigating the murder of her father, he arranges for she and Chance to be ambushed, but they manage to escape into the backwoods of Louisiana -- his stomping grounds. Realizing he needs to regroup, Fouchon assembles a private army to invade the bayous. They track the pair to the rustic cabin of Chance's Uncle Douvee (Wilford Brimley), and the real fireworks begin.
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
john woo can do better!
The new blood started here!
Hard target john woo's first hollywood movie,is a story told and re-told,but this time with john woo's direction,being his first film outside of hongkong,this is a rather tame affair and shows promise of what he can do for a US studio,all the trademarks are here,but its nothing original!
van damme gets to make use of his skills and his career beyond this is going downward,one of his last few cinematic attempts before dtv hell,good bad guy acting with lance henrikson,& arnold vosloo
john woo has yet to show us what he can do! -
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Le Van Damme, ee ay le poof!
All Arnold Vosloo fans take note, this is the great man's finest hour!
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One of Van Damme's better films...
John Woo manages the almost impossible - he gets a performance out of Van Damme! This film does not move as fast or furious as some of Woo's HK efforts such as The Killer or Hard Boiled, but then the safety requirements of Hollywood are more stringent than in HK where risks in action films are often taken.
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not best of his films,but still good film.
not the best of his films,still a good film to watch.
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Good to watch
The start of the film keeps your attention, goes a litttle bit slow, but once it does get going, enjoyable, plenty of action, couldnt say it was boring and Jean Claude Van Damme well what can I say well hot!!
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[Highly rated reviewer]
Hard Target
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- standardman from Littleborough
- Posted 06 Oct 2009 17:54
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hard target
great action film will watch again my family loved this film highly recomended exceeds what i was told about this film
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0 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Van Damme Fan?
Quality fight scenes, cat and mouse chase where the mouse is ripped, triple hard - and has girly long hair.
Critics' reviews (5)
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Cult Hong Kong director John Woo's Hollywood debut was regarded as a major disappointment by his die-hard fans, but it's a lot better than most American action fodder. It's also easily Jean-Claude Van Damme's best movie, even if Woo doesn't quite achieve the impossible and coax a performance out of him. Armed with the dodgiest haircut since Hoddle and Waddle in their Spurs' heyday (ask the football fan next to you!), Van Damme plays an unemployed sailor who spoils the human hunting games of some wealthy millionaires when he fights back. The plotting is minimal, but Lance Henriksen and Arnold Vosloo make for terrific baddies and Woo orchestrates some stunning action set pieces, including a spectacular finale, with panache.
-
John Woo, Hong Kong's influential director of action films, makes his American debut with yet another re-make of The Most Dangerous Game; the experience seems not to have been a happy one for him, or for his audience.
-
"...Briskly vigorous....Woo helps his star display his specialty -- high-powered martial arts skills -- with greater panache and stylization than before..."
-
Sporting hair extensions and a Cajun accent, Van Damme plays Chance Boudreaux, a drifter who comes to the aid of one... read more on Time Out
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"...Enough heart-stopping set pieces for three such movies....Peculiar visual poetry." -- Rating: A
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In his Hollywood directorial debut, Hong Kong sensation John Woo styles this action movie about a simple Merchant Marine (Jean-Claude Van Damme) who seeks to protect a beautiful woman whose father ... -
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