Stuck on my parents farm tonight I thought I'd give Hard Target a go..... obviously I wasn't expecting much but christ it's bad......
I like Bloodsport and AWOL,, if for the wrong reasons (got to love the cheesiness) but this is shocking. In one seen Van Damme graps a rattlesnake in mid flight, punched it to death in slow motion and bites off the tail. The Director of this film should be shot. Or made to watch the film over and over again, I'm not sure which is worse.
Originally posted by Disco Dave: The Director of this film should be shot.
In slow motion with some doves flying about the place. Woo may have slipped but he doesn't deserve to be shot. There are worse Van Damme films out there.
HOW VERY DARE YOU. This is one of the better efforts by Woo. He has had actors like Travolta, Cage, Slater and this is still the best American effort he has managed(Face of comes second). Bullet in the Head. Not one of your Hong Kong movies just a suggestion (Mr Woo).
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Disco Dave: Stuck on my parents farm tonight I thought I'd give Hard Target a go.....[QUOTE]
What were you expecting?? it was JOHN slow motion on everything WOO and Jean Claude I can take on anyone with my slow motion split legged kick Van Damme. I MEAN COME ON!!!
Haha, I hear you buddy! Probably my favourite Van Damme flick. There's a lot of tongue lodged in its cheek as well (Van Damme's character is called Chance Beaudreux for Pete's sake!), Lance Henriksen puts in his best gurning, hammy, villain act (the only thing missing was a long moustasche to twiddle) and there's a crazy alcoholic French uncle that lives in the woods. Plus there's some decent action set pieces, and a storyline that stands head and shoulders above most martial arts crapfests. If this is the worst film you've seen, I can only assume you usually watch Fellini or Godard!*
Bullet In The Head is a top film by the way. The only action film that made we want to shed a tear. Of course I didn't cry, I'm much too hard for that sort of thing.
Originally posted by Disco Dave: The Director of this film should be shot.
In slow motion with some doves flying about the place. Woo may have slipped but he doesn't deserve to be shot. There are worse Van Damme films out there.
"cough" Cyborg "cough"
am Susan Ivanova, Commander. Daughter of Andre and Sophie Ivanov. I am the right hand of vengeance and the boot that is going to kick your sorry ass all the way back to Earth, goddammit! I am death incarnate, and the last living thing that you are ever going to see. God sent me. Ivanova, Babylon 5
I'm confused, because I assumed you've seen his Hong Kong work. In which case how can you not rate him as one of the best action directors in recent times?
I've watched Bullet in the Head A Better Tomorrow 2,The Kllier, Hard Boiled and possibly others but he does the same thing all the time. Dozens of people come from nowhere just to get killed in slo-mo. Don't get me wrong, when I saw the first few I was amazed but as I have moved through other Asian movies I see how action can be done better (without the overkill). I prefer the likes of Crouching Tiger et all. Swords and feet over guns. They are fantastic at fight scenes that involve physical contact. Check out Danny the Dog(Unleashed), Iron Monkey and the Matrix to see what sort of fight scenes can be done with a good action director/ choreograper yuen wu pen. Might have mispelt there but he is brilliant. No fight is ever the same.
That's comparing different genres really. I love my martial arts as much as the next man, but I would still prefer John Woo to shoot my gun battles. Fight choreography might not be his bag, but the energy and invention he uses and injects into his scenes is great, while still keeping the necessary amount of pathos in each one. Influenced by pretty much any director of note from the East and West, his films are always layered if you pay attention to that sort of thing, and always intriguing even if you don't. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I hate this 'slow motion and doves' caricature that people love to reduce him to.
I remember when this first came out and was on Sky Movies or something when I was stranded with my family in Nottingham sharing a hotel room. I made everyone stay up till about 1am to watch it. My only excuse is that it was a very long time ago, I was young, and I didn't have Sky at home.
