Heh! I was thinking of doing Van Damme and Seagal threads after the big 3, but only top 5's as I don't think either have enough movies I really consider good enough or like enough to make a top 10, but I'll give it a shot and just be a bit lazy with 10-6 and not give them write-ups.
10. Kickboxer
9. Bloodsport
8. Universal Soldier
7. Maximun Risk
6. Nowhere to Run
I believe this was seen as a modern day upate of the classic western Shane, and it kinda works the same way. Van Damme's escaped convict ends up on a small farm where a widow and her kids are being intimidated into selling by the small town's big businessman who has the local Sheriff's department on his payroll. It's a well worn plot, like an episode of the A Team as JCVD stands up for the family, beds the Mom, beats up the bad guys and looks cool racing around on a motorbike.
5. Lionheart (A.W.O.L.)
It starts out with JCVD's brother being brutally murdered and it seems like it's going to be a revenge flick, but then turns into another Van Damme fighting tournemant movie, only this is an underground type of deal and it provides some decent action as JCVD makes his way to the big money fight against the people who run it's big monster heel so he can make enough money to provide for his dead brothers family.
4. Cyborg
I guess you could say this is JCVD's Mad Max, a bleak vision of a post apocalyptic future where JCVD is hunting a ruthless gang that killed his wife and left him for dead, and ends up protecting a woman that could hold the key to saving humanity.....or something like that. The film looks good, it takes you into this hellhole future convincingly, it has some decent fight scenes and one of the most menacing and terrifying villains any action hero has ever faced.
3. Death Warrant
JCVD is a cop who goes undercover in a prison to find out why so many prisoners are dying, he stumbles across some Organ harvesting shenanigans linked to a bunch of powerful and wealthy people, and then "The Sandman" a psycho that killed his partner ends up at the prison and all hell breaks loose! The mystery aspect works pretty well and when it kicks off the action is solid, Van Damme even has time to get a bit of lovin' from the prison Doctor, Arnie and Sly would never have done that lol.
2. Sudden Death
Jean Claude's Die Hard, set in an Ice Hockey stadium. This is one of JCVD's most likable characters, a fireman who takes his kids to an Ice Hockey game and ends up having to go into John McClane mode, and Powers Boothe leaves no scenery unchewed as the main villain, so much fun. There's an hilarious fight scene between JCVD and a terrorist in the home teams mascot suit, and director Peter Hyams delivers a big, exciting finale to the action when they end up on the roof of the stadium!
1. Hard Target
Easily his best film thanks to being directed by Hong Kong action God John Woo, he keeps Chance Boudreaux's dialogue to a minimum and designs more big scale, dynamic and creative action sequences than Van Damme usually had in his movies, the bike chase/shootout is crazy and the big warehouse finale is like a baby brother to the awesome warehouse shootout in Hard Boiled. Also, pre-crack Yancy Butler was absolutrely stunning!
